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 ====== Pirate Common European Election Programme 2024 (CEEP 2024) ======
-The drafting process for the 2024 CEEP has taken place on [[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/c/common-european-election-program/|the European Pirate Party discourse]]. Based on the contributions there, as well as the input from the CEEP workshop that took place on April 15th 20223 in connection with the [[:12th_council_meeting_2023|12th Council meeting]] in Strasbourg, the Board has decided to put forward the text below as the Board proposal for the CEEP 2024, to be decided upon at the [[:13th_council_meeting_2023|13th Council meeting]]. Any proposals for changes submitted by the Member parties before July 1st will be presented at the bottom of this page, and voted on during the Council meeting.
+The drafting process for the 2024 CEEP took place on [[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/c/common-european-election-program/|the European Pirate Party discourse]], with input added at the CEEP workshop that took place on April 15th 20223 in connection with the [[:12th_council_meeting_2023|12th Council meeting]] in Strasbourg.
+Based on the works on Discourse and in Strasborg, the Board decided to put forward a proposal for the CEEP 2024 at the [[:13th_council_meeting_2023|13th Council meeting]]. The member parties [[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/motion-amendments-thread/440|made proposals for changes]]. to the draft presented by the board. Most of these changes were approved by the Council meeting. The text that was approved at the Council meeting has been [[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/vote-ratification-process/514|subject to grammatical and stylistic review by a professional linguistic expert]], and it is now ready to be ratified by the Member parties.
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+[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/ceep-2024-final-version-full-text|The final text can be found here]].
-===== Board proposal for a Common European Election Programme 2024  =====
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-==== Preamble ====
-//A Preamble will be added in the next couple of days, once the Board has agreed on a text//
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-==== Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Animal Welfare ====
-=== Towards a Sustainable Europe and a Sustainable Planet ===
-As we are part of nature, our quality of life depends on natural resources like unpolluted water, air, soil and food at our homes. We need to achieve a sustainable and healthy food production for all, now and tomorrow.
-We advocate a strong role of the ENVI, AGRI, PECH and REGI committees, provided that lessons are learnt from past mistakes in EU agricultural policies. It is their duty in order to protect our natural resources and change nature’s exploitation into nature prospering.
-Pirates demand upholding (and wherever possible, exceeding) ambitious environmental promises and plans made on EU and international level. Both regarding conservation and support of biodiversity in agroecosystems as well as greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.
-Urban and suburban agriculture and gardening need to be encouraged to reduce transport, supply nutrition, spread knowledge, satisfy human needs.
-In trade agreements with third countries, the EU shall avoid unfair trade practices based on its trade power. Exports of a European surplus food products into third countries must be reassessed, if they may damage the markets for local food.
-=== Subsidies only for the public good ===
-We want a Common Agriculture Policy that supports natural and cultural diversity. We are convinced that multiplicity of food production which is locally adapted and in the hands of many independent and self-determined actors will grant food security and quality of life in the countryside and cities as well.
-CAP should encourage farmers to adapt to climate change in terms of technologies and choice of crops or breeds. The CAP must provide the frame which stipulates equal rights, opportunities and commitments.
-The role of subsidies in European agricultural politics must change towards a greater focus on diversity and equality. Financial support must be granted according to sustainability criteria and not based on the land area or production.
-As agriculture of the EU provides high overproduction and as production can be marketed by standard market means, subsidies should only support common public good. Ecosystem degradation should not be part of agricultural policy as an excuse for social issues.
-To enhance resilience, Pirates want to preserve and support small scale farming and subsistence agriculture.
-=== Use of technology and digital solutions ===
-The baseline ‘no patents on life’ must be strictly realized.
-The EU shall establish the frame for open access to digital applications and open interfaces.
-Publicly funded data on, for example, climate, weather, soil, and water must be easily accessible for the public. The EU must ensure that any such datasets which have been obtained by using proprietary technologies will not pass into private hands.
-=== Forestry ===
-EU should do more to incentivize practices leading to preservation and restoration of biodiversity, water retention and capture of carbon in forests, both in terms of regulation and funding. But we have to learn from mistakes of the Common Agricultural Policy. The goal is to help the development of a sustainable industry, both in economical and environmental sense.
-EU has to enforce strict protection of old-growth forests as well as old trees in all other parts of the landscape.
-=== Animal welfare ===
-All animals deserve to be treated humanely. Pirates support strengthening measures ensuring appropriate care and management and less painful slaughter, such as phase-out of cage farming as soon as possible, introducing species-specific standards for all farmed animals, ban on export of live animals to third countries and reduction of long journeys of live animals by introducing strict absolute time limits.
-Lack of transparency on farming conditions and of education on the welfare of animals in modern farming systems needs to be addressed, e.g. by a method-of-production plus label for animal products.
-Pirates support further development of alternatives to meat and incentives to a shift towards a more plant-based diets.
-=== Sustainable fisheries ===
-Fishing quotas must be revamped in order to adapt to the scientifically evident sustainability and to protect small scale fisheries. The EU should expand policies combating illegal fisheries. Marine protected areas should be granted an appropriate and harmonized level of protection by forbidding unsustainable practices harmful to biodiversity such as bottom trawling or extractive activities.
-Large scale development of aquaculture should also be closely monitored in order to provide animal welfare, equilibrium between feeding and fishing, better integration in the environment and ecosystem while ensuring traceability.
-EU should push for enabling fish migration in rivers, especially unnecessary dams removal.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-agriculture-forestry-fisheries-and-animal-welfare|Discourse link to the text on Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Animal Welfare]]
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-==== Civil Society ====
-Civil society is a crucial component of any democratic society, as it plays a vital role in ensuring that the voices of individuals and communities are heard and represented in the political process. As the European Pirate Party, we recognize the importance of civil society in the European Union and its member states, and we are committed to strengthening the values that underpin it.
