Next week, over four thousand people will take part live and online at Beyond Growth 2023, a cross-policy initiative taking place at the European Parliament in Brussels and organized by us, MEPs from five different political groups and unregistered, together with over 60 partner organizations.

Through this three-day conference, which will bring together high-profile speakers from EU policy makers, academia, trade unions, business and civil society organizations, we aim to challenge traditional EU policies and redefine social goals across all sectors, moving away from a pernicious focus on economic growth as the sole basis of our development model.

Indeed, the current economic model based on endless growth has reached its limit. First, continued economic growth, especially through the consumption of fossil fuels, is leading to catastrophic global warming. Secondly, the endless pursuit of development is based on the depletion of natural resources, the destruction of biodiversity, the accumulation of waste and pollution. It also poses risks to our health, our economy and our society as a whole. Third, the current economic model contributes to social inequality and social exclusion. The emphasis on economic growth has not led to an equal distribution of wealth or opportunity. On the contrary, it has led to the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, leaving the many behind. Fourth, the current economic model is inherently unstable and crisis-prone, as seen, for example, during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. The quest for growth at all costs has created a global economic system that is fragile and vulnerable to shocks.

As MEPs from different political groups, we have different views on how to achieve an economy beyond growth. However, we all agree on the urgency and importance of this issue. We share the view that we need an economic system that prioritizes human well-being and environmental sustainability over GDP growth, that recognizes that limitless growth is not possible on a limited planet, and that we must find new ways to organize our economy without relying on the continuous exploitation of resources. and continuous growth in production and consumption.

We call for greater pluralism of economic thinking in the EU institutions and its alignment with scientific data from the climate, environmental and social sciences. We call for economic models and other decision-support tools to be broader, more inclusive and understandable to citizens. We ask that decision-making processes be aligned with our overall political goals and not based on fluctuations in GDP numbers.

As policy makers, we also see it as our responsibility to take the lead in finding new policy options. Therefore, we are determined to channel our energy into our parliamentary work to support bold and ambitious proposals that pave the way for sustainable prosperity in the EU and beyond. In particular, we propose the following common actions for EU institutions and Member States:

1. Develop a new integrated strategy for the European economy beyond growth, fully integrating social, environmental and economic objectives. The European Green Deal, the EU’s flagship initiative to combat climate change and ensure a sustainable future, is an important and necessary step, but it does not recognize the limits of development. The new strategy should be based on the principles of environmental sustainability, social justice and prosperity, and should give priority to policies that contribute to the achievement of these goals.
2. Promoting a pluralistic approach to indicators and macroeconomic models used by the EU and its Member States. Building on the existing work of the European Commission and many other organizations, we call for the development of policies based on indicators that measure progress beyond GDP, the use of macroeconomic models to respect planetary boundaries and improve social welfare, and the development of environmental and gender budgeting tools.
3. Designing our institutional architecture to best serve strategic growth. Based on the proposals made by scientists on the eve of the first conference on the post-development era, we propose to create Directorate General for Sustainable Development and Prosperity in the European Commission, Ad Hoc Committee on the Future after Development in the European Parliament And Ministries of Economic Transformation in each Member State. Each of these entities should be responsible at their level for formulating policy proposals that go beyond development and for coordinating EU efforts towards sustainability and prosperity.

The level of public interest in a future-oriented European economy is higher than ever before, and holding such a landmark debate in the European Parliament is a powerful symbol. The Beyond Growth Conference offers a unique opportunity for a pluralistic debate about scientific research in all its diversity that meets the specific expectations of our fellow citizens. Developing pathways to a prosperous life within the social and environmental constraints of our society is not only desirable. This is also absolutely essential.

Co-signers:

Greens/SFA

Philip LAMBERT (BE)

Bass EYKHOUT (NL)

Ville NIINISTYO (Finland)

Manuela RIPA (Germany)

Marie TOUSSIN (France)

Ernest URTASOUN (IS)

Kim VAN SPARRENTAK (NL)

Left (GUE/NGL)

Manon AUBRIE (France)

Petros Kokkalis (EL)

Marisa MATHIAS (PT)

Helmut SCHOLZ (Germany)

Socialists and Democrats (S&D)

Pascal DURAN (France)

Aurora LALUK (France)

Pierre LARRUTOUROU (France)

European People’s Party (EPP)

Sirpa PIETIKAINEN (Finland)

Maria WALSH (IE)

Renew Europe (RE)

Catalin CSEZ (HR)

Not Registered (NI)

Dino GIARRUSSO (Italy)

*Article by MEPs on this subject congress called “Beyond Growth 2023”, which is being held jointly at the European Parliament building in Brussels from 15 to 17 May on a cross-party initiative of 20 MEPs from the Greens (The Green/EFA), the Left (The Left/GUE), the Socialist Democrats (S&D) , Renew Europe Group, EPP (EPP) and independent.