mr president in the midst of this economic crisis a crisis conceived and driven by failed policy at member state and eu level the protection of jobs and creation of new employment must be the absolute priority
the haemorrhage of jobs must be stopped
this will require proactive interventions by member state governments
free-market theology must not stand in the way of doing right by workers
the light-touch regulation of the financial markets was always a road to rip-off and corruption
obsessive deregulation and privatisation of public services will equally end in tears
so is the common refrain that we must learn the lessons of this economic crisis genuine
that is the question
if it is then the case for fundamental change in eu policy and indeed eu treaties is now unanswerable and should be the stuff of eu council deliberations
the lisbon treaty is old hat
it is a charter for the policies of failure
we need a new treaty for a new time