-At the heart of our mission is a commitment to the fundamental values of the European Union, as outlined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. We believe that the respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities like LGBT, are non-negotiable principles that must be upheld and defended at all times.
-To achieve this goal, we call on the EU to work closely with civil society organizations across Europe and beyond, to ensure that these fundamental values are respected and promoted in all aspects of EU policymaking and decision-making. We believe that civil society should have a meaningful say in shaping EU policies, and that the EU should actively seek out and listen to the voices of individuals and communities that are traditionally underrepresented in the political process.
-Furthermore, we believe that the EU has a responsibility to promote these values not only within its own institutions and member states, but also in its interactions with other countries and international organizations. We believe that the EU should lead by example, demonstrating its commitment to these values in its external policies and working to promote them in countries and regions where they are under threat.
-==== Citizen Participation and Open Government - Democracy Add-On for Europe ====
-Pirates advocate a directly elected citizens’ convention tasked with drafting a new EU treaty to clarify and replace current treaties and address the need for democratic reform within the Union, provided it is accepted by the citizens of the Union through a referendum.
-The present EU legislative process is dominated by the executive branch (the European Commission) at the expense of the legislative branch (the European Parliament). Pirates seek an adjustment to the balance of power in European Institutions to favour the legislative branch.
-Direct democracy at EU level, i.e. pan-EU referendums on constitutional revisions and citizen-initiated legislative referendums, should be part of the new constitution. Citizens shall have the right both to repeal existing legislation and to initiate new legislation.
-=== Citizenship Add-on for Europe ===
-We, european Pirates, consider ourselves as european citizens. But, at this point the european citizenship is only an idea. Pirates want to promote this idea to reality. With this European Citizenship, we will be able to be more than French, German, Swedish but citizens with a bundle of common rights on every country of the union. We will be able to emit european passports, permetting to any european citizen to be recognize as a part of a bigger thing than their own countries, in the ideal of a without border world.
-Pirates want that discussions and workshop might be open to fullfill these goals.
-Alternative
-The European Pirate Party believes that all people living in the European Union should have the right to a real EU citizenship. This citizenship should come with an EU passport, as well as physical and digital documents that are recognized all over the EU as European citizenship.
-We believe that a real EU citizenship is essential for ensuring that all people in the EU have equal rights and opportunities, regardless of their country of origin. It is also a vital step towards creating a more united and cohesive Europe, where everyone feels like they belong and are valued members of the community.
-=== Innovating Political Participation ===
-Pirates want citizens to be able to have a more direct and larger impact in the policy debate and decision making process, both individually and collectively.
-The European Parliament should set up an e-participation tool. Citizens should be able to publicly discuss legislative proposals, to propose amendments and to support (or vote against) proposed amendments online.
-We wish to reform the EU citizens’ initiative. Data requirements shall be reduced. The European Commission should deal even with unsuccessful but interesting initiatives.
-Petitioners with a significant number of supporters shall have the right to be heard in person. The European Parliament should open its doors to citizens on a regular basis in order to provide them with the opportunity to directly submit their proposals and concerns to a joint plenary session with Members of the European Parliament and Members of the European Commission. These sessions should also be open to citizens participating remotely via the internet or through social media.
-The european citizens need to able to search, use and exchange the available information given by the different processes in the Europe governance. They, by this way, be able to understand and participate to the life of our european democracy. The social cost to participate need to be minimized.
-**Open Government**
-The European Union shall join the Open Government Partnership, a multilateral initiative that aims to promote open government, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.
-**Promoting Civil Society Participation**
-We believe that civil society participation is crucial for a healthy and vibrant democracy. Therefore, we are committed to promoting and supporting the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) across the EU. To achieve this, we propose increasing public awareness of the importance of civil society participation and encouraging greater participation through education and outreach programs.
-**Clear Regulation of NGOs**
-We propose advocating for clear and fair regulations for NGOs operating in the EU, focusing on transparency and accountability. We also suggest making it easier for NGOs to establish and finance themselves within the EU.
-**Tax Incentives for Donations**
-To encourage more organizations to engage in social and environmental causes, we believe that donations towards NGOs working for the common good should receive a special tax status throughout all EU member states.
-**Effective Interaction with European Institutions**
-NGOs need access to information about upcoming legislation to effectively interact with European institutions. We propose that NGOs registered in the EU get access to the actual text and prepared information to put the legislation into context. This will ensure that all stakeholders have a place at the table and access to the latest developments.
-**Promotion of Good Work by NGOs**
-We will work to promote and showcase the important work that NGOs are already doing across the EU. By highlighting their successes, we aim to encourage more people to get involved and support their efforts. We recognize the critical role that NGOs play in areas such as environmental protection, social justice, and human rights. Therefore, we are committed to supporting their efforts and working together to build a more just and sustainable society.
-==== Anti-corruption and Containing Corporate Lobbyism ====
-The influence of money on politics is one of the key corruption risks in the EU and a threat to its democratic foundation. Political decisions will not be made in the best interests of all citizens when corporate interests are allowed to dominate.
-Disclosure and Containment of External Influence on Political Decisions
-To protect the democratic process and to make the basis of decisions transparent, Pirates call for the disclosure of the influence of interest groups and lobbyists on political decisions. Lobbying activities shall be as transparent as possible. That can be helped by making the existing lobby register mandatory, linked to a transparent calendar on the Internet. Every EU citizen should have a chance to look up with whom the elected representative met, what was the purpose of the meeting and what happened there. The whole process brings demanded multi-level controlling system needed for a reliable democracy. In addition, a legislative footprint shall be published: everyone involved in policy making shall publish their meetings with lobbyists and written input they receive. All draft bills and amendments shall be traceable to their original author.
