from: noelx -  The European Union (EU) summits of Biarritz and, in particular, Nice are important on two levels. Above all, these summits concern EU key strategic programmes : the Charter of Fundamental Rights and  institutional reforms that prefigure EU enlargement of eastern European countries. On these two points alone, mass mobilisation is  called for. The charter is a backward step compared to existing international treaties such as the Universal Declaration of the  Rights of Man drafted over half a century ago in 1948!

As for the institutional reforms and the opening up of the EU to  eastern European countries, this means a real threat of Europe being transformed into a free-exchange zone - a paradise for liberal  capitalism! However, these EU key plans take on greater significance  when seen as part of the overall struggle against global liberalism.  Europe, is above all a first stage on the path to globalisation. So,  are we suppose to accept precarity, flexibility and the disappearance  of the idea of public services in the name of international  competition!

  In view of what is at stake, mass mobilisation for Biarritz and Nice is clearly paramount. It's now a question of numbers and of  building up the strongest opposition possible, but this also means  bringing together and federating mobilisation of groups in Europe who  are not use to coordinating together. The entire European trade union  movementwill be in Nice. Also present will be other networks like ATTAC  or coalitions for the Cancellation of Third World Debts who mobilised  for Prague on 26 September. The European Marches can serve as a link between these different mobilisations, as seen in Seattle or in Washington, where trade unions and social movements were present, at  a time when the young who are remobilising throughout the world.

 All together in Nice from 6 December 2000. In the evening, we will  remain for the occupation of Nice when at 7h in the morning, the  European heads of states and governments meet. We will join in  initiatives such as debates and mobilisations. All together, we demand another Europe for another world!

The demonstration is being organised by various french groups, with a  large union involvement (the CGT aims to have over 50000 there), plus  ATTAC have called for the blockade on the eve of the 6th which will run  all night, to stop the delegates getting in -there will also be a counter summit, - http://www.local.attac.org/attac06/ContreSommet/Programme.htm - plus various other talks, etc....Jose Bove's lot are involved as are  numerous groups from Spain and Italy.

The European Union summit re-convenes in Nice on 7 & 8 December to decide on a Charter of Fundamental Human Rights.

The Collectif sur la Chartre des Droits Fondamentaux has issued an appeal initiated by the League for the Rights of Man (the body set up round the Drefyus case at the beginning of the last century and now closely connected to the French Communist Party) for a demonstration in Nice on the afternoon of Wednesday 6 December. The appeal has been signed by the two main trade union federation's, the CGT & the CFDT along with SUD-PTT, ATTAC (the main anti capitalist group in France associated with Susan George & Le Monde Diplomatique), UNEF, the main national student union and the main anti racist campaigns, SOS Racisme, MRAP & Rasl'Front. In addition a whole range of immigrant organisations & civil rights bodies have backed it. The European Trade Union Confederation and the British TUC back this demonstration. The CGT is expecting 50,000 of its members to demonstrate on 6 December.

On the following day, Thursday 7 December, ATTAC has called for a blockade of the summit.

The ATTAC Newsletter, The Sand in the Wheels, reports:
`On 26 September 2000, Prague entered after Seattle, Bangkok, Washington or Geneva, into the list of cities in which names are and will be quoted as symbols of the rise of struggles against neo-liberal globalisation. `The size of the demonstration which took place on the opening day of the joint IMF & World Bank general meeting, confirms the breadth of the protests which is expressed, today on every continent.'

The article goes on to detail the divisions within the IMF/WB & the world ruling class before pointing out:

`As in the US, in Seattle and in Washington, the overwhelming majority of the demonstrators were around 20 years of age. There is a wave of radicalisation which involves every country… `This wave of youth radicalisation, even if it smaller today than that of the 60s and 70s can profoundly change the relationships of forces & the situation of the social movements in numerous countries.'

ATTAC's balance sheet highlights the weakness of the Czech left & the unions & the effective criminalisation of S26 by the Czech state in reducing the numbers that mobilised from within the Czech Republic.

But it also points out it contrasts the lack of involvement of the West European trade unions in the opposition to `neo-liberal globalisation', contrasting this with the AFL-CIO's role in Seattle & Washington.

The point of this is that ATTAC ends by stating: `The Nice mobilisation this December can become, before the social world forum of Porto Ellegre & the Davos demonstrations, the occasion to link more tightly trade unions & social forces, movements of youth and of struggle against "neo-liberal globalisation".'