Notes of Tobin Tax Workshop at the European Social Forum, London, 17 October 2004

by David Hillman

The Tobin Tax -Playing Your Part in Progress

Attendance:

Lieven Denys; Rudy De Meyer (11.11.11),

Fabrice Collignon - ATTAC Belgium;

Manuel Chagon Optiz - ATTAC Costa Rica;

Andreas Mulvad; Helga Mathiassen (Operation Days Work);

Ole Klammer - ATTAC Denmark;

Heikki Patomaki (Network Institute for Global Democracy) Finland;

Bruno Jetin - ATTAC France;

Suleika Reiners (WEED);

Sumiko Tanaka (Global Marshall Plan Initiative),

Hans Bare - ATTAC Germany;

Wim Klerkx (Freelance Journalist)

Holland; Ramesh Shukla - India

Donnacha O'Briain -Tobin Tax Ireland;

Colin Du Liege - ATTAC Italy;

Eiji Kawaguchi, Tetsuji Tanaka, Hiromi Sakakihara (Altermonde) Japan;

Ase Moller-Hansen - ATTAC Norway;

Anna Garriga Tarre, Josefina Lopez Galdeano - ATTAC Spain;

Ernest Hamsag -ATTAC Switzerland;

Gavin Watts, Marina Navarre;

Judy Gahayan (Green Party UK and Oxfam),

Dolores Montiel (Justice & Peace),

Kit and Jo Fry, Claire Sobers, Fabien Blarel (J&P)

Barbara Bampton (WDM and CND),

Sony Kapoor, Andrew Coogan, David Hillman - Tobin Tax Network UK;

Santiago Ripoll.

Context of the Tobin Tax workshop at the 2004 European Social Forum (ESF)

The 2004 European Social Forum (ESF) commenced in London on Friday 15 October. On the evening of the first day there was a successful plenary session, which prominently placed the Currency Transaction Tax (CTT) in a wider context with other regulation such as control of Tax Havens. On Saturday morning there was an excellent CTT action-oriented seminar that heard reports of progress from many countries across Europe, including the possibility of dramatic progress towards CTT legislation in Spain. On Saturday afternoon a very useful workshop was held where differing ideas about the CTT proposition were discussed. This workshop, on Sunday morning, follows last year's very successful strategy and planning session at the ESF in Paris, where a statement was agreed by many European Tobin-groups for coordinated activity to achieve a CTT on the Euro and other European currencies. This led to the initiation of the Tobin-Europe email list and monthly telephone conferences.

The object of this workshop is to discuss, identify and agree upon areas of coordinated work to progress realisation of a CTT on the Euro and other European currencies and agree upon what concrete steps are required to achieve a joint work-plan for 2005.

Coordinated work -ideas and discussion

The context of the discussion was the unprecedented opportunity for the Tobin-Europe campaign in 2005 when there will be a very heavy focus on achieving greater aid for developing countries at the forthcoming G8 summit in the UK in July. There is already a UK mobilisation around this called Make Poverty History - and an international mobilisation called the Global Call for Action Against Poverty. From the outset the question was raised as to whether we ought to be focussing on a global CTT as opposed to CTT legislation on the Euro and European currencies. It was made clear that focussing our activities on achieving CTT progress in Europe did not undermine the vision of a global CTT, nor detract from the importance of holding an international CTT conference as soon as practicably possible.

Emphasis was placed on decision-makers and reference made to the World Parliamentarians Call for a Tobin Tax, which a few years ago secured 864 sign-ups. Such an initiative could be launched, for instance, targeting 1,000 parliamentarians worldwide aiming to secure participation from each of the world's countries.

It was noted that it would be useful to create a 2005 calendar of important events such as the G8 summit in the UK in July and the launch of the 2nd Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report in September.

Two reports have been released recently that can be of significant value to the campaign: the UN Quadripartite Report, Action on Hunger and Poverty, backed by 110 countries; and the report of Chirac's technical group, New contributions for Financing Development, by Landau. Certain sections of these reports are supportive to our cause, other parts need to be challenged. An agreed action was that a brief summary and comment on the reports was required for educating and lobbying work and for posting on the Tobin-Europe list. Action: Bruno Jetin (ATTAC France) and Andrew Coogan (TTN) to liaise with Lieven Denys to check whether a faith-based organisation has already written such a briefing.

It was emphasised that in our work we do not focus exclusively on achieving a CTT on the Euro but equally importantly concentrate on Non-Euro zone countries such as Norway, Denmark, Sweden, UK and the new accession countries that face threats of severe currency volatility if they move to join the Euro zone.

In the European campaign, itself, we will soon release two reports: one written by Sony Kapoor for the Tobin Tax Network and the other written principally by Bruno Jetin for WEED. The launch of both reports present us with important opportunities in the next few months to publicise the CTT in Europe.

In discussion of possibilities of European coordinated work many ideas were floated, which included: a 'One Million Signatures-public petition; the need to better explain the CTT proposition to mainstream and high profile NGOs, especially explaining how a CTT fits into the broader trade justice agenda; to target faith-based NGOs with large memberships, such as Caritas and CAFOD; to ensure we do not just lobby European parliamentarians but also key institutions such as the European Central Bank.