-Enforceable ethics rules and an oversight mechanism for lobbyists shall be introduced. They should prevent lobbyists from exercising undue influence.
-=== Preventing Conflicts of Interest ===
-Public officials (including Commission Special Advisers) and elected representatives (including Rapporteurs) shall not be unduly influenced by private interests in the performance of their public duties. Conflicts of interest can occur with outside activities and previous jobs, but also through revolving door cases of members of parliament, Commissioners or civil servants taking up new jobs in the private sector.
-Proper rules must be put in place to ensure that relevant office holders do not have any conflicts of interest, that interests are being declared and that misbehavior is sanctioned. The European Parliament as well as the European Commission Codes of Conduct need to be reformed. Effective transparency and ethics rules are needed for Intergroups and other cross-party groups involving MEPs and lobbyists. An independent body should oversee compliance and impose sanctions where necessary. Comprehensive rules limiting the revolving-doors phenomenon shall be adopted.
-=== Re-democratising the Input Process ===
-Business interests shall no longer dominate policy expertise. The Commission shall introduce effective safeguards against corporate capture of expert and advisory groups, technology platforms and EU agencies. Because a vastly disproportionate number of meetings with EU officials is dedicated to big business, these meetings should be reduced and more time should be devoted to actively seeking input from citizens, SMEs and other currently under-represented interest groups.
-=== Political Campaign Financing ===
-All European political parties shall provide public insight into their bank accounts for campaign funds. The Authority overseeing European political parties shall be given effective auditing and sanctioning tools.
-==== Transparency and Whistleblower Protection ====
-Transparency gives the powerless the power to monitor the powerful. Pirates believe that transparency is needed to allow the public to make democratic decisions.
-=== Whistleblower Protection ===
-Pirates advocate for general and comprehensive whistleblower legislation to protect any person who exposes issues that are in the public interest, including abuse of law, unlawful activities as well as wrongdoings. We strongly believe whistleblowers must be able to equally report internally, to a competent authority or to the media in order to guarantee the freedom of expression as well as the citizens’ right to information.
-=== Transparency of the Public Sector ===
-The public sector, including private entities carrying out work on behalf of a public body, must be transparent and publish information as open data by default, without applying restrictions on their re-use. Better legislative transparency is needed, particularly in the Council and in trilogues. Public authorities should have a duty to document information concerning decision-making processes. Public authorities and representatives should be obliged to keep records and proactively publish information such as their agendas, minutes of meetings, third-party documents such as lobbyist input and information justifying decisions taken.
-The principle of transparency should apply to all public bodies, including the Court of Justice, the permanent representations of member states and the rotating national presidencies of the Council.
-Pirates believe that it is a fundamental right of citizens to inspect, without the need for any specific justification, all contracts or financial benefits related to the delivery of public sector or government projects and services.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-civil-society/419/|Discourse link to the text on Civil Society]]
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-==== Defense Policy & Cybersecurity ====
-The European Union must be empowered to defend its security interests and in doing so, make a greater contribution to global security. To achieve this, the EU must articulate common guidelines and build up the necessary capabilities. Any need for military autonomy of Member States should not be misused against the common European spirit of cooperation. Pirates support an integration of currently separate national armed forces, with the long-term goal of creating a common European army under sufficient democratic control.
-Our goal is the stabilisation of fragile states and the mitigation of conflict outbreaks, as this instability is a security issue for the entire international community. Due to the increasingly unstable global security landscape, Pirates support a capable domestic defence industry. This goes with a strive for better information sharing on arms export licence decisions and denials, to ensure a coherent EU arms export policy as well as an increased support for countries that share the core values of the The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
-Pirates follow an interdisciplinary approach, ensuring more than one perspective in countering hybrid threats and adjusting to disruptive geopolitical shifts. We aim to strengthen European resilience against current and future threats of hybrid warfare, disinformation, cyber attacks and economic coercion. Our current dependencies on fragile and often hostile authoritarian nations in the fields of energy supply, critical raw materials and general supply chains must be sustainably reduced. Pirates want clear and transparent criteria and selection procedures for evaluating suppliers and their adherence to international law and human rights.
-Pirates reject the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and support the reduction of global arsenals of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Pirates support initiatives to ban the use of lethal autonomous weapon systems in kinetic and digital warfare, while preserving our European capacity to research and develop emerging technologies.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-defense-policy-and-cybersecurtiy/418/2|Discourse link to the text on Defense Policy & Cybersecurity]]
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-==== Drug and Addiction Policy ====
-The “War on Drugs” has failed. Prohibition ties up resources and causes immense costs. The unnecessary prosecution and conviction of users of psychoactive substances not only harms society through ever-increasing costs for the police and judiciary but also pushes marginalised people into illegality and to the margins of society, instead of regulating substance use outside a black market. This promotes the black market and organised crime. Many EU member states are planning a reassessment, legalisation, or decriminalisation of cannabis, which can only be a first step towards a “New Drug and Addiction Policy”. Drug policy should first and foremost be health policy, taking into account the social and economic factors that promote drug use and addiction. A life without drugs in complete abstinence is inconceivable for most people, and freedom of the individual means being able to decide whether and which substances to consume. The state should only intervene in a regulatory way, depending on scientific findings about the danger of the substance/addiction.
