Dear friends, Before Christmas, I would like to look back to the year coming to an end. Federalists in the UEF sections across Europe have actively fought for free borders in Europe and we have promoted transnational election lists as a way towards more democratic and more federal Europe. We have worked hard to improve our communication channels to reach out to more and more people and spread the word about European Federalism. The website was revamped in the mid-summer and the newsletter was redesigned to ensure better readability and provide our readers with up to date tools that are so indispensable in communication nowadays. In 2012 we will need to do even more to make our beliefs a reality. With ongoing active participation of all federalists, committed to spread messages, raise the awareness on the need to have more Europe, not less, we can succeed. It is a great encouragement to see that our Federalist visions have become real options for our political leadership. The fiscal union has now become a solution to the euro-zone crisis and how often have we been condemned for this Federalist proposal. Next year join us for the campaign “Federal Union Now”! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I wish all of you to find new inspiration and ideas for engaging in the European Federalists' cause in 2012. Enjoy reading the last Update in 2011! Sincerely yours,
Christian Wenning
UEF Secretary General

On 20 December 2011, UEF participated to the première of the documentary on Altiero Spinelli’s life at the European Parliament: “Per un’Europa Libera e Unita – For a Free and United Europe”, organized by the S&D group.

The documentary was introduced by Sergio Cofferati - Co-chairman of MEP Spinelli Group; Virgilio Dastoli - European Movement President, Italy; Jo Leinen - International European Movement President; Claudio Rossi Massimi - Author and Director; Lucia Macale - Producer; Renata Colorni - Altiero Spinelli’s daughter.

Rainer Wieland, Vice-President of the European Parliament, was elected Europa-Union Deutschland’s new president with a clear majority of votes during the EUD Congress on 26-27 November, 2011.

The 54-year old MEP succeeds MP Peter Altmaier who held office from 2006 until 2011, but did not run for another term. EUD Vice-presidents Eva Högl, Ernst Johansson and Thomas Mann were re-elected. Christian Moos was elected EUD’s new Secretary-General.

Please check the EUD website for more information (in German).

UEF Serbia has relaunched its electronic monthly euroFEDERALIST, which comprises the most important news from Europe and follows the path of Serbia and the region towards a unified Europe. EuroFEDERALIST brings the most important news from the federalist movement, analysis, interviews, text, blogs and some of the most interesting texts from other media as well.

On the 13th regular elective Assembly of the European Movement in Serbia (EpuS), held on November 30th 2011 in Belgrade, UEF Serbia was admitted to collective membership.

With unanimous vote of the delegates at the EpuS Assembly, UEF Serbia was formally admitted to the collective membership, after formal approval by the Main board in May earlier this year. Danijela Bozovic, Secretary General of UEF Serbia was delegated to represent collective member - UEF Serbia at the meeting of the Main board of EPuS.

"We, European federalists, strongly believe that we have to gather oldest European organisations in our society around the European Movement, in order to give our government a strong encouragement to proceed with the necessary reforms, leading society towards the EU" - said Danijela Bozovic on this occasion.

UEF Serbia, in cooperation with Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, proceeds with the project “Future of the European Union – Time to Decide” within the framework of Regional Conference of liberal political parties of the WB countries held in Belgrade.

Representatives of UEF Serbia and Friedrich Naumann Foundation had the chance to talk to and record interviews with the participants Jelko Kacin, Ivo Vaigl, Silvana Koch-Mehrin and Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck – all Members of the ALDE group of the European Parliament.

Recorded material will be used to create podcast shows within the project "Future of the EU – Time to Decide“, whose aim is to identify the biggest challenges of the EU integration project at this stage, especially the current economic crisis and possible responses to it. Besides this, aim of the podcast is to show different perspectives of the future development of the EU, defining possible directions of of the Union's path.

On November 26 and 27 November more than 250 delegates and guests took part in the EUD Congress in Berlin. Working groups and plenary sessions were held discussing what role EUD could play in overcoming the present crisis by strengthening political cooperation in the EU.

The draft of a new programme concerning the association’s basic principles formed a central part of the discussions. Before the new programme will be adapted by the next congress in 2012, it shall be discussed on the local, regional and international level. EUD is looking forward to contributions from UEF partner organizations.

Please check an English version of the draft programme. 

On 26 November 2011, during the EUD Congress, Europe-Professional for the first time awarded the “Europe-Prizes”. Former EU Commissioner Günther Verheugen awarded Beatrice Weder di Mauro, member of the German Council of Economic Experts, the Europe-Lily for extraordinary pro-European political achievements. The Europe-Lily for civic engagement was awarded to Klaus and Roswitha Brausch, who have for many years been supporting schools for children with special needs both in Slovakia and in Germany. “Schüler Helfen Leben”, a German highschool students’ association supporting youth projects in the Balkan region, was awarded the Europe-Lily for European youth work. The negative-prize, the Europe-Thistle, was awarded to BILD, Germany’s most (in)famous tabloid newspaper.

Please read the full article (in German).

In 2009, the European External Action Service was created with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. However, the goal of designing coherent foreign policies in the EU’s member states still appears vision rather than reality: In many crucial issues like the military operation in Libya, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, and EU-China relations the Union does not speak with one voice.

Which values does EU foreign policy actually stand for and what kind of foreign policy strategy does it promote? Answers to these and other questions were provided on 16 December 2011, by a high-ranking panel consisting of the director of the EU External Action Service Gerhard Sabathil, Czech foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg, chairman of the Munich Security Conference Wolfgang Ischinger, MP Manuel Sarrazin, and political scientist Thomas Risse. The panel was moderated by Eckart Stratenschulte, director of the European Academy, Berlin.

The Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe), the international non-governmental youth organisation (INGYO) is looking for candidates to fill the position of Secretary General (SG). Check the JEF-Europe website for more details and list of responsibilities. The Secretary-General works full-time for the organisation at the European Secretariat in Brussels.

Download the call for applications here.