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Dear friends,
Given that the Easter is almost upon us, we have a chance to retreat from the very secular political world for a while. And we do need a break. Not only could we not push the European Parliament to implement a visionary electoral reform, there was no debate whatsoever on alternatives to our proposal for transnationals lists. The 2014 elections might end up to be a continuation of a semi-democratic, opaque election that is likely to result in the same low turnout as usual. Still, we have to stay positive. The EU seems less likely to fail than some months ago; the euro will survive, it seems, and we have had recent reminders about how the internal market can help to control roaming data tariffs for mobile devices. The latter may help - after years of focus on financial policies involving derivatives and banks - to make citizens a little more positive about the European project again. The European Citizens' Initiative is a splendid tool to flag particular interests to gain public awareness. It entered into force on April 1st and all European federalists will monitor with great excitement how this new tool will be used. So, Happy Easter after all! Sincerely yours, Christian Wenning UEF Secretary General UEF NEWSJoint UEF-JEF Federal Committee meeting
Following the joint UEF-JEF Federal Committee meeting in Leuven (21-22 April), please find all the adopted texts on UEF website:
UEF/JEF adopted Joint Statement All adopted resolutions: - Resolution on EU migration policy - Resolution to promote a joint action on European Federalists at European level - Resolution “European Federalists: Time to exploit momentum” - UEF Press release: Federalists target 2014 elections The photo album of the meeting is already available on UEF website. Do not hesitate to share the pictures on Facebook too! http://www.federalists.eu/index.php?id=15420 NEWS FROM SECTIONSMFE sections promote local coalitions of political and social force for a European Federation
Local and regional sections of the European Federalist Movement are promoting the creation of coalitions for a European federation in major Italian cities and region, gathering representatives of local political and social forces who share the federalists’ goals. Most recently. “committees for a European Federation” have been set-up in Turin, Pavia and in Sicily.
The Section of Turin of the MFE held the first meeting of the “Committee for a European Federation and a European development plan” in Turin on 7 March. Representatives of a broad range of organisations joined the Committee, including ACLI, ACMOS, AEDE, AICCRE, ARCI, CESI, CGIL-Torino-Piemonte, CISLTorino-Piemonte, Federmanager, Forum Associazioni Insegnanti, GFE-To, GFE-Piemonte, Giovani Democratici, Giustizia e Libertà, Gruppo Abele-Libera, FLARE, IDV, Ist. Studi Storici G. Salvemini, Lega-COOP, MFE-Torino-Piemonte, PDL-PPE, SIOI, UDC-giovani, UDC, UIL-Torino-Piemonte. Read the full article... MFE letter to the members of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament
In view of the meetings that the AFCO will hold to draw up a report on 'Constitutional problems of multi-tier governance in the European Union', the European Federalist Movement (MFE) has written to the members of AFCO inviting them to take the lead in drafting a comprehensive plan to re-launch the European federation project.
MFE stressed that with the new Fiscal Compact Treaty, the EU has entered a new phase in the process of European unification. The heads of state and of government, in an attempt to respond to the emergencies posed by the crisis, have acknowledged the political need to introduce rules and create institutions that go beyond the current Treaties. For this reason, the MFE has called on the AFCO and the EP to take concrete steps to elaborate a political plan to institutionalize a “two-speed Europe” to ensure the coexistence of those countries that have chosen to keep their national currency with those that have adopted the euro and need to move towards the creation of an economic government with real powers and democratic legitimacy. Read the letter here... FUTURE EVENTSEuropean Party on May 9, Berlin
On the occasion of the Europe Day on May 9, the EUD invites all members and friends of the Europa-Union and the Young European Federalists to meet and talk in a cosy atmosphere, to get to know each other better and make new contacts. Beverages and grilled food will be ensured against a small donation. Voluntary contributions like, for example, salads or cakes are most welcome. The party starts at 5:30pm, in Sophienstraße 28/29 in Berlin-Mitte, and lasts until approx. 10pm.
You can already check the <link fileadmin files_uef events_invitations questions_fr_en_1_.pdf download>suggested questions for the debate! More info... PAST EVENTSJoint Federal Committee of the EUD and JEF meets in Berlin
On March 24, the Joint Federal Committee of the EUD and JEF met in Berlin. Before their meeting, the Delegates of Europa-Union and Young European Federalists demonstrated for democracy and the rule of law in front of the Hungarian Embassy.
