We understand that Covid-19 is a common threat that may hurt one country sooner than another, but will eventually hurt us all, and can impact our daily life and economy almost like a war.

We consider that this current challenge, the most difficult one Europe and the world are facing since 1945, comes just a few weeks before the 70th Anniversary of the Schuman Declaration; like then, our ambition should be commensurate to the scale of the public health and economic crisis we are facing;

We warn of the further negative effects that un-coordinated national responses would have onEuropeans’ health and on the EU’s economy.

We recall that the interdependence between EU societies requires a single European answer with strict containment measures of the pandemics, and an EU-wide plan to support the Member States’efforts in the short term as well as to relaunch its economic growth afterwards.

We regret that the EU is currently ill equipped to face this challenge, with little competences and powers to ensure an efficient answer to the sanitary crisis.

We welcome the timely decision by the Commission to provide 37 billion euro and financial flexibility to cope with this threat. Maybe it is the most it can do, but it is not enough.

We welcome the decisions of the European Central Bank of 12 and 18th March, particularly as it regards the combined 850 billion euro package of purchases of government and corporate bonds;

We call on the European Commission and Parliament to propose, and on the national governments to adopt (starting with the extraordinary European Council on March 26th) the following urgent measures:

HEALTH UNION

1. Decide to enhance the EU's coordination and support role in matters of public health, particularly in terms of ability to fight against pandemics – possibly making public health a shared EU competence, eventually through a revision of the Treaties – and to exploit art. 168 TFEU, which already foresees (art. 168§5 TFEU) that certain matters of public health (such as the fight against and prevention of great scourges, which are transnational in nature) be decided upon through the ordinary legislative procedure, and art. 222 TFEU, which foresees for the principle of mutual assistance in case of natural or man-made disaster, to the full.
2. Entrust the Commission with all necessary powers to effectively coordinate the response to the pandemic, including common European rules to limit and overcome the crisis, organize and manage the most effective use of the necessary pharmaceutical resources and health equipment, and any decision relating to the restriction of the free movement of persons within the European Union, while safeguarding the possibility of articulating specific measures for the various countries on the basis of the different situations.
3. Extend the aims of the European Stability Mechanism in order to allow its use without conditionality to finance the immediate strengthening of European and national health systems to deal with the pandemic, which is a threat to public health and also to the economic and financial stability of the EU.
4. Creation of European Health Bonds, issued by the Commission specifically targeting the member states’ efforts in addressing the health emergency, using the ESM capital as a guarantee.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY

5. Issue by the Union of an EU RECOVERY BOND in the form of a mutualized European Safe Asset managed by the Commission and guaranteed by the EU budget, that could be used initially to finance a pan-European plan for the promotion of economic recovery and social cohesion in the face of the pandemic, as well as to finance the Green Deal, which involves huge investments to radically transform European society and production.
6. Rapidly adopt the Multiannual Financial Framework, by increasing the EU budget to at least 1.3% of European GDP, as requested by the European Parliament, based on the current structure of budget financing; and with the forecast to reach 2% with new own resources, in order to ensure the provision of crucial European public goods, such as the fight against the pandemic, economic recovery and social cohesion, the Green Deal, management of migration flows and security and defense.
7. Establish genuine, new own resources - such as taxes (and tariffs) on carbon emissions at the EU border and the revenue from the EU Emission Trading Scheme and its extension, taxes on the income of companies in the digital economy, taxes on speculative financial transactions, profits of the ECB - accrue directly to the European budget, as they are transnational in nature and cannot readily be assigned to any Member State; that, alternatively, these taxes accrue to the budgetary instrument of the euro area, if the decision could be adopted only at euro area level, on the basis of the provisions of art. 136 TFEU.
8. Proceed without delay to the completion of the Economic and Monetary Union, starting from the proposals contained in the Reports of the 4 Presidents of 2012 and the 5 Presidents of 2015; in the Commission Blueprint of 2011, in the various Commission Communications of 6/12/2017 and 15/1/2019; in the Resolutions of the European Parliament on improving the functioning of the European Union by exploiting the potential of the Lisbon Treaty of 16/2/2017, on the Possible evolution and adaptation of the current institutional structure of the European Union of 16/2/2017, Budgetary capacity of the Eurozone of 16/2/2017, on the State of the debate on the future of Europe of 13/2/2019, particularly as it regards the common European Deposit Insurance and the Euro area budget.
9. Consider further actions by the ECB, including direct monetary transfers to Euro area households.
10. Approve the European Unemployment Insurance Scheme.

