Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-02-21-Speech-1-116"
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"en.20050221.14.1-116"2
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"Mr President, globalisation would, in an ideal world, be the key to greater competitiveness, growth and improved living conditions. It is not only in recent times, though, that reality has had a different tale to tell, and this makes it even more important that the World Economic Forum in Davos and the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre should examine, on a regular basis, the methods employed by globalisation and the effects resulting from it. The recent World Social Forum drew up over 350 proposals on globalisation, although I hope that these will be pruned down so that we are left with fewer, but more meaningful recommendations. If action is to be effective, principles must be thought through with crystalline clarity.
Three priorities were proposed by the World Economic Forum; the reduction of greenhouse gases, more money for the poorest countries and the abolition of trade barriers through the WTO. What is missing from this list is corporate social responsibility, for which businesses themselves should be accountable. It is not only the economic weight of businesses that matters, but also the extent of their social activities. The turnover of the top multinational corporations is higher than the combined total of the budgets of the UN Member States.
It is safe to say that if Mr Ackermann of Deutsche Bank – a company that can certainly be considered a global player – had read this recommendation, he would not have announced a return on capital of 16% in the same breath as the loss of over 6 000 jobs. Those affected by his ‘smart sourcing’ method, view it as nothing but a combination of compulsive profit making and irresponsibility. ‘Smart sourcing’ has every chance of becoming 2005’s least popular new phrase.
On a more positive note again, both the World Social Forum and the World Economic Forum are important platforms for inspiring debates. I therefore believe it to be necessary that both the President of the European Parliament and representatives from our specialist committees should participate in these forums in future. More than ever before, global elites need representatives of the people."@en1
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