ELDR Spring Conference 4-5 April 2002, Brussels

Brussels, 21 February 2002

'All Equal - All Different' was the theme chosen by the Council of Europe for the European year against racism in 1999. In 2002, there are reasons for European liberal democrats to re-state their support for that theme and their profound belief in a tolerant, open, democratic and non-discriminatory society where all are treated in the same way and to re-address some of the challenges arising from increased globalisation.

Europe in the world:

The European Charter of Fundamental Rights sets out basic human rights and values, which should from the basis for our societies and for interaction with the rest of the world. We want a Europe, which takes a leading role in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the world, thus providing the fundament for economic prosperity, social development and ecological sustainability.

We also want a Europe that is self-confident of the strength of its values, communities and cultures and that is open for dialogue and inter-action over borders and cultural frontiers. In a globalised world, the interactions between cultures, economies and people are not only necessary but also desirable. It is important to recall that globalisation on one hand has brought wealth and knowledge to increasing numbers of people but on the other hand has highlighted and exposed the plight of those still on the margins of the global economy. More interaction, trade and globalisation is needed, not a return to protectionism and trade-barriers.

The world in Europe:

It is inevitable that Europe will continue to attract migrants and asylum seekers, as a result of our comparative economic strength and political stability. It is crucial that the European response to this challenge is based on respect for fundamental values, a willingness to integrate and the long-term needs following from an ageing population.

It is important to underline that integration is a two-way street, involving rights and obligations on the part of society and individuals. There is no final and proven method or model for integration within our European societies and as European liberal democrats we do not call for such a solution either. Rather the response must be tailored to the individual needs to the needs of different countries, ethnic groups and segments of society involved. We therefore welcome the a greater EU commitment in this area, although the prevailing responsibly must remain on national, regional and local levels.

For us, integration is to secure the individual's cultural freedom while respecting the fundamental European values. This means that individuals have the right to a private sphere based on their own cultural identity or religion, as integration is not assimilation but rather to empower all to equal chances to participate in and contribute to society.

The world in the classroom and in the workplace

Successful integration is a responsibility for all and we therefore stress the need for social inclusion in a cross cultural dialogue in which all segments of society need to enter into the dialogue. The tools for this should be developed and especially in schools and workplaces.

Education is conditional to successful integration and education systems in the Member States must be better geared for this task. As Europe is evolving into an information society, equality of access to high quality education and secure freedom of expression must be universal. It often in the classroom that the clash between private and public has to be solved and the balance need to be struck.

Successful integration often equals work, and a growing economy and a dynamic labour market are necessary tools for this. The social partners must be engaged in integration in the work place, as individual integration can never be achieved without the involvement of all.
Europe's taxation and social security systems too often have perverse effects, which lock people into dependency. While always securing welfare assistance to the least well off, much can be gained from a combination of innovation in the field of social policy and a greater
willingness to integrate.