UEF Insider 2021/1
“We are not making a coalition of states, but uniting people”
By Jean Monnet
Welcome to UEF INSIDER, UEF's internal newsletter!
Learn more about the network's latest news and activities related to building a federal Europe!
1. Editorial
Dear federalist friend,
Following our newsletter "The Time is Now", in which we report to you fortnightly on the latest news from the Conference on the Future of Europe, I am delighted to introduce to you today UEF INSIDER. With our monthly newsletter UEF INSIDER we will keep you up to date with all the latest news from the European Federalist family!
The first edition of UEF INSIDER is launched after this year’s Europe Day: It is 71 years since six European countries ushered in the longest period of peace and prosperity on the continent. In small steps, the peoples of Europe have helped to create the largest market in the world, shared values, a common currency and the nucleus of a transnational democracy. However this year’s Europea Day has been special as it marks the beginning of the Conference for the Future of Europe.
In March 2019, the French President Emmanuel Macron wrote a letter to the continent: "For a new beginning in Europe". In it, Macron outlined an EU in which "the peoples have truly taken their destiny into their own hands again". The Conference represents a unique opportunity to put citizens back at the heart of the European project and empower them to take ownership and renew it.
The Covid 19 pandemic has weakened our societies and economies, but it has also shown us the Europe we need: a sustainable and competitive Europe that is fair, digital, green and more democratic than ever. Achieving these goals will have to be part of an even more ambitious challenge: the digital and green transformation to 21st century coal and steel.
Let us, federalists, use the Conference to discuss at European level what kind of Europe we want. Europe's response to the crisis was a major turning point for the Union, which must now realise its full potential before it runs out of steam, through an inclusive and open reform process. Let us, federalists, be part of the change now more than ever!
We hope you enjoy reading UEF INSIDER and look forward to your feedback which will continually allow us to improve with each issue.
With federalist regards,
Sandro Gozi, President of UEF
2. Monthly Highlight
EUROPE DAY 2021: LAUNCH OF THE CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE
With a year and a half delay, on this year's Europe Day the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) was finally officially launched in a hybrid ceremony - partly in person and partly online in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Earlier this year, on 10 March, the three Presidents of the EU-Institutions signed a Joint Declaration on the CoFoE.
For the UEF and all supporters of Europe, the CoFoE is a decisive opportunity. It is both a unique moment of supranational participatory democracy for all citizens and an opportunity for us federalists to convey our political message in support of a federal Europe. The coming months - we have less than a year ahead of us - will largely decide the future of the European Union. As both Guy Verhofstadt and Dubravka Šuica underlined in the presentation of the Digital Platform on 19 April, the conclusions of the Conference that will be reflected in the Final Declaration will depend on the demands coming from the citizens, and if among these demands emerges the one to reform the Treaties in order to make the EU more able to act and to connect with its citizens, these should be taken up by the European institutions at the end of the Conference, as they committed themselves to do in their Interinstitutional Declaration.
This interactive platform will stimulate discussion. Regular panels will be regularly organised between citizens, experts, elected representatives and other stakeholders to analyse and reflect on the ideas and recommendations. The main proposals will be then brought to the conference's high body, the plenary, for final consideration.
You can have your say on the future of the European Treaties here. #TheFutureIsYours
At the third meeting of the Executive Board they agreed on the citizen panels configuration. Each panel will comprise 200 citizens and will ensure that at least one female and one male citizen per Member State is included, to be chosen randomly and represent the EU's diversity. Young people between 16 and 25 will make up one-third of each panel.
Check our fortnightly newsletter on the CoFoE “THE TIME IS NOW” here.
As Union of European Federalists, we have been accompanying the European unification process for 75 years and therefore is one of the oldest - if not the oldest - pro-European organisations. Through our member organisations, UEF is present in almost all EU member states. During its long history, UEF has been present at all important milestones and has contributed its positions to the debate.
