Breaking news: campaign success in Europe
Great news. Today pressure from ONE members has taken us a step closer towards historic European laws which could help millions of people lift themselves out of extreme poverty.
I was part of a ONE team monitoring the vote by a key group of MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) on proposed anti-corruption laws. Over 8,000 ONE members from across Europe sent these MEPs personal messages asking them to be champions in the fight against poverty and telling them they would be watching to see if they voted the right way.
And it worked!
The MEPs responded to this powerful call, with a majority voting to strengthen the proposed laws.
How the MEPs voted – for more see one.org/champions
This means that, as the proposed law now stands, oil, gas and mining companies will be required to publish what they pay to foreign governments. This would help to expose the trillions of dollars of secret payments to developing countries which allow corrupt officials to siphon-off large sums of money from the sale of these natural resources. Citizens of those countries would be able to spot this and instead push for that money to be spent on vital services like schools, roads and hospitals which would benefit all citizens and help build a more prosperous future for all.
The vote today is a significant step forward toward the law being passed. It now means the European Parliament has a strong position on the issue as it enters negotiations with representatives from governments of the 27 countries in the EU – an important stage in any EU-wide law being adopted. The campaign will now move on to ensure those negotiations lead to a strong final law.
We will call on ONE members to take further actions in the months ahead. For now though, we want to pause and recognise the five key MEPs who stood up and acted as champions.
By sending them a thank you message you can help to show that people across Europe have noticed they did the right thing, and encourage them to continue giving their support in the future.
You can tweet one of the four MEPs who are on twitter by clicking on the links below, or alternatively leave a comment at the bottom of this blog post for all of the five MEPs, and we’ll make sure they receive it.
@EuroMP_ArleneMc – Arlene McCarthy (UK)
@EPPGroup – Klaus-Heiner Lehne (Germany)
@eva_lichti – Eva Lichtenberger (Austria)
@CeciliaWikstrom – Cecilia Wikstrom (Sweden)
Congratulations to everyone who has taken part in the campaign so far and helped achieve this significant progress. Together as ONE we can continue to make sure this historic EU law is passed, so that millions more people can lift themselves out of poverty.
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About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
20/09/2012 at 8:27 pm
Thank you for reversing this 74-year-old’s trend to cynicism where politics is concerned. Altruism….integrity…call it what you like, you did the right thing.
20/09/2012 at 8:28 pm
you did the right thing…..thank you
20/09/2012 at 9:09 pm
Brilliant! Thank you for standing up for the people and not letting the multi-nationals have it all their own way.
20/09/2012 at 9:45 pm
Thank you
Your courage and values make a great difference and restores my trust in human ability to care and act in syntony.
May your work inspire others.
Juanita
20/09/2012 at 9:53 pm
Thank you recent positive vote and we hope you will continue to fight for the public good.
20/09/2012 at 10:13 pm
Thank you for doing the right thing. Hope you will continue being champions for the public good.
20/09/2012 at 11:20 pm
thank you for doing the decent thing
20/09/2012 at 11:43 pm
Thank you for listening and doing the right thing.
21/09/2012 at 2:27 am
Well done! We’re working for a better world!
21/09/2012 at 9:03 am
Thank you for listening and doing the right thing.
21/09/2012 at 9:35 am
Thank you for having listened to the voice of the People. I do pray and hope you continue in the same spirit, always keeping in mind the good and interest of the community. once more, thank you
21/09/2012 at 12:56 pm
Thank you all for everything you have done, and hope you carry on with the good work for the people.
21/09/2012 at 1:01 pm
Thank you for all the kind words and for your commitment and hard work on this issue!
All the best,
Cecilia
21/09/2012 at 1:50 pm
Thank you so much for your supportive vote. You have made a difference in the lives of many!
Isobel
21/09/2012 at 2:31 pm
Thank you for doing the right thing and voting the way you did. I am sure very many people will benefit from the action you have taken. Please keep up the good work for the people of the world
21/09/2012 at 4:21 pm
Thank you for acting responsibly.
21/09/2012 at 6:05 pm
Thank you for listening, and for acting for what is right and just.
21/09/2012 at 8:04 pm
Your efforts on behalf of the world’s poor are much appreciated. Please keep up the good work. Many thanks.
