Only a strong sovereign Europe can lead the world in a pact to save the planet, winning the resistance of other continental powers” states Sandro GOZI, President of the Union of European Federalist, per the opening of a civil society meet-up in Vilnius on the theme “United Europe, Save the Earth: our common mission”
“Building a united, democratic and sovereign Europe and fighting climate change are more and more two faces of a same coin, a common mission. Fighting climate change is a key challenge for the European Union and a key concern for European citizens. But in too many fields the European Union lacks the powers and resources to make a radical difference in combating climate change. Only a sovereign Europe can mobilize resources for a radical renewal of European economy and society with innovative policies and investments in a green direction. Only a strong sovereign Europe can lead the world in a pact to save the planet, winning the resistance of other continental powers” states Sandro GOZI, President of the Union of European Federalists, for the opening of a civil society meet-up in Vilnius on the theme “United Europe, Save the Earth: our common mission”
The European Federalists believe that a new European pact against climate change can be the new project for a European refundation which can play the same role played by the coal and steel community in the last century, towards a sovereign and federal Europe. We support the project of developing a European Bank for Climate or a European Green Investments Fund to support the European ecological transition. The new European Commission should develop a plan to phase-out fossil fuels including stopping subsidies to the fossil industry in line with the obligations of the Paris Agreement, imposing binding emission reduction targets and introducing a carbon tax. It should also support public and private investments towards sustainable renewable energies and promote “green jobs”.
OPEN LETTER TO THE MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ON THE ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Dear Members of the European Parliament,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Union of European Federalists, a pan-European non-governmental non-partisan civil society organisation, active in 25 countries and promoting a united, democratic and federal Europe since its foundation by Altiero Spinelli in 1946.
In the coming days, you will be called to one of the most important decisions of your mandate, the election of the President of the European Commission.
The process leading to the nomination of Ms Ursula von der Leyen by the European Council is a clear reminder to all European citizens that the European Union is not yet a fully functional democracy where elections determine the government and the policies of the Union. It is a Union in transition, in strong need for reforms that better balance the interests of Member States and the need for a Union that is transparent, democratic, able to act effectively, powerful and relevant in the world.
It is now up to the European Parliament to play its role and use its right to elect the President of the European Commission to set the tone in the relationship between the Parliament and the Commission for the next 5 years. We encourage the political groups in the European Parliament to request Ms von der Leyen ahead of the vote a clear commitment (in a formal “government agreement”) to political priorities for a radical renewal of the European Union:
- strengthening the promotion and protection of rule of law and fundamental rights, notably within the Union, through a new and effective cooperation between the Council, the Commission and the Parliament.
- completing the Economic and Monetary Union, giving it adequate fiscal and economic powers, including an own sizeable budget financed by own resources, fully and democratically controlled by the European Parliament;
- an increased European budget based on own resources, which should come from European taxes, e.g. on cross-border financial transactions and digital transactions, carbon emissions or plastic use;
- progress towards a single European foreign, security and defence policy, making the EU more able to act autonomously, to protect and promote common European interests and values in today’s unpredictable and threatening global order;
- European policies to manage migration flows, including the management of external EU borders through European forces and the development of European legal migration channels;
- make Europe a global leader in combating climate change and promoting the transition to a fully environment-friendly economy through European measures aimed at phasing out fossil fuels, promoting investment in renewable energy, imposing binding emission reduction targets and minimising plastic waste;
- a European electoral law for the election of Members of the European Parliament, including pan-European transnational lists by European political parties, and clearer rules on the power of the European Parliament to elect the President of the European Commission after the next European election.
- engage the European Parliament in a comprehensive reform of the EU treaties, to make the European Union more politically united, democratic and effective. The first step of this process should be a European Conference, a constituent assembly to prepare proposals of reforms, after a broad and deep mobilization and involvement of citizens and civil and political forces at national and European level.
We would be glad to further discuss these proposals with you and we count on your support.
Kind regards
Sandro Gozi,
President
We are Europe: Citizens' Agora | Strasbourg 1st of July 2019
A new Parliament for a new Europe | Strasbourg 1st of July 2019
Rally in front of the European Parliament to welcome new MEPs
This morning Federalists gathered in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg to call on the new MEPS to make the Parliament a driving force for a federal Europe.
On 2 July 2019, on the occasion of the first plenary session of the European Parliament, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF) gathered in front of the European Parliament to welcome the newly elected MEPs and ask their commitment for EU reforms towards a democratic, sovereign and federal Europe.