A few we weeks ago, we remembered the 70th anniversary of the Treaty of Paris. Together with the Treaty of Rome of 1957, the Paris Treaty is the most important legal basis for the modern-day European Union. This epoch-making document laid down, with the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the key foundations of the greatest integration of peoples in European history that made Europe one of the most peaceful, prosperous, stable and advanced regions of the world. The 70th Anniversary of the Paris Treaty reminds us of the original goals of European integration and the achievements the idea of a united Europe has brought to our continent over the past seven decades. UEF President, Sandro GOZI, underlined in this context that the Paris Treaty is both legacy and mandate, and as a consequence obliges us to further develop the European integration process. He called for that "we have to ask ourselves what the "coal and steel" of our time are". Our task ias federalists is therefore to translate the core message of the Paris Treaty into today's world. The European Union cannot afford to remain with the status quo.
The Conference on the Future of Europe gives us federalists the opportunity for this "translation work" and is a new start for the European Union, for its citizens and a new milestone for us as UEF. Together with the Spinelli Group and supported by the European Movement International, we have launched the Appeal “Our federal Europe: sovereign and democratic”, in which we have summarised our ideas for the future.
Today, we need and want a strong, legitimate, and properly financed political Union that can tackle the great transnational challenges of our time, acting decisively in a wide range of policy areas, from climate change, growing social inequalities, health and migration to foreign affairs and defence. Moreover, we are calling for stronger pan-European democracy — real European political parties and movements and proper campaigns for European elections, based on the creation of a pan-European constituency and transnational electoral lists headed by the candidates for President of the European Commission. We are striving for a Union that is both a community of destiny and values and a model for the new world now taking shape - an example of how countries can live in peace together, build cross-border and social solidarity, and protect human rights, the rule of law, and fundamental freedoms. We firmly believe that our future lies in a Democratic and Sovereign Europe. And the time to build is now.
The initial signatories were: Sandro GOZI, Brando BENIFEI, Eva MAYDELL, Esteban GONZÁLEZ PONS, Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Gabriele BISCHOFF, Pascal DURAND, Daniel FREUND, Damian BOESELAGER, Dimitrios PAPADIMOULIS, Fabio Massimo CASTALDO.
By the time of the official launch of the Conference, more than 450 high-level personalities had joined the appeal. An overview of the list is available here.
In summary, UEF has achieved overwhelming success with this campaign. "Who would have thought that the appeal would get such broad support. Many thanks to the sections, to all federalist friends and to the UEF team for collecting signatures and working tirelessly in the background over the past weeks to make this success happen! UEF had an excellent start to the CoFoE," summarised Anna Echterhoff, Secretary General of the UEF.
This appeal has been published in the following media and daily newspapers: El Mundo, La Croix, EU News, Euractiv Italia (1), El Pais, Euractiv ES, La Vanguardia, Informacion, SWI, EURACTIV Italia (2), Il Secolo XIX, Il Messagero, Frankfurter Rundschau and more.
UEF’s POLITICAL COMMISSION (PC 1): Discussion of a communication strategy concerning the Digital Platform
On 8 May, the UEF PC1 met to discuss a communication strategy regarding joint and coordinated engagement on the CoFoE's Digital Platform. Over the past year, UEF voted with great consensus and participation in its European bodies on documents setting out the priorities for the reforms we want for the EU. The results will now be summarised by the secretariat in a strategy document and made available to the bodies of the UEF and the sections. In the meantime you can check our first proposal in the digital platform - we were the first political organisation in submitting an idea!
PR: SPINELLI GROUP PLENARY SESSION
On the occasion of its Plenary Session on 16 April, the Spinelli Group, in cooperation with the UEF, invited the federalist and pro-European members of the national parliaments. The meeting was attended by a large group of national MPs from many EU countries, as well as the Presidents and Secretaries General of the UEF member sections. The many interventions in the debate also confirmed the common will to work in order to make the process of the Conference a political game changer for Europe. As MEP Domènec RUIZ DEVESA, Vice-President of UEF and Board Member of the Spinelli Group, summarised it “Our goal is to build the federal economic and political Union that will make the current fiscal union established with the decision on the Next Generation EU permanent and fully democratic”.
“We have taken the first step in the creation of the federalist caucus of national and European parliamentarians who share the view that the Conference on the Future of Europe is an opportunity to transform the EU”, said MEP Brando BENIFEI, President of the Spinelli Group, summing up the more than two hours of open and fruitful debate "This was a successful kick-off. I am delighted by the great interest from national parliaments". MEP Sandro GOZI, President of the UEF and Board Member of the Spinelli Group stressed "the dialogue between the European Parliament and the national parliaments is crucial, both to exert political pressure on governments and to bring the debate to the local and regional level”.