INSTITUTIONAL

11. Approve through the general passerelle clause (art. 48 §7 TEU) the transition of fiscal and tax issues to the ordinary legislative procedure, as already proposed also by the European Commission in 2019, with the aim of creating new taxes harmonized at EU level;
12. Agree on a Joint Inter-Institutional Declaration by 9 May for the launching of the Conference on the Future of Europe, in order to pave the way for a European Convention to draw up a new Constitutional Pact between European citizens and the Member States for a stronger and more cohesive political union, in the light of the proposals expressed and recalled here, to ensure full democratic accountability.

Brussels, Wednesday 25 March 2020

PRESS RELEASE: here

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.

PRESS CONTACT
Valentina Presa
valentina.presa@federalists.eu
+32.2.5083030

In a joint statement issued today (Wednesday 25 March), the Spinelli Group and the Union of European Federalists (UEF) urge the European Council to take exceptional action in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Spinelli Group and the European Federalists call on EU Institutions and national governments to take the leap towards the creation of EU Recovery Bonds backed by the EU budget and Europe-wide taxes to finance a strong answer able to address the pandemic and its financial impact on the EU’s economy proactively. It urges for the creation of a European Health Union, that would give the necessary powers to the EU to ensure coordination of emergency measures to address health crises in the future.
ANDREW DUFF, President of the Spinelli Group, said: “Yesterday’s lacklustre Eurogroup passed the buck to the heads of government. The European Council tomorrow must shoulder its constitutional responsibility to secure the cohesion of the EU as a whole, and in particular take decisive action to consolidate the euro. Dealing with the pandemic triggers an enormous increase in public expenditure which will exacerbate the structural imbalance between richer and poorer member states. The EU has for years evaded the issuance of a mutualised safe asset in the form of eurobonds. So the eurozone has survived courtesy of the monetary policy of the European Central Bank but without the support of a common fiscal policy. The coronavirus crisis is time to rectify this flaw in economic and monetary union. The plague risks the lives of all EU citizens equally, and the social and economic impact will be much worse than the asymmetric shock of the financial crash in 2008. The European Council must give practical expression to the theoretical injunction for solidarity between its states and citizens. This is the time for European leaders to push forward the politics of the Union in the federal direction.” Duff added: “Bleating about ‘moral hazard’ was yesterday’s response to the last crisis. Today Europe expects a decisive demonstration of generosity and mutual concern from its leaders, without which the values and principles of our Union are fraudulent.”
"We can't yet measure the impact of COVID-19 on the European economy, but it will certainly be very important," says SANDRO GOZI, Member of the European Parliament and President of the UEF. "We need to prepare now for the worst-case scenario and put in place without delay a strong and bold response to revive the economies of EU countries. Nothing will be the same after containment. We will be entering a new world, we will have to build new Europe. The suspension of the tax rules and the intervention of the ECB will not be enough. The Eurogroup's decision to provide limited and conditioned credits through the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) to the most affected states will only cover immediate needs to keep our hospitals afloat. If we don't start issuing European Recovery Bonds immediately, guaranteed by the EU budget, Europe will face an unprecedented financial, social and political crisis. I therefore congratulate President Emmanuel Macron and other national leaders for the proposals made this morning to the Presidents of the Commission and the European Council," concludes Mr Gozi.

The full text of the statement with the proposals of the Spinelli Group and the European Federalists on a European response to the COVID19 crisis can be found below

PRESS CONTACT:
Valentina Presa
valentina.presa@federalists.eu

Sandro Gozi, President of the Union of European Federalists and MEP, publishes an interview on the Italian Huffington Post on what should be the EU reaction to the Corona-virus crisis: "The whole EU is late. Now we need Eurobonds and use the ESM without a memorandum."

