Proceedings of 8th European Assembly on telework (Telework2001)

31The Commission paperThe Commission paper on sustainability addresses important issues. However, there is onefundamental problem with the whole paper, and that is the mere <strong>European</strong> approach. There is oneimage that is wrong but that dominates the whole paper: it is the idea that we have to start to bringour own home into order. Unfortunately, in global issues such as sustainability this is <strong>of</strong>ten not avalid strategy. The best example is the problem <strong>of</strong> greenhouse gases. If we bring our things a littlebit in order at home and spend all the money we have available for this purpose so ineffectively, wedo not have the financial instruments anymore available needed for a global solution. It is then ourdomestic solution that prevents the global solution. That is the problem that dominates this wholeCommission paper, and because <strong>of</strong> that it makes no sense to do any minor addition to that paper.This paper has to be rewritten, principally in its basic logic, or at least, it needs a kind <strong>of</strong> preamble,to put things right.In the following I give some ideas on how such a preamble for the EU position on sustainabilitymight look like:I.We, the <strong>European</strong>s, want sustainability, but we confess we are on the wrong track.II.Equity from our point <strong>of</strong> view is essential for reaching sustainability. We urgently need moreequity on the globe to be sustainable. This means the need for co-financing on the globe – thisis not easy.III.Knowing what is needed, we are willing to discuss global co-financing, even thoughco-financing is already difficult within the EU. The EU is willing to go into necessary globalcontracts with all countries, in particular countries such as India, China, Russia, and do thenecessary developments <strong>of</strong> WTO and other regimes into a reasonable order for globalgovernance. This includes debates with other governments, industry and world civil society tothe right kind <strong>of</strong> global contract needed.IV.Concerning the global contract needed, we are willing to support a fair design. We are willingto do this even if it means for some time that we will not have much growth in livingstandard any more at home because new money from growth processes will have to bechannelled essentially into global development. A contract, as we foresee it, has to do withconstraints in global resource use and has to do with global co-financing needs, even if ithurts.V.The <strong>European</strong>s see Europe and in particular the way Europe does its enlargement processesas a model for how global contracts could be designed. Again, a contract-based fairco-financing is the key. The topic <strong>of</strong> the contract development is convergence <strong>of</strong> standardsin relation to co-financing. Certainly, the convergence speed will depend on the level <strong>of</strong>co-financing.