3. UEF's Upcoming Events
Crossroads Europe – Germany
Today, relations between the EU and Africa are at the crossroads. The EU-Africa partnership is rarely in the focus of public interest but Europe is struggling to build genuine relationship of equals and to overcome colonial structures. On 20 May, we would like to explore how will relations between the EU and Africa look like in the future. Register here for the event.
Crossroads Europe - Bulgaria, The Conference on the Future of Europe and the EU global role
On May 14-15, 2021 in the context of the Crossroads Europe project, UEF in cooperation with its Bulgarian section will hold its third lab, this time focused on the Conference on the Future of Europe as a democratic tool and on the EU role as a global player and a training how to use the Conference on the Future of Europe Digital platform. To register please follow this link.
4. UEF's Updates and News
EESC: LIAISON GROUP - CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS
On 14 April, UEF participated in the meeting of the Liaison Group of the European Economic and Social Committee as a member of this group. In view of the official launch of the CoFoE, the representatives of the civil society organisations represented in the Liaison Group discussed how they can make their voices heard most effectively at the conference. UEF Sectretary General proposed creating a group to work on certain thematic points that could be then shared on the Multilingual Digital Platform and expressed the organisation's willingness to contribute actively to the group.
PR: 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TREATY OF PARIS – ADDRESSING THE CRISIS OF THE EU
The 70th Anniversary of the Treaty of Paris reminded us of the original goals of European integration and the achievements the idea of a united Europe has brought to our continent over the past seven decades. The Paris Treaty is both legacy and mandate, and as a consequence obliges us to develop further the European integration process.
PR: THE CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE GETS UNDERWAY
We started the month welcoming the European Parliament green light to the Conference on the Future of Europe that finally opens the opportunity to work for a new Europe together with the citizens.
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, "Founding Mothers of Europe", commemorated all the visionary female leaders who inspired the creation of the European Union.
DEMOCRACY IS EUROPE - LITHUANIA: 1990 - 2021, 31 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE AND 17 YEARS IN THE EU
Last month we celebrated Lithuania's independence anniversary! With these three panel sessions, we deepened into the European values and aspirations behind the independence movements which led to the 11th March declaration. Commissioner Sinkevičius closed the event with an impressive speech highlighting the importance of Lithuania Independence Day as the movement showed an impressive trust in European values.
In our Estonian event we discussed the historical context of Estonia’s Singing Revolution and its significance for nations struggling for democracy and freedom. The event was closed with an impressive speech of Prof. Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former president of Estonia who presented Estonia's history and political developments. Our Secretary General, Anna Echterhoff called for action in this unique moment that #CoFoE offers and reminds us that in Europe, we all can learn from Estonia’s experience.
Last month we organised with Xul Foundation some events on participatory democracy and representation and workshops to learn how to use “Decidim”, the digital platform of the moment. These contributions will be submitted to the Conference on the Future of Europe.
5. UEF’S Sections Corner
Dear sections, from now on this will be your monthly space to give visibility to your actions and news. We will contact you each month so that you can share with us your articles, keep it to 3-5 sentences max with pic and a relevant hyperlink.
6. Interesting stories and case studies
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND EUROPEAN COMMISSION: EU-wide survey shows Europeans support the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe
The Special Eurobarometer survey on the Future of Europe was carried out between 22 October and 20 November 2020 in the 27 EU Member States. The survey, reveals that the vast majority (92%) across all Member States demand that citizens' voices are ‘taken more into account in decisions relating to the future of Europe'.
FRIENDS OF EUROPE: The Conference on the Future of Europe: are we there yet?
The CoFoE could not come soon enough, but political in-fighting may have damaged its credibility. In this new article, Emily Phillips (programme assistant at FoE) highlights the challenges still ahead for theConference.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESEARCH SERVICE: Transnational Electoral Lists: Ways To Europeanise Elections To The European Parliament
Both praised and criticised, proposals to operationalise transnational electoral lists have been discussed in the European Parliament, other institutions and academia since the 90s. The EP think tank has published a paper that deepens in different ways to Europeanise European elections.
7. UEF Backstage
