hydrarchist writes:

"Alternative Economic Summit"

Warsaw, Poland, April 28-30, 2004

to coincide with
The World Economic Forum European Economic Summit,
Warsaw, Poland April 28-30, 2004

On the eve of accession to the European Union (significantly planned for May 1 to change the nature of that holiday), the European Economic Summit (which was cancelled in Dublin due to planned protests) is coming to Warsaw. On this occasion, we would like to greet the Summit not only with protest but with criticism and alternative visions. It is with this aim that we are calling for participation in an Alternative Economic Forum.The Forum will be open in nature and it is our intention to attract an audience from the general public as well as the activist community. The Forum will consist mainly of two sorts of events: lectures or presentations and discussions/ workshops. Other events may be included but the main focus shall be on advancing a critique of current economic trends and practices and proposing radical alternatives to them. In particular, we would be interested in addressing at least some of the issues to be discussed at the Summit.

The following topics have been announced for discussion at the European Economic Summit:

•Economic Outlook: Does Western Europe's downturn call for structural reform?
•Eurozone Economics: What are the political implications of a two-speed Europe?
•The Common Agricultural Policy: Can it be reformed enough to meet the demands of enlargement
•The Future of the Stability Pact: Propping up a cornerstone of the EU
•Beyond Enlargement: What will be the timetable for the next round of accession negotiations?
•Effects of an Expanded Union on Business
•The Regulatory Environment
•Attracting Investment
•Labour Markets
•Risks and Liabilities: How can foreign companies evaluate and manage the new risk environment?
•Europe in the Geopolitical Context
•Transatlantic Relations: What difference does enlargement make?
•Banking and Financial Services
•Consumer Markets in Central Europe
•The Oil and Gas Industry in the New Europe
•Infrastructure: How much will be distributed through transfer funds?

We feel that the following topics should be addressed during the Alternative Forum:

•Labour Markets
•Structural Reform in Western Europe in Light of European Enlargement
•The Stability Pact -- What it Means
•Business and the Future of Capitalism in an Enlarged EU
•The Impact of New Investment in Accession States
•The Situation in Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey
•Russian Economic and Geopolitical Strategy in Light of EU Enlargement


Proposals for additional topics are extremely welcome. At this point we would like to invite organizations and individuals to support this initiative by:

• passing on this information to other interested parties
•agreeing to organize a talk or other event.

We invite abstracts or short summaries of proposed events. The languages of the presentations are open to negotiation. Summaries should include the subject matter, form of event, name of speaker(s) or organizers, time and space expectations and language(s) of the main organizers.

Please send proposals or queries of interest by February 28 to: cube@zigzag.pl

Website: Alter