-The European Pirate Party believes that drug and addiction policies should be grounded in scientific evidence, prioritise individual autonomy and public health, and take into account the social and economic factors that drive drug use and addiction. The party supports a revision of the UN Conventions on Drugs and their implementation into EU law to create evidence-based drug policies that prioritise public health and harm reduction. The party believes that policies aimed at reducing the negative consequences of drug use should be prioritised over punitive approaches. These policies could include measures such as decriminalising drug use and possession, expanding access to evidence-based treatment, and regulating drugs to ensure safety and quality.
-Pirates therefore advocate that the EU:
-work towards a rewrite and, if necessary, a termination of the UN conventions on psychoactive substances in the direction of a science-based view and have cannabis and other substances removed from the list of illicit drugs.
-creates a framework that facilitates the scientific approach within which, among other things, information can be exchanged and a contribution made to research on psychoactive substances, and thus therapies with these substances can be researched and implemented ( e.g., cancer treatment, ADHD, LongCovid).
-create a framework that encourages member states to decriminalise, legalise and regulate cannabis and other substances in order to limit the black market and better ensure consumer and youth protection, as well as respect the philosophy of the free EU single market.
-takes measures to regulate legal substances that are particularly harmful to health, such as alcohol and tobacco, and to ensure health, youth and consumer protection, for example by banning advertising and restricting lobbying.
-One of their key priorities is harm reduction policies for drug users, and they believe that the European Union should encourage the introduction of harm reduction services such as drug-checking services, drug consumption rooms, and substitution therapy programs. The party argues that these services are an essential tool for reducing the harms associated with drug use, such as overdose deaths and the spread of blood-borne diseases. They also argue that these services can help to reduce the stigma associated with drug use and provide support for individuals who want to seek help for their drug use.
-The European Pirate Party supports the regulation of cannabis for personal use in the EU. The party believes that criminalising personal use of cannabis is ineffective, disproportionately harms marginalised communities, and diverts resources from more urgent public health needs. The party advocates for evidence-based cannabis policies that prioritise harm reduction, including regulation of the production, distribution, and sale of cannabis to ensure safety and quality.
-The European Pirate Party advocates for the legalisation of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The party believes that patients should have the right to access these therapies under medical supervision, and that they should be regulated to ensure safety and efficacy. The party supports the development of evidence-based policies aimed at expanding access to psychedelic-assisted therapy and promoting research into the therapeutic potential of these substances.
-The European Pirate Party supports a joint European alcohol and tobacco policy focused on harm reduction. The party believes that public health should be a priority, and policies should be evidence-based and aimed at reducing harm to individuals and communities. The party advocates for measures such as education campaigns to promote responsible use of alcohol and tobacco, discourage excessive consumption, and prohibit advertising and marketing.
-The European Pirate Party advocates for rational regulation of gambling in the EU. This includes the principle of informed choice, where players should be provided with information on how each game works, the house advantage, the risk of loss and the cost of the game.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-drug-and-addiction-policy|Discourse link to the text on Drug and Addiction Policy]]
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-==== Education, Culture, Research & Free Knowledge ====
-Expanded public availability of information, knowledge and culture is a prerequisite for the social, technological and economic development of our society. However, it has been hindered by artificial information monopolies, which are supposedly designed to motivate creators and inventors to produce more works, while in reality the only beneficiaries of the monopolies are huge corporations, and the system as a whole is failing to meet the claimed objectives. This failure manifests itself in many forms, including the frequent bullying of individuals and small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) by collecting societies, privatization of profits from publicly funded works, or the loss of orphan works to society. We face attempts to create new copyright restrictions on AI generated content.
-Our goal is to create an environment where the motivation to create goes hand in hand with freedom of information. All of those challenges require a thorough copyright reform and also systemic changes in public sector.
-=== Culture ===
-=== Promotion of the Commons and Free Culture ===
-We will work towards adopting provisions in trade agreements, which support the use and development of open formats and Free/Libre Open Source Software and promote the mutual recognition of licence models like Creative Commons.
-The creation of commons, such as Free Software, free cultural goods, open patent tools and free and open educational material, must be promoted and legally protected.
-Existing cultural heritage shall be to the largest possible extent digitized and made available to the public free of charge.
-Free culture is an important base for the education and creativity of society. We strive to promote artistic activity and cultural diversity to ensure a rich educational and artistic environment for current and future generations.
-=== Copyright Reform ===
-The European Pirate Party is advocating for a copyright reform that is inclusive and fair. We strive towards a copyright system that reflects the changing landscape of the digital age and promotes a more equitable society.
-We believe in creating a fair system that enables creators to receive compensation for their work, while also ensuring that the public has access to valuable resources. We strive for the abolition of information monopolies, which were supposedly designed to motivate authors to produce more works. In reality, only a handful benefit while the market as a whole is failing. Our goal is to create an environment where the motivation to create goes hand in hand with freedom of information.
-Copying, storing, using, and providing access to literary and artistic works for non-commercial purposes must not only be legalized but protected by law. Everyone shall be able to enjoy and share our cultural heritage free from the threat of legal action or censorship.
-The time-span of a commercial monopoly given by copyright should be further shortened. Derivative works shall always be permitted, with exceptions that are very specifically enumerated in law with minimal room for interpretation. Freedom of information must be safeguarded by safeguarding the right to link: Hyperlinks are a fundamental building block of the World Wide Web and must never constitute a copyright infringement. Remixing, parodies, quotes, and sampling shall be exempt from the exclusive right of commercial copyright monopoly. Non-commercial file sharing should be allowed.
