Sarkozy Counselor to EuroFora on French President statement that 2012 can give Birth to New Europe

*Metz/Angelo Marcopolo/- A French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Counselor, speaking to "EuroFora" on his New Year's eve anouncement, that "2012 will be the year to give Birth to a New Europe", reminded Sarkozy' Historic Speech on the "need for Europe's ReNaissance",  (made in Strasbourg on 2/7/2007 after 2 Electoral Victories and June 2007 EU Brussels Summit's decision on the "simplified" Lisbon Treaty), and pointed at recent developments on EU Economic Governance as well  as on €uroArea+, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the latest, December 2011 EU Brussels' Summit, from the spot),

When Sarkozy had initially stressed the "Need for "Europe's ReNaissance", he had clearly explained that he felt accountable to his landmark pre-Electoral speech, back on February 2007 in Strasbourg, where he had replied to a Question by "EuroFora"s co-Founder by stressing that he "will never change what (he) said on Europe" that day, including f.ex. the need for a Political and Democratic, not Bureaucratic Europe, for an EU Identity and Cultural and Human Rights Values incompatible with Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, as well as for a strong EU Economic Governance, in order for Europe to become able to play an important role in the World, (See our 23 February 2007 Publication at TCWeekly+ Magazine)

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 - 4 Years later, the French President optimistically anounced that he is now  "convinced that, United together with our European Partners, we shall be Stronger in order to meet the Challenges which wait for us (expect us)" including to "Get out of the (Global) Crisis" and "build a New Economic model".

- Because "what goes on in the World, announces that the year 2012 wil be that of all Dangers, but also of all Possibilities. of all Hopes, if we know how to how to meet the Challenges. Of all Dangers, if we stay still (without moving)".

 - "The (Global) Crisis is serious : It sanctions 30 Years of Planetary Disorders in Economy, Trade, Finance, Currency issues, with an incredible crisis, which is, without any doubt the most serious since the 2nd World War, and this crisis has not yet finished", he warned. - "Nevertheless, there are reasons to Hope. We have to, and can keep Trust in the Future. Because, even if many (other EU) Countries faced hardships difficult to overcome", '"pushing in to sufferings Greece, Ireland, Portugal, but also so strong Countries as Spain and even Italy", nevertheless, (f.ex.) France kept going on, and resisted", up to now; thanks to Courage and Calm, to Rock-solid Institutions, Social Protection which guarantees a Solidarity in hardships, thanks to Reforms acomplished during the last years, (f.ex. on Retirement, etc), and to all Measures aiming to reduce Public Spending, which allowed to keep the Trust of those who lend their Savings in order to Fund the Economy",

=> However, "the History of Decades to come is written Now", in 2012. And, "the circumstances being Exceptional, (therefore) the Decisions must stand at the Height of (meet) this seriousness (Gravity)", strongly stressed Sarkozy from the outset, anouncing that  "among the Challenges which wait for us is also to give Birth to a New Europe".

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- "All the work done during the recent years, both on EU and €uroZone, up to the latest EU Summit (December 2011 : See "EuroFora's NewsReports from Brussels), including on "EuroArea"'s Governance, already goes in this direction, Sarkozy's Counselor stressed to "EuroFora".

+ According to the original logic of the "Renaissance" of a Europe with Identity and Values, the move naturally includes also the anouncement made today by the French President of his intention to officially raise the issue of a financial "Contribution" of Imports made by Foeign Countries with "Cheap Labour" obtained mainly through Human and/or Social Rights' Violations, (thereby concretely joining together both Real Politics and Human Rights' Values), Sarkozy'"s Counsellor confirmed to "EuroFora", (See infra).

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 - "I don't underestimate the consequences that Rating Agencies and the  Financial Markets' upheavals, as well as our Errors of the Past, can have on our Economy. But I say for anyone to hear, that it's not Markets, nor Agencies which will make France and EU's politics !",

In fact, the only way to preserve our Sovereignity is to master our Destiny and to choose .. the way of Structural Reforms, instead of that of last-minute Reactions, which only add confusion and disorder without restoring trust.

"The problem is not to Reduce again this year's Spending : What should have been done, has already been decided", he noted.

- "But, now, we must work, in priority, for Growth, Competitiveness, Re-Industrialisation, which, alone, will allow us to create Jobs and purchashing power". In this regard, 3 dominant issues emerge :

+ In addition to taking due care of Unemployed People, without excluding them, but, on the contrary, by Training and helping them to find their place in society, while also making Financial markets, which are largely at the origin of the current difficulties, should participate into funding the reparation of damages they provoked, f.ex. by implementing recent decisions on a Tax over Financial Transactions, etc., Sarkozy anounced also his intention to launch a new grounf-breaking 3rd Measure :

- The most innovating Measure anounced by the French President for 2012 seems, indeed, to concern "our Social Protection's Funding", which "can no more rely mainly on Work, so easiily outsourced", as the French President observed.  

