Second General Meeting of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe

29/08/2026
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29–30 August 2026 | Ventotene, Italy

The Third Action Committee for the United States of Europe will hold its Second General Meeting in Ventotene on 29 and 30 August 2026.

Political leaders, Members and former Members of the European Parliament, academics and representatives of the European federalist movement will gather on the island where the Ventotene Manifesto was conceived. Participants will discuss current political developments, the challenges facing European democracy and the priorities for advancing the political unification of Europe.

The meeting will culminate in the discussion, adoption and signing of the Ventotene Declaration.

Programme

Saturday, 29 August 2026

20:00 – Convivial dinner
Il Giardino di Ventotene
Via Olivi 45, Ventotene

Sunday, 30 August 2026

Morning session

Venue: Council Chamber, Ventotene Town Hall
Sala Consiliare, Piazza Castello 1, Ventotene

09:30 – Arrival at the Council Chamber

09:40 – Welcome addresses

  • Stefano Spoltore, President of the Movimento Federalista Europeo
  • Mario Leone, Director of the Istituto di Studi Federalisti Altiero Spinelli

09:50 – Seminar: “Challenges to European Democracy”

Organised with fEUture – Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence of eCampus University, in collaboration with the Action Committee for the United States of Europe.

Introduced and chaired by Roberto Castaldi, Director of the fEUture Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence.

Speakers:

  • Francisco Aldecoa Luzarraga, Emeritus Professor at the Complutense University of Madrid and President of the European Movement of Spain
  • Raquel García Hermida-Van der Walle MEP (Renew Europe), President of the Spinelli Group
  • Moritz Hergl, President of the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe)
  • Pascal Smet, former Minister of Flanders
  • Mariola Urrea, Professor at the University of La Rioja
  • Guy Verhofstadt, President of the European Movement International, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former MEP
  • Andrea Wechsler MEP (EPP), Professor at Pforzheim University
  • Jordi Xuclà, former Member of the Catalan Parliament

11:20 – Conclusions

Domènec Ruiz Devesa, former MEP and President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF)

11:30 – Visit to Ventotene Cemetery

Visit to the tombs of Altiero Spinelli and Luciano Bolis.

Afternoon session

14:00 – General Meeting of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe

Welcome addresses:

  • Carmine Caputo, Mayor of Ventotene
  • Raquel García Hermida-Van der Walle MEP (Renew Europe), Chair of the Spinelli Group
  • Andrea Wechsler MEP (EPP), member of the Spinelli Group
  • Anna Strolenberg MEP (Greens/EFA), Board Member of the Spinelli Group

14:20 – Tour de table

An exchange of views among members of the Action Committee on recent political developments and the priorities for advancing the political unification of Europe.

Participants:

  • Guy Verhofstadt, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former MEP
  • Josep Borrell, former EU High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission and former President of the European Parliament
  • Pascal Smet, former Minister of Flanders and Member of the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region
  • Jordi Xuclà, former Member of Parliament, Spain
  • Domènec Ruiz Devesa, former MEP and President of the Union of European Federalists
  • Benedetta Scuderi MEP (Greens/EFA), Board Member of the Spinelli Group
  • Francisco Aldecoa Luzarraga, Emeritus Professor at the Complutense University of Madrid and President of the European Movement of Spain
  • Lieven Taillie, Coordinator of the Action Committee’s Design Office
  • Roberto Castaldi, Director of the fEUture Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence

15:20 – Adoption of the Ventotene Declaration

Discussion, adoption and signing of the Action Committee’s political declaration.

15:50 – Closing remarks

With addresses by:

  • Stefano Spoltore, President of the Istituto di Studi Federalisti Altiero Spinelli
  • Fernando Sampedro, Secretary of State for the European Union, Spain (to be confirmed)
  • Moritz Hergl, President of the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe)
  • Mathilde Baudouin, Secretary General of the Union of European Federalists
  • Eric Pestel, political analyst and Adviser to the Chairman of the Association Jean Monnet
  • Michele Fiorillo, Co-initiator of CIVICO Europa

The event is held under the patronage of the Municipality of Ventotene and in collaboration with the Istituto di Studi Federalisti Altiero Spinelli and the fEUture Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence of eCampus University.

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