-Monopolies in the sectors of information and culture have to be prevented. Pirates strictly oppose creation of additional layers of copyright restriction for AI generated outputs – such as AI generates texts, paintings and others. By law, the State should only allow or maintain exclusive rights for intangible goods if these are in the public interest. Any exclusive rights must be temporally limited, neither their time-span nor their scope may be expanded retrospectively.
-European collecting societies must ensure comprehensive transparency, fair participatory rights for their members, and fair contract terms for artists.
-=== Free Knowledge and Education ===
-An educated and critically thinking population is a necessary condition for sustaining functional democracy, welfare and social cohesion. We strive for universal access to high quality education across the EU that enables people’s personal development, unhindered by their social and economic background.
-The education system must offer citizens all the basic skills for independent and creative life in the information society. Through education we wish to improve people’s critical thinking.
-The European Pirate Party aims to create a system that encourages cross-border education and makes it accessible to all students and worker in education in the European Union. Students and teachers mobility is an extremely useful way to spread the educational know-how across Europe and to fight the underdevelopment of national education systems.
-Free access to knowledge and information is essential and must be promoted and guaranteed in education. Educational institutions should increasingly use learning resources available under free licenses without any restrictions on copying. The availability of educational media under free licenses to all is essential for barrier-free access to education, both within and beyond the borders of the EU.
-We support the digitisation of educational institutions and publication of documents stored in public libraries and archives across the EU.
-We see innovation as the key to the development of our cultural and intellectual wealth. We support educating citizens and students about their right to information and about free formats and Free Software in all types of educational facilities and we oppose maintaining vendor lock-in realities favouring leading digital solutions producers.
-=== Media Freedom and Pluralism ===
-Free and independent media are the foundation of healthy and well-functioning democracies. Yet, we have observed in recent years attempts to paralyse free media by state authorities, attacks and cases of spying on journalists and mergers of media houses hindering European media landscape. Citizens of the EU have the right to receive impartial and pluralistic media content.
-We support the effort to harmonise minimum rules and safeguards to protect media freedom and pluralism in the EU. We see strong rules on ownership structures and promoted content as a key to prevent unfair allocation of state economic resources. We are in need of tools to assess media market concentration and evaluate risks rising from economic transactions having further impact on pluralism in the media market.
-=== Patents ===
-=== Patents in the Information Age ===
-Patents are often an obstacle to innovation rather than an incentive. The patenting of knowledge in areas like genetics and biotechnology, as well as software, renders it a tangible threat to the future of our society.
-Monopolies on plants and seeds and costly legal disputes about often trivial patents already demonstrate how it is both innovators and consumers who have to pay the price. Patent law needs to be reformed or replaced with an approach that enables a shared economy, more accessible and sustainable markets instead of continuing to further stifle innovation.
-=== Rebalancing Patents with the Common Good ===
-Patents do not exist to allow big businesses to stifle competition with an ever-growing tide of trivial and overreaching patents. We therefore want to halt the continued and increasing abuse of patents.
-=== Patents in the Information Society ===
-A success in the information society is no longer dependent only on technological inventions, but on the development of knowledge and sharing of information. The effort to regulate these factors, now, via the patent system is diametrically opposed to our demand for freedom of knowledge and culture.
-Patents should never be granted for “inventions” that are trivial, non-substantial, computer programs, business models or works of nature. These types of patent impede the development of an information society and result in the privatisation of the commons.Innovation must be fairly rewarded, but this does not necessarily require the granting of monopolistic privileges that stifle innovation and negatively affect the access to essential goods.
-The EU, its Member States and other industrialised countries should not force less developed countries to accept patent provisions that are likely to be detrimental to their essential needs, health, education or development opportunities.
-=== Patents, Medicines and Health ===
-We oppose the frequent abuses of patent privileges, such as introducing spurious changes to medicines with expiring patent protection. Uncompetitive practices such as paying competitors in order to delay the marketing of generics should be actively prevented.
-We support the establishment and funding of alternative methods to incentivise pharmaceutical innovation, to progressively replace patents in this area. . It is our aim to break the direct link between the reward for advances and the price of the end product to ensure medicines are affordable for all.
-Universities and research institutes should be able to carry out scientific research for health and medicine without being encumbered by patents.
-=== International Regulation of Intellectual Monopolies ===
-Pirates strive for a revision of the TRIPS Agreement in favour of restricting exclusive rights on intangible goods. We would aim for similar restrictions to apply to all trade agreements which may include similar or even more far-reaching regulations on patents and copyright.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-education-culture-media-research-free-knowledge/400|Discourse link to the text on Education, Culture, Research & Free Knowledge]]
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-==== Environment, Climate and Energy ====
-=== Goals ===
-We want to ensure that future generations will have a base for a life in freedom and dignity. A healthy environment, biodiversity, sustainable use of resources, and equal and fair access to energy, food, and water are fundamental requirements for this. To ensure a safe future we want a fast transition to a clean, circular economy that reduces its environmental impact to net zero.
-Environment and climate do not stop at borders. Energy also crosses borders in EU’s internal energy market. Suggestion: We need to strenghten European coordination in order to overcome both the energy and climate crisis. We want to establish EU wide standards that take transparency and auditability into account to ensure effective implementation and prevent greenwashing.
-=== Environment - Sustainability ===
-The PIRATES support the aims and principles declared by the EU to safeguard our water, air, soil, and natural environment for the sake of everyone’s well-being including the future generations.
-Emissions must be minimised, existing pollution cleaned up, and natural habitats preserved and restored wherever possible. Voluntary measures by potential polluters are a prefered method but must be monitored closely, as they often fail to reach the targets.
