How Europe’s Social Movements Converged in Amsterdam to Plan 2014 #EUInCrisis

The Transnational Institute hosted in Amsterdam a European strategy meeting in October which brought together different European social movements on the front lines of resistance against the neoliberal E.U. austerity regime.

Austerity, privatization and attacks on social rights, imposed by the European Commission, have become a reality for people across Europe. While there have been many impressive struggles at the national level – especially in Southern Europe – European coordination is still weak apart from sporadic days of joint action.

In recent years European social movements have organized numerous meetings to analyze the situation. However, it also became clear that European social movements required a common strategy. Following the results of the E.U. economic governance assembly organized in the Alter Summit in Greece in June, the Amsterdam strategy meeting was called to coordinate European struggles against the Troika’s imposition of neoliberal policies under the new E.U. economic governance regime.

A European Square

Coming from all over Europe, 60 organizations and networks from well-established groups with a long history to the most recent social movements, gathered over three days in Amsterdam to share stories of successful resistance and to shape common campaigns and strategies.

There was a strong commitment to apply the lessons learned during the recent camps and occupations. The proposed agenda was modified along the lines of a general assembly, where all the participants had their say through an open and horizontal process. Different working groups were created to further develop the topics that were considered most important for the months to come: Democracy and the commons, Troika and Debt, the Competitiveness Pact, and the European elections.

As a result, four different initiatives were jointly developed at the end of the strategy meeting:

• Troika Party: Under the slogan of “Democracy is not competitive”, this communication campaign organized around a fake political party will expose the role of the Troika in European decision making, and the real discourse behind the Troika policies.
• Competitiveness Pact: This new piece of E.U. legislation under discussion is the new framework to push further austerity measures and weakening of labor laws. This campaign will not only oppose this pact but also will say “Basta!” to the principle of competing in a race to the bottom.
• Mapping the alternatives: A newly created online directory will map all the European initiatives that are protecting the commons and developing solidarity economies. It will make them visible and demonstrate that there are real alternatives to neoliberal policies.
• Week of action during the European elections: The European elections were identified as a key moment to mobilize European social movements against the neoliberal E.U. crisis regime. De-centralized but coordinated actions will be promoted all over Europe.