21/09/2012 at 10:21 pm
Thank you for helping people of developing countries losing money through corruption by multi-national corporations
22/09/2012 at 8:18 am
thank you. brillant
22/09/2012 at 11:14 am
Thank you. Please keep it up.
22/09/2012 at 3:54 pm
Thank you for voting in favour of the world’s poor and against corruption by multinational companies. Keep up the fight for global justice!
22/09/2012 at 4:13 pm
A lot of thanks for Your right choice!
22/09/2012 at 4:34 pm
Thank you for helping to expose the corruption of Multinationals especially in relation to the harm it causes in developing countries. With some truth it is said that if Foreign Investors paid rightful taxes in the developing world where they are so keen to invest, these countries would not require ‘development aid’ from the western governments. This would also pay dividends in terms of developing countries self respect and rightful pride.
Ted Wildsmith
22/09/2012 at 5:37 pm
with you europe can make an enormous difference looking after the vulnerable, who else will speak up to do the right thing, strength in numbers, strength in belief…may you all flourish…..RESPECT
22/09/2012 at 9:26 pm
Thank you so much for listening and supporting laws to expose corruption.
22/09/2012 at 9:43 pm
We are glad to see that you decided what was best for all
23/09/2012 at 12:22 pm
TO MEPs
Arlene McCarthy (UK)
Klaus-Heiner Lehne (Germany)
Eva Lichtenberger (Austria)
Cecilia Wikstrom (Sweden)
THANK YOU FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING BY VOTING IN FAVOUR OF THESE LATEST ANTI-CORRUPTION LAWS. AND THANK YOU TOO STUART FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BRING US THIS LATEST BIT OF SORELY NEEDED GOOD NEWS.
BEST WISHES
MARTIN BUGEJA
MALTA.
23/09/2012 at 1:24 pm
Thank you so much for listening. If only more would do the same.
23/09/2012 at 2:00 pm
Thank you for standing up for the millions of people still in Poverty today!!! It is people like you that restore the publics faith in politicians.
23/09/2012 at 2:09 pm
The poor often have no platform to express their condition so thanks to you for enabling the exposure of corruption.
23/09/2012 at 3:03 pm
We often ask you to do things differently but too rarely let you know when we’re pleased with something you’ve done. Thankyou for voting on this
23/09/2012 at 9:04 pm
This is very good news, a counter to the encroaching hegemony of multinationals that is facilitated by elected governments. It is a light in the darkness.
24/09/2012 at 11:14 am
I”m glad that You realised that with an empty stomach You can not make spiritual progress. Those with a more than full stomach who do not make spiritual progress are to blame. Keep up the good work. Every drop counts.
24/09/2012 at 11:22 am
Well done for speaking up. You have made a real difference.
24/09/2012 at 4:26 pm
Brilliant! Thank you!!
24/09/2012 at 4:58 pm
Too rarely do politicians get thanks for doing a good job. So thank you!
24/09/2012 at 5:30 pm
THANK YOU SO MUCH for listening and voting against corruption in the fight against poverty. This is really good news but only the beginning so please continue to Champion the struggle for global responsibility.
25/09/2012 at 9:40 am
Thank you to the five MEPs who stood up for all of us. Your stand against corruption is inspiring and restores faith in the democratic process.
25/09/2012 at 3:43 pm
Thank you and vielen dank (sorry I don’t know the Swedish words, but thank you as well). You all give us hope that people working together, MEPS and other caring citizens, will improve the lives of those people who are cheated by corrupt and greedy officials and businesses in their own countries.
25/09/2012 at 7:51 pm
Thank you very much for your courage to stand for the right thing!!!
25/09/2012 at 8:53 pm
Thank you! Vielen dank! Stort tack! Please keep on working for a better world!!
25/09/2012 at 9:08 pm
Congratulations for letting the decent side of your intelligence show others the right thing to do.
26/09/2012 at 1:53 pm
Thank you for fighting for a better world for all of us!!
27/09/2012 at 12:17 pm
Thank you!
28/09/2012 at 1:29 pm
Thank you for listening and doing the right thing
02/10/2012 at 10:10 am
Thank you so much. I cried when I found out. it is so important to do what is right, especially when you hold so much power.