Sandro Gozi talks clearly and pragmatically about different key points:

• France;
• UE;
• UK;
• Research;
• Economy;
• Green Deal;
• Health;
• ESM (The European Stability Mechanism);
• Eurobonds;
• ECB (European Central Bank);
• Federal Europe.

You can read the full original Italian article here: "Lagarde si svegli: serve un piano straordinario della Bce"

It's March 13, 2020, when our Federal Committee member and MEP Domènec Ruiz Devesa publishes an article in Diario Información.

This article is about Europe’s response to the corona virus crisis.

Domènec Ruiz Devesa writes about the economic crisis caused by the pandemic and how much we need to learn from the management of the Great Depression.

Devesa also highlights the importance of a "health union" and of a European anti-crisis plan.

You can read the full original Spanish article here: "La respuesta europea al coronavirus: Unión Sanitaria y plan anticrisis".

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) warmly congratulates its President, Sandro Gozi, on his election as a Member of the European Parliament in the May 2019 European elections.

Sandro Gozi, elected President of the UEF in 2018, has long been a tireless advocate for a more united, democratic, and federal Europe. His election to the European Parliament is not only a personal achievement but also a significant recognition of the values and goals that the UEF promotes.

As an MEP, Sandro Gozi brings to the European Parliament a deep commitment to European integration and a clear vision for a stronger Union capable of delivering on the expectations of its citizens. His new role will provide a powerful platform to advance the federalist agenda and ensure that the voice of committed pro-Europeans is heard at the highest level of EU decision-making.

The UEF looks forward to continuing its close collaboration with President Gozi as he takes on this important new responsibility. We are confident that his presence in the European Parliament will strengthen the fight for a sovereign, democratic, and federal Europe.

Congratulations, Sandro!

A few months before the start of the Conference on the future of Europe it is time for the Union to learn to recognize its mistakes. It is time for the Union to learn the lessons of its founders, starting with Robert Schuman and his Declaration, whose 70th anniversary this year we must celebrate by launching a major European reform. The EU must quickly get out of the current situation and think about the present and even more about its future. This means new policies and new concrete solutions. But at the beginning of a new decade, it also means new institutions. This desire for political renewal is inextricably linked to the drafting of a new treaty.

The Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force just over ten years ago, has made it possible for Europe to make progress, but it has also shown that it has had its day. Born out of the failure of the project establishing a Constitution for Europe, it has incorporated about 80% of its content. The Lisbon Treaty was the result of the new Franco-German tandem composed at the time by Angela Merkel, who in 2007 was eager for a success during the German presidency of the EU during the first half of that year, and Nicolas Sarkozy who, as soon as he was elected to the Elysée Palace, wanted to implement his idea of a 'mini-treaty' to close the institutional crisis caused by the double French and Dutch 'no' in the referendums of May and June 2005.

The Irish in 2008 and 2009 managed to approve the treaty by referendum on the second attempt. The Polish and Czech presidents were against it. The Germans had to wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe which, once again, brought the game to extra time. By many, the Treaty of Lisbon was presented as a miracle solution to replace the one adopted under disastrous conditions in Nice in December 2001. And without doubt, the Lisbon solutions on various matters were more effective than those of Nice.

The Member States ratified it by common agreement through parliamentary channels. And many were convinced, mistakenly, that they had learned the lesson of the failure of the European Constitution. It was a perfectly legal way, but one that exposed itself to harsh attacks from the point of view of legitimacy. Denounced by opponents of the European Constitution as a 'betrayal of democracy', the Lisbon Treaty never benefited from the recognition it would have received from popular approval, which in fact continues to be lacking.

This left Eurosceptics of all kinds with a monopoly on anti-democratic criticism of the EU institutions. The pro-Europeans have not only left the field open to their main adversaries, but have also deprived themselves of a capacity for judgement that they always seem to lack. However, there is nothing anti-European about wanting a more democratic and transparent Europe. And then transparency and more democracy are also judged to be more transparent and more democratic institutions.

