XXVIII UEF European Congress
The Congress had taken place on 25 and 26 November 2023 in Brussels. On Saturday, we were kindly hosted by the House of the European History, Rue Belliard 135, 1000 Bruxelles. On Sunday, the Institut Européen de la Culture Arabe, Rue de l'Alliance 2, 1210 Saint-Josse-ten-Noode receved us.
Toward the European elections
The Congress is the most important event in the life of the organization and it will be the occasion to debate future of Europe and further support and disseminate the important initiatives of the European Parliament regarding the reform of the Lisbon Treaty and the europeanising of the elections to the EP.
Program
Saturday, 25 November 2023
10.15: Opening of the Congress
- Election of the Presidium
- Formalities:
- Election of the Tellers
- Election of the Credential Committee
- Election of the Resolution Committee
- Approval of the Agenda
- Approval of the Minutes of the last Congress in Valencia (3-4 July 2021)
10.30 | Welcome addresses
- Hans-Gert Pöttering, Former President of the European Parliament (2007-2009), President of the House of European History (video)
- Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General of the European Movement International EMI tbc
- Christelle Savall, President of Young European Federalists JEF
- Prof. Fernando Iglesias, President of the World of Federalist Movement WFM (online)
With the distinguische presence Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission and former President of the European Parliament (2004-2007)
11:10 | Opening speech and Political report by Domènec Ruiz Devesa, UEF President
Q&A and Political Debate
Special address by the Representative of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU: Raúl Santiago Fuentes, Ambassador Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the European Union
Interventions of:
- Brando Benifei, MEP
- Rainer Wieland, Vice-President of the European Parliament, President of EUD
- Alin Mituta, MEP
- Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General of the European Movement International EMI tbc
- Cyrus Engerer, MEP
- Mercedes Bresso, MEP
- Thijs Reuten MEP
Special address by: Enrique Barón Crespo, Former President of the European Parliament (1989-1992), President of UEF Spain
12.10 | Activity report | Deadline of submission of candidacy for UEF Executive Bureau and UEF Federal Committee members directly electet
12.25 | Financial Report by Roland Hühn, Treasurer of UEF
- Q&A
- Report by the Auditors
- Discharge of the outgoing Executive Bureau
13.00 | Lunch break
14.00 | Political Debate in view of the launch of a Convention for Treaty reform and the European elections
Video messages from:
- Guy Verhofstadt, MEP, Renew Europe
- Sven Simon, MEP, European People's Party
- Gabriele Bischoff, MEP, Socialists and Democrats
- Daniel Freund, MEP, Greens/European Free Alliance
- Helmut Scholz, MEP, The Left
Intervention of
- Pietro Bartolo, MEP
15.00 – Presentation of the study "Mapping the cost of non-Europe (2022-2032)" by Meena Fernandes, Policy analyst of the European Parliament Research Service
15.30 | Workshop to present UEF Position in view of the European Elections 2024 and discuss strategy and campaign
16.30 Presentation of the candidates to the different positions and elections
17.00 | Closing Ballots
17:50 | End of the session
Sunday, 26 November 2023
Institut Européen de la Culture Arabe, Rue de l’Alliance 2, Brussels
8.45 | Arrival of Participants
9.00 | Opening of the third session of the Congress
- Announcement of the results of the elections
9.45 | Meeting of National delegations to nominate appointed members of the Federal Committee
10.15 | Vote on the political documents
11.00 |Decision related to the transfer of UEF headquarter from Netherland to Belgium
- a) Proposal for a decision to transfer the Association's headquarters from the Netherlands to Belgium, Région de Bruxelles capitale, Square de Meeûs, 25;
- b) Proposal to draw up Statutes in accordance with Belgian law, respecting the operating procedures of the existing Statutes and to adopt the form of an "Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif (AISBL)" to be called "UEF";
- c) Proposal to accept the draft Statutes;
- d) Proposal that the Congress appoints Mrs Giulia ROSSOLILLO as sole representative to express before the Notary Bernard DEWITTE the will of the Congress to take the formal decision to change the headquarters, to adopt the new Statutes and to appoint the new administrators (EB members);
- e) Proposal that the Congress appoints Mrs Giulia ROSSOLILLO as sole representative to sign the deed in accordance with the foregoing resolutions, to request the aforementioned Notary DEWITTE to seek the approval of the Belgian Ministry of Justice for the AISBL's Statutes and to proceed with the publication of these Statutes in the Moniteur Belge".
11.45 | Closing remarks by the UEF President
12.00 | End of the Congress
12.15 – 13.00 | Meeting of the new Executive Bureau
This activity is part of the project 101105089 — UEF-CERV-2022-OG-SGA financed by the EACEA under the CERV programme.
DOCUMENTS APPROVED
The Congress approved several documents. You can find them below:
- Manifesto For a Federal Europe: the Urgency of Overcoming the Current Treaties LINK
- Resolution for Restoring Growth and Competitiveness in Europe LINK
- Statement The Atrocities of the Wars in Ukraine and Palestine Remind Us of the Urgency of Having a Federal European Government to be Able to Act on the International Stage LINK
- Political Declaration Reinforcing UEF-WFM Cooperation LINK
DOCUMENTS and VIDEOS
ELECTION RESULTS
Here above the link to the election results
Decision related to the transfer of UEF headquarter from Netherland to Belgium
Here below the documents related to the transfer of UEF Headquarter from Netherlands to Belgium to be approved on Sunday 26 November
CANDIDACY
Candidates for the Executive Bureau can apply by using the form below:
The members of the Arbitration Board (7 members, who must not be members of any UEF body)
Candidates for Arbitration Board can apply by using the form below:
Candidates for the members directly elected of the Federal Committee
PROPOSAL OF RESOLUTIONS
Here the proposals of resolutions submitted
- Proposal of Resolution Manifesto FOR A FEDERAL EUROPE: THE URGENCY OF OVERCOMING THE CURRENT TREATIES
- Proposal of Resolution For Restoring Growth and Competitiveness in Europe proposed on 17 October 2023 by Markus Ferber, Luca Lionello
- Proposal of Statement, The atrocities of the wars in Ukraine and Palestine remind us of the urgency of having a federal European government to be able to act on the international stage
- Proposal of Political Declaration REINFORCING UEF - WFM COOPERATION
Here the emendaments: you can find the emendaments in the folder
POLITICAL COMMISSIONS MEETINGS
The following political commissions are announced the meetings:
Joint Political Commission 1 and Political Commission 3 Meeting - 17 November, 18:00 CET - Registration link here
Debate on the Manifesto 2023 (FOR A FEDERAL EUROPE: THE URGENCY OF OVERCOMING THE CURRENT TREATIES) and the Statement The atrocities of the wars in Ukraine and Palestine remind us of the urgency of having a federal European government to be able to act on the international stage
Political Commission 2
Political Commission 4 - 21 November, 18;00 - Registration link here
Debate on Proposal of Resolution For Restoring Growth and Competitiveness in Europe proposed on 17 October 2023 by Markus Ferber, Luca Lionello