-A strict “polluter pays” policy has to be implemented to increase the pressure to implement more precaution and prevention. Environmental problems must be addressed at the source and not as an afterthought.
-=== Environment - Biodiversity ===
-The loss of biodiversity is an emergency that is connected to but not only caused by climate emergency. Biodiversity is lost at a pace unprecedented in our geological era and still it does not get the adequate attention.
-This dramatic loss is not only tragic by itself, but can potentially cause a collapse of the world wide food production and other negative effects.
-We appreciate ambitious goals set on EU and UN levels (namely EU Nature Restoration Law, UN Ocean treaty and COP15 Montreal goals and targets) regarding species’ habitat protection and restoration, relevant funding, prescribed measures, and transparency of enactment.
-=== Environment - Transparent data ===
-The public has the right for easy, timely, and reliable access to environmental data and the decisions based on it. This information should also include methods of monitoring and investigations.
-Scientific advice and specifications that form the basis for administrative and legal decisions need to be sourced from independent experts. Participation in decision-making processes needs to be inclusive.
-=== Environment - Consistent and effective rules ===
-All environmental laws have to have a proper impact assessment and must only require minimum bureaucracy. Implementation needs to be tightly checked.
-Regulations must not require registrations in every single EU country, a central registration should be sufficient so as not to obstruct access to the common market for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
-Currently, diverging national rules complicate sustainability work. EU should aim for a common system of labeling and recycling products.
-=== Environment - Circular economy ===
-Preserving and reusing resources by recycling is key to a sustainable economy. To ensure the long term availability of materials it is necessary to implement a circular economy based on the cradle-to-cradle principle, which considers the whole life-cycle of a product and makes the reduction, reuse and recycling of materials a part of the design.
-Export of waste (sometimes disguised as used products) to third countries for substandard recyling or disposal must be effectively restricted to make sure materials are not lost or destroyed.
-=== Climate ===
-The policies which are being adopted under the European Green Deal strategy must be in line and go beyond the original European and international climate commitments.
-=== Climate - No time to lose ===
-Most necessary technologies for achieving the climate protection goals have been developed and are already in use, it is necessary to roll them out in large scale.
-The PIRATES want to provide the legal tools for these technologies to be deployed as fast as possible, by incentives for using technology that is climate neutral and elimination of incentives for technologies that harm the climate.
-All subsidies for activities impacting the climate negatively must be phased out, this includes financing or providing securities for financing climate damaging projects abroad.
-=== Climate - Stop carbon leakage effectively ===
-Emissions of greenhouse gases for imported goods, (i.e. resulting from power generation at the production location) should be attributed to the importing countries. Imported goods must be taxed to account for carbon leakage, to stimulate more climate friendly production for goods imported to the EU.
-=== Climate - Not just CO2 ===
-CO2 is the largest part of greenhouse gas emissions, but other emissions have to be controlled too. Gases with high climate impact have to be reduced, replaced, and contained. All emissions of climate active gases have to be controlled and reduced.
-=== Climate - Reverse emissions ===
-The greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere are already too high and must be reduced. We want to stimulate projects that capture greenhouse gases and use them as base materials for products and chemicals. The use of such projects for greenwashing must be prevented, they must not produce certificates that allow emissions at another place.
-The expansion of natural carbon sinks should also be considered.
-=== Climate - Get prepared ===
-Even if we were able to stop greenhouse gas emissions right now the climate crisis would not stop immediately. We will have to face changes in weather patterns, precipitation, and sea level increase. Critical infrastructures like food supply, transport and energy will be negatively impacted, heavy weather can cause catastrophes. To mitigate those effects, we have to prepare our infrastructure, cities, coastlines, agriculture and forestry for the ongoing change.
-=== Energy ===
-We want to establish a sustainable and reliable energy infrastructure that offers as much participation and transparency as possible.
-With the increasing imperative role of renewables the number of privately owned electricity generation is exploding, former consumers become a mix of consumer and producer, energy cooperatives take the local supply in their own hands. The legal framework has to be adapted for this new situation where no longer only a few large companies make up the energy market.
-Our future development, including building a circular economy, depends on energy. We have to make sure that we have clean, reliable, and abundant energy available.
-=== Energy - Becoming sustainable ===
-The transition from fossil resources to sustainable and clean energy sources is necessary. Energy sourcing must not be in conflict with other environmental objectives or agriculture for food production.
-The technologies with the lowest environmental impact must be prioritized and their construction supported.
-=== Energy - Becoming resilient ===
-Recent events have shown the negative impact of being dependent on the import of energy resources in times of crisis. The EU has all the necessary technology and resources available domestically to build an energy system without critical dependencies on outside countries. We want to build and maintain European production capacities for all components necessary for a transition to a green economy.
-=== Energy - Becoming efficient ===
-The “energy efficiency first” principle must be in the heart of all European policies. For this goal we want to support energy efficient technologies and the transition of energy sectors to electricity as the primary energy form. By eliminating energy transformation steps a lot of losses are eliminated too. By electrifying transport, heating, and many industrial processes the required primary energy is dropping, though the need for electricity is going to rise.
-=== Energy - As local as possible, as central as necessary ===
-The European electricity grid is efficient in compensating temporary fluctuation in demand and supply and preventing regions from getting into trouble in case of local supply problems. However, it is not efficient in transporting major parts of the energy for a whole country across the continent and would produce bottlenecks that can lead to major failures.
