Real Alternatives: European Congress for Change

European citizens increasingly see the necessity of articulating clear political alternatives at a directly European and transnational level, as the only chance for European citizens to take back from financial markets the power to decide of their future.

The Brussels Congress for Change brings together over 100 organisations active throughout the continent and sharing a common vision for the renewal of Europe. The Congress aims to clearly spell ideas for real alternatives to our social, economic, and political status quo. The final goal is to create a transnational coordination platform to make alternatives viable through transnational campaigns, forums and assemblies during 2012 and beyond.

“If national governments have so far been too timid in their steps towards greater European political integration, a process of convergence of European civil society, citizens, and social movements is now needed as never before”, says Lorenzo Marsili, director of European Alternatives, promoter of the event.

The Congress will deal with needed European reforms, including changes to the labour market to end scandal of youth precarity, the extension of civil liberties and citizenship rights to migrant, LGBT, and Roma communities, and the necessity to reverse the trend towards privatisation of common goods and to renew the production model. Finally, the Congress will address the necessity of a Europe-wide campaign for the democratisation of the European space and the empowerment of citizens in the decision-making process.

Among others, the congress will be attended by Ugo Mattei, jurist and theoretician of “common goods”, Anne Coote from the New Economics Foundation, social movements from Spain, Romania, Italy, and Greece, and Members of the European Parliament such as Sonia Alfano, Marie-Christine Vergiat, Helene Flautre, Pervenche Beres, Judith Sargentini, Delli Karima, Vittorio Prodi.

The Congress is organised by European Alternatives, a transnational organisation and a citizens’ movement working throughout Europe to run campaigns, conferences, festivals, and citizens’ consultations.

Further information on the Congress and agenda here

Participating organisations

European Alternatives, ARCI, Osservatorio Europa, New Economics Foundation, CGIL, Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe, Migreurop, Democracia Real Ya, Nikos Poulantzas Institute, Institut Emile Vanderveldee, FLARE, Observatoire des Extrêmes, La Centrale Générale – FGTB, Universidad Nomada, Amnesty International UK, Iniziativa Femminista Europea, Citizens for Europe, Municipality of Fyli, Open Democracy, La Confédération étudiante, Toxic Europe, Qui Va Payer, Basic Income Earth Network, Transform! Network, Cafe Babel, CIVILSCAPE, CIVES, ECAS, Open Society Institute, AFIES, Missione Sviluppo, Alliance international de journalists, Transeuropa Network, Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, Campaign Against Homophobia, Fondation Charles Léopold Mayer, Hungarian Europe Society, JEF Europe, Our society, Cercle des Voisins, Initiative Zivilgesellschaft, European Youth Forum, Il Fatto Quotidiano, CriticAtac, European Civic Forum, Animo young left, SEL, Il nostro tempo è adesso, CFJ, European House, Take the square, Si Rinnovabili No Nucleare, Permanent Forum of European civil society, CIME, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, L’apis coop, Upact, Greek Social Forum, ENNA, Legambiente Onlus, Europea house for culture, Oxfam Wales, WPPS, Europanova, European Association for the Defence of Human Rights, Altramente