Sandro GOZI, President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), declared that “today, simply celebrating the EU and its achievements is not enough. Europe needs change, and the newly elected European Parliament must be the leading force of such change. A reform of the EU treaties towards a stronger, more democratic, more social, more effective, sovereign, federal Europe is needed to bring European solutions to common European challenges such as climate change or migrations and make Europe count in a world more and more dominated by clashes among continental powers”
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The Union of European Federalists (UEF) is a pan-European, non-governmental political organisation dedicated to the promotion of European political unity. For more than 70 years UEF has been a leading voice in the promotion of European unity and an early campaigner for key milestones in the development of the European Communities and then the European Union. With 25 national sections and over 400 local groups across Europe, UEF promotes a federal Europe among citizens and political representatives at all levels of government.
The Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe) is a non-partisan youth NGO with 13.000 members active in more than 30 countries. The organisation strives towards a federal Europe based on the principles of democracy and subsidiarity as well as respect for human rights. JEF promotes true European Citizenship, and works towards more active participation of young people in democratic life.
The Spinelli Group is an initiative launched in September 2010, led by Guy Verhofstadt, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Sylvie Goulard and Isabelle Durant, followed by Andrew Duff and Jo Leinen as co-chairmen of the MEP-Spinelli Group. The aim of the Spinelli Group is to become a network of citizens, politicians, academics and writers who are convinced it is time for Europe to move forward.
PRESS CONTACT:
Valentina Presa
+32 (0) 2 508 3030
news@federalists.eu
On the eve of the opening session of the newly elected European Parliament, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF), in cooperation with the City of Strasbourg, involved over 200 civil society activists and EU-committed citizens from all around Europe to express their expectations to the new members of the European Parliament.
The event “A new Parliament for new Europe” took place at Villa Schutzenberger in Strasbourg, at the headquarters of the European Parliamentary Association (APE) with the participation of over 20 federalist-minded MEPs, who committed to support federalist demands in the new European Parliament and engage to make the leading force in calling for EU’s renewals towards a democratic, sovereign and federal Europe.
Our debate included the participation of the following MEPs: Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS(Lithuania), Brando BENIFEI (Italy), Katalin CSEH (Hungary), Jonás FERNÁNDEZ ÁLVAREZ (Spain), Damian FREIHERR VON BOESELAGER (Germany), Daniel FREUND (Germany), Alexandra GEESE (Germany), Sven GIEGOLD (Germany), Sandro GOZI (France), Cristophe GRUDLER (France), Fabienne KELLER (France), Katrin LANGENSIEPE (Germany), Nathalie LOISEAU (France), Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (Spain), Alessandra MORETTI (Italy), Hannah NEUMANN (Germany), Niklas Hendrik NIENAß (Germany), Jutta PAULUS (Germany), Terry REINTKE (Germany), Domènec RUIZ DEVESA (Spain), Ignacio SÁNCHEZ-AMOR (Spain), Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE (France), Viola VON CRAMON (Germany).
The debates were organised in citizens labs around some of the five key policy areas for the future of the European Union: economic and social affairs, common asylum and migration policies, foreign affairs and defence, the future of the institutions and democracy within the EU and the fight against climate change.
The debate was followed by a reception hosted by the City of Strasbourg.
EDITOR'S NOTE
The Union of European Federalists (UEF) is a pan-European, non-governmental political organisation dedicated to the promotion of European political unity. For more than 70 years UEF has been a leading voice in the promotion of European unity and an early campaigner for key milestones in the development of the European Communities and then the European Union. With 25 national sections and over 400 local groups across Europe, UEF promotes a federal Europe among citizens and political representatives at all levels of government.
The Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe) is a non-partisan youth NGO with 13.000 members active in more than 30 countries. The organisation strives towards a federal Europe based on the principles of democracy and subsidiarity as well as respect for human rights. JEF promotes true European Citizenship, and works towards more active participation of young people in democratic life.
The Spinelli Group is an initiative launched in September 2010, led by Guy Verhofstadt, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Sylvie Goulard and Isabelle Durant, followed by Andrew Duff and Jo Leinen as co-chairmen of the MEP-Spinelli Group. The aim of the Spinelli Group is to become a network of citizens, politicians, academics and writers who are convinced it is time for Europe to move forward.
PRESS CONTACT:
Valentina Presa
+32 (0) 2 508 3030
news@federalists.eu