Key Agreements

The following 6 proposals were agreed on the basis that they be scoped out by named individuals from participating organisations and presented at the December 2 meeting in Brussels:

1. Establish a European Office in Brussels and investigate creating a European Secretariat Rudy de Meyer to study a recent War on Want / 11.11.11 funding proposal for a European office to ascertain likely costs. The Tax Justice Network recently set up an International Secretariat. It may serve as a good model ' David Hillman to seek information. Action: Rudy de Meyer (11.11.11) and David Hillman (TTN).
2. Create plan for engagement with European Parliament, Commission and Council of Ministers. A plan of action needs to be developed to target these constituencies, especially to target the Commissioner for Development, the Commissioner for internal market/taxation and the Commissioner for Environment. As well, the MEP Group at the European Parliament needs to be re-energised and re-launched. Action: Fabrice Collignon (ATTAC Belgium)
3. Expand the CTT campaign in Eastern Europe It was noted that there were no Eastern European representatives at this workshop. However, there will be an ATTAC Austria conference at the end of November to build contact with Eastern Europe. It is important that links are created at this meeting, in the meantime it was agreed to contact ATTAC Austria, as well to make contact with the Polish representative at the ESF workshop in 2003. Action: David Hillman (TTN).
4. Extend the CTT campaign internationally Identify and interact with groups and individuals campaigning outside European countries where we have already have links, and create new relationships. WEED is participating in the forthcoming financing for development-conference in Brazil. ATTAC Spain is interacting with the Mediterranean Social Forum. The Tax Justice Network International Secretariat may also be a useful source of contacts. Action: Suleika Reiners, (WEED) and Anna Garriga Tarre, (ATTAC Spain).
5. Develop a Tobin-Europe website and communication resources The site should attract visitors, answer questions, house policy documents and contain campaign actions. Heikki Patomaki reported that there may be some funding down the line for the development of a website and that his colleague at NIGD, Mikael Book, was something of an expert in this field. It was agreed that Heikki ask Mikael to develop a website specification for presentation at the December 2 meeting. Action: Mikael Book, (NIGD).
6. Investigate fundraising opportunities in the UK, Europe and internationally. The issue of financing our joint work whether it be an office, a coordinator or creating a website is of key importance. Mention was made of applications to foundations and trusts that give grants for global campaigns such as the Ford Foundation and the Open Society. The feasibility of hiring a professional fund-raiser to work at the European level so we can best take advantage of the unprecedented opportunity of 2005 needs to be investigated. It was agreed that the various fundraising options and the capacity to make applications will need to be investigated. Action: Donnacha O'Briain, Tobin Tax Ireland

Joint statement to Global Call for Action Against Poverty-to include CTT in their manifesto

The international mobilisation of for 'Make Poverty History-is called the Global Call for Action Against Poverty. It was raised that whereas the manifesto for 'Make Poverty History-is finalised, the manifesto for the international grouping may well not be. The following statement was drafted at the workshop and it was agreed that it be sent as soon as possible.

*We, the undersigned civil society organisations meeting at the European Social Forum 2004, call for the introduction of a Currency Transaction Tax to increase financial stability, generate development funding, and make the global financial system just and subject to democratic control and regulation.

We urge the International Facilitation Group of 'the Global Call for Action Against Poverty-to incorporate the above statement in their manifesto.*

ATTAC (Belgium);

ATTAC Costa Rica;

ATTAC Denmark;

ATTAC Finland;

ATTAC Italy;

ATTAC Spain;

ATTAC Switzerland;

New Economics Foundation (UK);

Network Institute for Global Democratisation (Finland);

Tobin Tax Initiative (Ireland);

1. 11.11 - coordination of the Flemish North-South Movement (Belgium);

Altermonde (Japan);

World Economy Ecology and Development(Germany);

Tobin Tax Network (UK);

Global Marshall Plan Initiative (Germany);

ACCORD (India).

Closing action points and conclusion

It was re-affirmed that a Tobin-Europe Network meeting be held in Brussels four times each year. It was suggested that such occasions could be used both for our planning meetings and also as opportunities for increasing participation of EU actors and visibility of the CTT campaign through, for instance, the launch of our new reports. The next Tobin-Europe Network meeting will be held on Thursday 2 December.

It was agreed that a telephone conference be convened to plan this meeting and that all those tasked with the 6 key agreements of this workshop would need to participate. The telephone conference will take place

on Friday 12 November, at 16.00 (CET), which is 15.00 for the UK and Ireland. Instructions for participation will be posted nearer the time.

All those attending the workshop were urged to subscribe to the Tobin Tax Europe Network list, if they had not done so already - "http://wb.attac.be/article316.html" :http://wb.attac.be/article316.html - and `thanked for their attendance at a very positive workshop, which was a fitting culmination of Tobin Tax activities at this year's very successful European Social Forum in London.

David Hillman

Tobin Tax Network ~

Co-ordinator

Fenner Brockway House

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Street

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Email:

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