-Primarily production and demand should be matched locally as much as possible and the European grid should act as a safety net.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-environment-climate-and-energy/401|Discourse link to the text on Environment, Climate and Energy]]
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-==== Economy and Finances ====
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-economy-and-finance/402/5|Discourse link to the text on Economy and Finances]]
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-==== Foreign Affairs ====
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-foreign-affairs/420/1|Discourse link to the text on Foreign Affairs]]
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-==== Free software and open data ====
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-free-software-and-open-data/412|Discourse link to the text on Free software and open data]]
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-==== Human Rights in the Digital Age ====
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-human-rights-in-the-digital-age/403|Discourse link to the text on Human Rights in the Digital Age]]
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-==== Net Policy ====
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-net-policy/404|Discourse link to the text on Net Policy]]
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-==== Regional Development ====
-We believe regional development is crucial in promoting economic growth and improving citizen’s quality of life. Regional policy has a direct impact on people’s lives, especially since there are still large social and economic imbalances between European regions, both in the EU and non-EU countries. To create a more just and united Europe, regional development should be a priority, based on principles of equity, participation, and ecological responsibility.
-Regions, and even more so border-regions, often face very specific challenges, such as environmental damages due to climate change, de-industrialisation due to economic crisis, difficulty to access healthcare and education, as well as demographic changes.
-Regional development should help European regions with the green transition. In order to ensure policies are sustainable and environmentally responsible, we support the financing of projects that promote the transition to a low-carbon economy, respecting climate targets.
-In the same spirit, the goals of a successful regional development is also a ever increasing cohesion of Europe’s various regions. Only if all regions receive the support that is adequate to their challenges can large scale projects like the Green Transition succeed.
-=== Digital Transition ===
-We also recognize the importance of the digital transition of European regions. The emphasis should be on promoting digital innovation in regional development. We therefore support connectivity projects, which provide access to digital infrastructure, such as high-speed internet and telecommunication networks, across all regions.
-Those policies should be promoted in activities designed for specific types of regions, in which the EU should intensively cooperate with member states. Strong urban agenda should help European cities and metropolitan regions to become greener and smarter, as well as to strengthen housing capacities and quality of urban life. Special attention should be paid to transnational coordination of policies focused on development of rural areas.
-=== Transportation ===
-Because European regions are often spreading across borders, we also believe regional policies play an important role in the development of regional transport projects. Therefore, we support the deployment of transnational transport projects that improve connections to and in less development regions, such as high-speed railways.
-=== Cross-border Cooperation ===
-To achieve this, we call for an increase in the EU budget for regional development to help regions reduce disparities and foster cross-border cooperation. Supporting sustainable economic and social growth of European regions should be the EU’s main investment area. The funds intended for regional development should be primarily used for long-term investments, whereas separate crisis management funds should provide timely short-term crisis support in times of need.
-=== Decentralisation and Empowerment ===
-To allow for bottom up decision making in our societies, regional authorities should be more empowered to develop their own local policy strategies using on their unique strengths and resources. Regional authorities should also be more involved in the legislative process when it concerns their development. To this end, we encourage cooperation of local representatives through EU platforms dealing with regional policy. We also strive to direct public funds as much as possible to regional authorities for distribution to local-led initiatives.
-Given the limited administrative capacity of regional authorities, we understand the need to reduce the amount of bureaucracy needed for getting access to public funds and ask for additional financing to be allocated for technical assistance to develop and report on large-scale and innovative projects. The funds and their allocation to projects should be based on concrete data to provide evidence-based decision-making.
-=== Just and transparent Funding for more Uplifted Regions ===
-However, this should not hamper the urgent need to improve transparency of end beneficiaries of public funds. This is crucial to avoid conflict of interests, fraud and corruption. At regional level, project evaluation criteria as well as the implementation requirements should be objective and transparent. EU funds under shared management by Member States are particularly at risk of being abused because of the lack of information shared between the regional, national and EU levels.
-That is why we suggest; making full use of interoperable digital tools used for budgetary control and publishing non-sensitive data on all public procurements, including the implementation reports on projects. Only full transparency will allow the public and the media investigators to follow the money in order to identify potential cases of abuse.
-We also believe that regional development policies must be guided by the principles of social justice and inclusivity. This means that rules for the distribution of EU funds to regions should always comply with the Charter of Fundamental rights, Rule of Law and the European code of conduct. All citizens should have equal access to the benefits of regional development policies, and that these policies should be designed to reduce inequality and promote territorial and social cohesion.
-=== Citizen Participation as the Guarantee of Progress ===
-Finally, regional development policies must be based on active citizen participation and democracy. This means involving citizens in the decision-making process and empowering them to shape the policies that affect their lives.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-regional-developement|Discourse linkt to the text on Regional Development]]
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-==== Social Affairs and Healthcare ====
-//A chapter on Social Affairs and Healthcare will be added in the next couple of days, once the Board has agreed on a text//
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-==== Space Programme ====
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-space-programme/405|Discourse link to the text on Space Programme]]
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-==== Transport ====
-=== 0. Transportation for all ===
-Transport plays a crucial role in the European economy, ensuring the free movement of individuals and goods, but it is also responsible for a large part of our emissions and is a major source of air pollution in our cities.
-Decarbonising the transportation sector and achieving environmentally friendly, sustainable mobility is necessary for tackling the climate and energy crises, enhancing citizens’ quality of life, and making our cities more livable spaces. The fundamentals of our mobility concept stand on principles of sustainability, intermodality and interconnectedness. We believe that it is essential for all Europeans to have easy access to fast, reliable, and environmentally friendly transportation.
-We are committed to supporting public transport and rail networks. By investing in these modes of transportation, we aim to provide convenient, efficient, and sustainable mobility options for people across Europe. Enhancing public transport systems, such as buses, trams, and subways, will encourage more people to choose these alternatives over private vehicles, reducing congestion and emissions.
