Towards a European Charter of the Commons

[Darren]

http://s.coop/me9n

*Responding to the current wave of privatisations, European Alternatives 
together with the International University College and its Institute for 
the Study of Political Economy and Law together with the Municipality of 
Naples, and the /Institut international D'etudes et recherches sur les 
biens communs/are launching a process of forums and metings throughout 
Europe to draft a European Charter of the Commons.*

***In May/June meetings will take place in Zagreb, Cluj-Napoca, Sofia, 
Berlin, London, Paris, and Rome. More information coming soon!*


    Why?

The dichotomy of private property and the state has proven incapable of 
resisting the distortions produced by more than 20 years of neoliberal 
order. The outcome has been a global and severe imbalance, favouring the 
private sector and specifically corporate interests at the expense of 
the people.

Massive transfers of common resources from the public to the private 
sphere are occurring throughout the world, with total disregard of any 
constitutional guarantees of the public interest, due process, and just 
compensation. Our democracies are increasingly being jeopardized by 
collusive state and market actors; government representatives that put 
the short term profits of individuals and corporations ahead of the 
interests of the common people.

 From Greece to Spain, from Tunisia to Egypt, from Italy to Bolivia, 
Ecuador, rural India and China, the people are increasingly aware of the 
need for a different model of globalisation. These activists are 
currently engaged in acts of reclaiming commons all around the world. 
 From those resisting the privatisation of resources (for example in 
Italy with the water referendum or in Romania with the attempts at 
health care privatisation) to the recent occupations of public spaces 
against neoliberalism (for example the Indignados in Spain and the 
people of Greece). In solidarity with these movements, we initiate a 
campaign for the European Charter of the Commons.


    What are Commons?

Our approach to the commons is both about reclaiming access to 
fundamental resources as well as guaranteeing the democratic process 
that governs their distribution. Resources that are fundamental to human 
life include both natural commons such as water, food, energy and the 
atmosphere, as well as man made commons, like technology, health, the 
internet and culture. Reclaiming the commons also requires a reshaping 
of the democratic process as it stands today, offering an alternative to 
the model that has prevailed under state and market models. Governing 
the commons demands a shift of power from the centraliaed state and free 
market to local communities, placing the power to satisfy the long term 
needs of these communities as well as those of future generations back 
into the hands of community membera through bottom up, local and direct 
democracy.


    The Draft European Charter of the Commons

http://www.commonssense.it/emend/european-charter-of-the-commons-eng/
Here 
<http://www.commonssense.it/emend/european-charter-of-the-commons-eng/> you 
will find a draft of the European Charter of the Commons you can freely 
comment on, thanks to a special participatory software. We aim to 
produce an updated version of the Charter by early Summer taking into 
account all inputs received.

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