Next week week, more than four thousand people will participate on site and online at the "Beyond Growth 2023 Conference" will take part. This is a cross-party initiative taking place at the European Parliament in European Parliament in Brussels and organized by us, Members of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from five different political groups and non-attached MEPs, together with more than 60 partner organizations.

With this three-day conference, which brought together high-level speakers from EU policy academia, trade unions, businesses and civil society organizations, we want to organizations, we want to challenge conventional policy-making in the EU and redefine the EU and redefine societal goals in general. Our aim is to move away from the harmful focus on economic growth as the sole basis of our development model.

In fact the current economic model, which is based on endless growth, has reached its limits. has reached its limits. Firstly, continuous economic growth, based in particular on the consumption of fossil fuels, is leading to catastrophic global catastrophic global warming. Secondly, the endless pursuit of growth is based on the depletion of natural resources, the destruction of biodiversity and the creation of waste and pollution. This also harbors risks to our health, economy and society in general. Thirdly, the current economic model contributes to social inequality and exclusion. exclusion. The focus on economic growth has not led to led to an equal distribution of wealth and opportunity. Instead it has led to a concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, leaving many few and has left many behind. Fourth, the current economic model is inherently unstable and crisis-prone, as demonstrated example during the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pursuit for growth at all costs has created a global economic system that is fragile and fragile and prone to crises.

As Members of the European Parliament from different political groups, we have different views on how to achieve an economy beyond growth. can be achieved. However, we all agree on the urgency and importance of the importance of the issue. We share the view that we need an economic system that prioritizes human well-being and environmental and environmental sustainability over GDP growth. A system, that recognizes that infinite growth on a finite planet is impossible and that we need to find new ways to organize our economy, without relying on the continuous depletion of resources and the constant increasing production and consumption.

We call for more pluralism in economic thinking within the EU institutions and its adaptation to the scientific findings of the climate of climate, environmental and social sciences. We demand that economic models and other instruments for decision-making become more diverse, comprehensive and understandable for citizens. We demand that decision-making processes be aligned with our common political objectives and not on the basis of fluctuations in GDP values. are taken into account.

As political decision-makers, we also believe that it is our task to to play a pioneering role in the search for new policy options. We are therefore committed to devoting our energy in our own parliamentary parliamentary work to support bold and ambitious proposals that pave the way for sustainable prosperity in the EU and beyond. We propose in particular the following overarching measures for the EU institutions and the Member States:

1. development of a new comprehensive strategy for a European "Beyond Growth" economy that fully integrates social, environmental and environmental and economic objectives. The European Green Deal as the EU's flagship initiative to combat climate climate change and promoting a sustainable future is an important and necessary step necessary step, but it does not take into account the limits to growth. A new strategy should be based on the principles of environmental sustainability, social justice and prosperity, and policies that contribute to these goals should be prioritize policies that contribute to these goals.

2. promoting a pluralistic approach in the indicators and macroeconomic models used by the EU and its Member States. macroeconomic models used by the EU and its Member States. Building on the work already done already done by the European Commission and many other institutions, we call for a policy-making approach based on indicators that measure progress beyond GDP. measure progress beyond GDP. Furthermore, we call for the use of macroeconomic models that focus on respecting planetary boundaries and the improvement of social well-being and the development of green and gender green and gender-sensitive budgetary instruments.

3. to design the institutional structure in such a in such a way that it better reflects the post-growth strategy. On the basis of proposals made by scientists in the in the run-up to the first post-growth conferencewe propose that a Directorate-General for Sustainability and Prosperity be set up in the European Commission. and Prosperity in the European Commission. In addition, a special committee should be set up in the European Parliament for the "Beyond Growth" future inthe European Parliament and Member State a Ministry for Economic Transition in each Member State. Each of these structures should be responsible at their own level for developing policy proposals for a future Beyond Growth concept and for coordinating the EU's efforts towards EU's efforts towards sustainability and prosperity.

The public interest in a sustainable European economy is greater than ever before never been greater, and a landmark debate like this in the European Parliament is a powerful symbol. The Beyond Growth conference offers a unique unique opportunity to have a pluralistic debate that is connected to the full scientific research in its entirety and responds to the concrete concrete expectations of our fellow citizens. It is not only desirable to find ways of living well within the social and environmental limits of our society. It is also absolutely necessary.

Co-signatories:

The Greens/EFA

Philippe LAMBERTS (BE)

Bas EICKHOUT (NL)

Ville NIINISTÖ (FI)

Manuela RIPA (DE)

Marie TOUSSAINT (FR)

Ernest URTASUN (ES)

Kim VAN SPARRENTAK (NL)

The Left (GUE/NGL)

Manon AUBRY (FR)

Petros KOKKALIS (EL)

Marisa MATIAS (PT)

Helmut SCHOLZ (DE)

Socialists & Democrats (S&D)

Pascal DURAND (FR)

Aurore LALUCQ (FR)

Pierre LARROUTUROU (FR)

European People's Party (EPP)

Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN (FI)

Maria WALSH (IE)

Renew Europe (RE)

Katalin CSEH (HR)

Non-attached (NI)

Dino GIARRUSSO (IT)