-Additionally, by expanding and improving rail networks, we can offer faster and more reliable intercity and regional connections, making train travel an attractive option for commuters and long-distance travellers. Our goal is to create a robust, multi-modal and interconnected transport network that meets the needs of all individuals and contributes to a greener and more accessible Europe.
-=== 1. Green cities ===
-Shared mobility and Energy Laziness
-Alternative fuels cannot save our planet while we continue to waste energy. We support a Shared Mobility Principles for Livable Cities initiative: where you can walk, you should not drive, and where you can drive together, you should not ride solo.
-These principles aim to increase public transportation usage, decrease the number of cars on the road, prioritize pedestrians and bicycles in green cities, and even save us billions of euros daily in productive time when commuters are stuck in traffic jams.
-=== Accessible and efficient public transportation ===
-Public transportation has to be affordable and accessible. Efficient public transportation systems, bicycle highways, and priority bus lanes reduce pollution and noise levels in cities.
-In the long term, we envisage the use of bikes and public transport to access transport hubs, trains for domestic travel inside the EU, and planes primarily to reach overseas destinations. Sharing is caring! Our priority here is adequacy: the total cost of any solution (including long-term maintenance) has to be proportional to the overall public benefit. We support innovative solutions like autonomous truck trains, smart roads and parking lots, freight trams or modular buses where appropriate.
-=== Open Data for Greener Cities ===
-To encourage cities to achieve the status of European Green Cities, we will measure pollution and noise levels in cities, and use this information to reward cities that demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability. We believe in an open data system for transportation that is accessible to all, with open data tools developed for companies and regional governments to easily link into. We will ensure the security and privacy of personal data while making transportation data accessible to all. We will use open standards to ensure the interoperability of transportation systems across all EU countries. This will make transportation in Europe function similarly within individual member states. We aim to promote the development of a transportation system that is efficient, accessible, and environmentally friendly.
-=== Supporting alternative fuels infrastructure ===
-Whilst individual cars remain the main source of air pollution in cities and should not be the preferred mode of transportation, we respect the freedom of choice of each individual. The automotive industry has the means to become a leader in the transition towards clean mobility. Enshrining the right to park and right to charge principles and fair access to install charging infrastructure on existing fossil fuels filling stations along the TEN-T network in European legislation will ensure smoother adoption of clean technologies and accelerate the decarbonisation of the European transportation sector.
-=== 2. Local Cross-border Travel ===
-We believe that efficient and accessible transportation can connect the various regions of Europe. We will expand and improve upon existing transnational connections, that will go beyond the traditional national transportation schemes. The EU should support and safeguard the development of fair transport solutions in border regions that allow efficient and organic movement across national borders. Utilizing both proven and sustainable transport modes such as rail as well as new dynamic options (bicycle and car sharing systems, on-demand public transport) we will strive towards boosting the peripheral regions of EU countries that are often the most underdeveloped and under-connected in their respective countries.
-=== European High-Speed rail network ===
-We believe that the future of transportation in Europe should prioritize modern, efficient, and sustainable systems that can connect us all. That is why we propose to support policies that prioritise the expansion of a high-speed rail network that would connect all EU capitals, utilizing new materials and technologies to make travel more silent and connect to existing rail networks.
-A high-speed rail network would greatly improve the efficiency of travel in Europe, reducing travel times and increasing productivity. This would have positive impacts on businesses reducing costs and improving productivity. It would also greatly improve the accessibility of remote regions, making it easier for people to travel to and from areas that may have previously been difficult to reach. This would have positive impacts on the local economies of these areas, making it easier for people to visit these regions for tourism or leisure.
-In addition to these benefits, an interconnected high-speed rail network will help to reduce traffic congestion on roads and highways, improving overall transportation efficiency and reducing travel times. By reducing the number of cars on the road, a high-speed rail network will also have a positive impact on the environment, reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable travel.
-=== 3. Simple rules and Smart technologies ===
-European transport rules are full of exceptions. To get these rules aligned, competitive salary and working conditions for all professional drivers across the continent must be implemented, including truck driving ban harmonization. We support progressive legislation for autonomous, driverless cars to settle liability issues and keep the EU on the top of the automotive innovation ladder. Different modes of transport should be made legally equal, have a transparent system of subsidies and their cost should reflect all applicable externalities.
-=== Big Brother on the Road ===
-We aim for a single, publicly controlled, easy-to-use toll satellite system for commercial transport on highways, allowing the use of open-source apps, enabling the processing of anonymized big data and thus improving both municipal and interstate traffic management. We insist that eCall and other similar movement recording devices remain optional and their data strictly anonymous so that participation in any such transport monitoring activity remains a transparent tool of choice with public benefits, rather than a compulsory means of government surveillance using outsourced contractors and opaque control mechanisms.
-=== Ride-hailing Legislation ===
-Large EU metropolitan areas are currently in legal limbo regarding the ride-hailing apps (e.g. Taxify, UBER), thereby hindering further research and development of those projects. We believe that the legislation has to reflect the current technology development and that one common framework for ride-hailing apps needs to exist on the EU level, allowing precise satellite navigation and similar technologies to be recognized as a certified system for the calculation of distances. Legalizing ride-hailing apps will be a great benefit for rural areas and less wealthy individuals, and offer more certainty to gig workers.
-[[https://discourse.european-pirateparty.eu/t/final-text-transport|Discourse link to text on Transport]]
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-===== Member parties proposals for changes to the CEEP 2024 draft  =====
-Any proposals for changes submitted by the Member parties before July 1st will be presented here as they are received by the Board, and voted on during the Council meeting.