In practice, he states, the consequences will materialise "in a rise in unemployment, which will have an impact on poverty in all European countries, since there’s a problem with the public finances. Because the governments are taking risks to rescue the banks. But bank groups are not national, but European, so European solutions are needed". According to De Bucquois who explained he speaks from his personal point of view , "it was urgent of course for the governments to take action and rescue the banks. But let’s wait and see what happens. Now we have to keep building a European and international legislation for the finance sector, to expand the European social policy". Some analysts, he adds, "agree that Europe was wrong in pursuing more growth and employment, taking inspiration from the American model that now has turned out to be disastrous. We must invest instead on sustainable development and social protection". As to the pilot conference that took place in Charleroi and was attended by about 60 people from Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, the Czech Republic and Poland, De Bucquois tells that "it gave an opportunity to those people who live in a state of destitution to meet the volunteers and the managers of the different branches of Caritas and other charitable organisations. Priority was given to the poor to make their voices heard". (continued)