Around 150 members and friends of our organisations followed the call and showed their colours. The green "E" was also very present in the subsequent meeting. During the Federal Committee young and old colleagues discussed the future cooperation of the EUD and the JEF and adopted a joint recommendation. Franz J. Klein was elected chairman of the Federal Committee by the delegates of the EUD. His deputies are Joachim Gasiecki, Rainer Giesel and Friedhelm Pieper. Read the full article in German… Macedonia on its way in the EU
“Macedonia is a European country. We fully share the European values”, assured the Macedonian ambassador at the EUD-organized event which took part in Berlin on 1 March. Ambassador Utevska-Gligorovska showed herself somewhat disappointed about the fact that EU-membership of Macedonia is already being discussed for more than ten years and that the country has the candidate-status since 2005. In spite of several recommendations of the European Commission an opening of accession talks has not yet occurred. She delineated the macro-economic situation of her country as solid but admitted that with regard to freedom of press, anti-corruption measures and public administration still exists significant need for improvement.
For more information (in German) please check an article on the EUD website.
Demonstration in Rome at the Merkel-Monti summit
On the occasion of the Merkel-Monti summit in Rome on the 13th of March, MFE organized a manifestation in front of the Italian Parliament asking for a “European Federation Now!” The federalist demonstration was joined by the Vice-President of the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella, by MEPs Debora Serracchiani and Roberto Gualtieri, by Italian MPs Lapo Pistelli, Roberto Di Giovan Paolo and Sandro Gozi, and by several representatives of organizations from civil society and political foundation from the right to the left side.
Can the union be saved? Report on the Federal Union AGM
Federal Union held its AGM and annual conference on 17 March 2012. The morning session, entitled “Can the European Union be saved?”, looked at the European treaty agreed at the summit earlier this month, and asked whether it embodied the right model for the future of the Europe. Read the full report…
Campaign “A hundred towns for European Federation”
In the frame of the campaign “A hundred towns for European Federation”, Committees for European Federation have been constituted in Pavia and Torino. In the foundation meeting in Pavia, held on the 24th of February, the Major of the town, members of the provincial administration, national MPs elected in town, delegates from local branches of trade unions and political parties and representatives of several civil society organizations spoke in support of action towards federal unification of the Eurozone. As a first public action of the Committee, a joint session of the provincial and town Councils has been planned, to discuss and possibly subscribe the appeal “Federal Union now!”
To the Torino Committee for a European Federation and for a European plan for sustainable growth, more than 25 local and regional branches of political parties, of trade unions and of professional associations, as well as cultural and civil society organizations gave their support. The Committee is actively engaged in establishing links with similar bodies being constituted at different levels, in increasing the network of constituting organizations and in working in order to create the conditions for the launch of an ECI on sustainable growth. Federal activity in London
In the afternoon of Thursday, February 9, 2012 a Federal Union meeting has been held in the parlour of the King’s College Hall of Residence. Presents were Richard Laming, President of the Federal Union, Christian Wenning, UEF Secretary General and Paolo V. Tonini as moderator and promoter, along with fifteen other participants, most of them students and young researchers.
In his long speech, Mr Laming has depicted the main policy objectives of the Federal Union and the positions of Andrew Duff, MEP and current UEF president. Surprisingly, the British Federalists applauded the Conservatives’ exit strategy from the fiscal compact in the late 2011. “Europe must go ahead, whatever the costs” they say “If the UK had been a constituent member of the new treaty, and thereby holding a referendum on his implementation, it would have been the end of the European dream”.
Their main wishes are thus focused on a possible afterthought of their ruling politicians. In fact, as far as the younger Tories generations are concerned, they have lost their European afflatus being raised under the aegis of the last Thatcher, who was openly Euro-sceptical. “There is a chance” Mr Laming said “ that they will change their mind in the span of two decades”, when the power of London as the main international financial hub will be reconsidered and maybe the UK will be able to join again this new stage of the modern European concert.
EUD Secretary-General Moos: „We want universal suffrage for all EU-citizens“
EUD Secretary-General Moos promoted the extension of universal suffrage for all EU-citizens on a symposium of the Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation. For a long time, the EUD demands a granting of the right to vote for EU-citizens at least at regional level. Other members of the prominently attended panel agreed with this request. According to the credo “No taxation without representation!”, Rudolf Hrbek, political scientist from Tübingen, underlined his plea for an extension of the right to vote in state elections to all EU-citizens.
For more information (in German) please check an article on the EUD website.
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