1. The EU needs to lead the way to a more equitable world.
The EU is the world’s largest economy. It needs to set an example in building a fair and ecologically sustainable society as well as promote fair play in renewing international trade agreements.
2. Protecting the climate requires a green industrial revolution.
Climate change is the biggest threat to the security of humankind. Climate protection costs money, but climate change spiralling out of control can lead to mass migrations of hundreds of millions of people resulting in a chaos. The EU has to continue to be a forerunner in climate protection. Speeding up investments in new clean technology will create jobs in sustainable industries and improve our energy security. The EU also needs to support measures to reduce emissions and to adapt to the changing climate in the developing countries. Protecting the environment means preventing future poverty.
3. For responsible economy.
Greed and “cash and grab” mentality in big business have pushed the world economy into a crisis. We need tighter rules for the financial sector in order to prevent gaining huge private prifits via risktaking that can cause huge costs to taxpayers and the whole society. Financial transaction tax is needed in order to limit speculative trading. Taxes are needed to finance education, health care and social security.
4. More jobs in the service sector.
We should rather tax activities causing environmental damage than human work. Reduced rates of value added tax should apply for services and climate-friendly solutions.
5. Healthy local food.
The EU needs to favour organic and local food. Food labelling needs to be clear to make it easy to choose healthy alternatives. Marketing junk food to children as well as GMOs in children’s food has to be prohibited. Eggs, milk and meat produced with genetically engineered feed have to be labelled. Food additives detrimental to health and industrial trans-fats need to be prohibited.
6. Proper living conditions for animals.
The transport of live animals must be limited to 8 hours and has to be properly controlled. EU must support developing alternatives to animal testing, and animal tests must be replaced with painoless alternatives without delay.
7. Transport policy for lungs and climate.
We need more and improved trains instead of motorways and truck congestion. Encouraging public transport, cycling and walking in cities will protect the climate and ensure clean breathing air. We need the Rail Baltica from Helsinki to Berlin.
8. Let´s build a door in our European house
Europe is getting greyer and this in no one’s interest. We need to make a door in our European house, in order to prevent people entering through the windows. We need rules on how to come to Europe to study or to work in a legal way. It cannot be that a fee paid to a human trafficker or a life-threatening trip in a small boat over the sea is the admission ticket to the EU.
9. Equality and human rights must be respected,
also those of the minorities. The EU needs to intervene with human rights infringements not only outside of it borders but also within. Same sex relationships have to be recognized reciprocally in EU member states. We need more women into the top EU positions.
10. Transparent decision making and rules for lobbying.
EU documents should be easily accessible. The argumentation which has lead to the decisions and legislation must be traceable for the citizens. We need a mandatory register for lobbyists along the same lines as in the USA must be compiled. A cooling-off period for taking up positions in lobby firms must apply to those resigning from the Commission, the European Parliament or the Council of Ministers, in order to avoid revolving doors between regulators and the businesses they regulate.