=> Therefore, "we must reduce pressure on Work", he observed.

>>> Instead, it is " Imports which compete our products with Cheap Labour force"; which should pay, Sarkozy stressed :                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
- "We must make" them "conrtibute financially" to our Social Protection, the French President anounced.

- "This issue lies at the Heart of all our Debates since Years", (in France, the EU and the G 20), stressed Sarkozy.

- So that now, "I shall hear the proposals of Social Partners, (at a January 2012 Social Summit) and afterwards we shall decide"; he warned, apparently pointing at a RDV for the 2nd Half of January 2012. After "listening to the proposals of each one" among "the Representatives of Economic and Social forces", in a "meeting, together with the Prime Minister (Fillon) on January 18", so that, "before the End of January, we'd take and assume Important Decisions, because what is at Stake is Crucial", he underlined.                                                

+ The move concerns "particularly Imports from Countries with Serious Violations of Human Rights", through which they obtain an exceptionaly Low-Cost Labour Force, explained, agreeing with "EuroFora", a Sarkozy's Counselor.

++ He also agreed that this points mainly on the so-called "Social Dumping", which was strongly denounced by the French President in his famous Speech "at Urmatt", a Modern Wood Sciery near Strasbourg, as early as since 2009, (See "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Urmatt).

=>  + So that, in fact; the move "also concerns Environmental Dumping", Sarkozy's Counselor naturally reminded to "EuroFora", given the fact that the French President had cited both these two Unfair Competition issues, in relation with France's and EU's Industry, starting by his 2009 landmark speech at Urmatt.

Afterwards,  the issue was again discussed on the sidelines of EU and G-20 Summits, in view of which, French Minister for Social and Health issues, Xavier Bertrand, speaking to "EuroFora" earlier in Paris, during an International Conference with Political and Experts' representatives from all G 20 Member Countries and related International Organizations, had anounced his intention to raise the problem of serious violations even of elementary Social Rights.

During the latest, 2011 G20 Summit at Cannes, last November 2011, the problems related to "Social Dumping" and "Unfair Competition" to EU a.o. Industry, by abnormally "Cheap Labour" obtained mainly by serious Human Rights Violations in certain Countries, (notorious examples being f.ex. Turkey, Pakistan, etc), were anew raised and discussed both by  EU Business Associations, including Laurence Parisot, head of the French Business Association, as well as by ILO's President Somavia, from nearby Geneva, etc.

=> According to the Official Conclusions of the 2011 G20 Summit, as decided at Cannes, Heads of State/Government declared that they were "Committed to Strengthen the Social Dimension of Globalisation", because they "firmly believe that Employment and Social Inclusion must be at the Heart of .. actions and Policies to restore Growth and Confidence". In consequence, the G20 Summit "decided to set up a Task Force, which shall work as a Priority on Youth Employment", (including, naturally, the Interdiction of Children Labour, etc), as well as to "recognize the Importance of Social Protection Floors in each of our Countries, adapted to National Situations", and to "encourage ILO to continue Promoting Ratification and Implementation of the 8 core Conventions ensuring Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work".

In this regard, the 2011 G20 Summit, concluding about "Reforming Global Governance for the 21st Century", also decided to "call on International Organisations, especially the UN, WTO, the ILO", (etc), "to enhance their Dialogue and Cooperataion, including on the Social Impact of Economic Policies, and to intensify their Coordination".

    Significantly, Sarkozy's counselor spoke on the above mentioned issues to "EuroFora" during today's visit of the French President at Metz, near Strasbourg, the city where he had Symbolically inaugurated a year ago (in 2010) an eye-catching, spectacular "Human Rights' parvis right in front of the brand New "Pompidou Center" for Culture (also as "a lever for Economic Development", as Sarkozy stressed then), in the famous and strategic Lorrain region, "surrounded by Borders of almost 4 Countries", but mainly close "Neighbour to Germany" :

This fact giving an occasion to Sarkozy to change his scheduled speech and add a vibrant call to safeguard and resolutely develop further the "Fundamental Importance of the Franco-German Axis", as he stressed from the 1st Day of the New Year 2012, (See other NewsReport by "EuroFora" from Metz, attached herewith).
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+ Meanwhile, German Chancelor Angie Merkel, also spoke, in her New Year's eve address from Berlin, about a "long road, not without setbacks", "at the end of which wil emerge a Stronger Europe", than what it was before the present Crisis.

- In particular, "a common currency can only be really successful, if we Work Together in Europe, more than ever", she observed.

- "Especially now, when Europe faces its most serious chalenge in many Decades", Merkel warned.

- But, "despite hardships, we must never forget that the peaceful unification of our continent is an historic gift to us. It has taken us over half a century of peace, freedom, justice, Human Rights and Democracy", stressed the German chancelor.