Already unknown in its essence, the European construction certainly does not need more complexity. On the contrary, it is perceived as increasingly complicated. For this reason too, Europe suffers from a loss of confidence on the part of its citizens, of which Brexit is only the most visible face of a drift with distant roots.

A few months before the start of the Conference on the future of Europe, which must lead to major political reform, it is time for the Union also to learn to recognise its mistakes. It is time for the Union to learn the lessons of its founders, starting with Robert Schuman and his Declaration, whose 70th anniversary this year we must celebrate by launching a major European reform. Because we cannot pretend that we are always and in any case satisfied with the Europe that exists, not least because this attitude runs the risk of doing above all the interests of those who only want it to disappear. Faced with all the more or less justified complaints to which it continues to expose itself, the EU must quickly get out of the current situation and think about the present and even more about its future. This means new policies and new concrete solutions.

But at the beginning of a new decade, it also means new institutions. So let us dispense with the useless prudence and the usual concerns of those who always evoke the risk of opening Pandora's box and seriously undermining a status quo as accommodating as it is hypocritical. All Europeans of heart and conviction have no choice but to take the initiative for truly democratic change in the EU.

This desire for political renewal is inextricably linked to the drafting of a new treaty. No one like Europe today finds itself in dangerous institutional disorder. It is time for greater simplicity, just as Schuman taught. And it is also a time of more direct political responsibility. To the simple question of who presides over the Union, the answers are the most varied: is it the President of the Commission? Is it the President of the European Council? Is it the country that from time to time takes over the six-month presidency of the EU? Or is he even the President of the European Central Bank? Is he the President of the Eurogroup? Or the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy? Or is he the "Franco-German couple" or at least what is left of them (very little in reality…)?

If there is a democratic Europe, there must be a President representing it, chosen democratically: the election by direct universal suffrage of the President of the European Commission is necessary, and sooner or later it must be introduced. In order to be heard and carry its full weight within the EU and on the world stage, the EU deserves to be represented by a leading personality. Only if it has undeniable political legitimacy will it be able not only to defend the values of respect and progress that have given life to the European dream, but also to oppose those who want to destroy them. And supranational democracy needs real transnational politics: that is why in 2024 we should be able to vote on transnational lists in a single European constituency: because we will only be able to have real European political movements if they are voted directly by the citizens of Europe. That is why we must get out of the status quo. That is why we must go beyond the Lisbon Treaty. We will displease the Eurosceptics, but it will be to the benefit of the whole of Europe and its citizens.

This article is the English version of an article originally published in Italian on the Huffington Post Italy

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) welcome the resolution adopted yesterday by the European Parliament stating its position regarding the Conference on the Future of Europe. Both UEF and JEF have long advocated for the renewal of our European Union and put forward detailed proposals for the setup of the Conference. The Conference is a golden opportunity for European citizens to walk the path towards an “ever closer union”.

“We are pleased to see the European Parliament take the lead in setting the agenda for the Conference on the Future of Europe, finally opening the door for long-needed Treaty changes with yesterday 's vote. Europe cannot win back the trust of its citizens with another so-called "listening exercise". Instead we need to be courageous and give citizens a real say over the future of the European project. Only a Conference on the Future of Europe that puts all options of deep policy and institutional change on the table can now deliver on citizens' expectations. If Commission President von der Leyen and the European Council are genuine about bringing Europe closer to the people, we invite the Commission and the Council to support the proposals and the level of ambition indicated by the European Parliament", says Sandro Gozi, President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF).

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) welcome the resolution adopted yesterday by the European Parliament stating its position regarding the Conference on the Future of Europe. Both UEF and JEF have long advocated for the renewal of our European Union and put forward detailed proposals for the setup of the Conference. The Conference is a golden opportunity for European citizens to walk the path towards an “ever closer union”, as stated in the Treaties. The Conference should not shy away from proposing to expand the Union’s powers and resources and renew its institution to make Europe really sovereign, including through an overhaul of the current Treaties.

The Conference on the Future of Europe must send a clear message to the Union's citizens that their voices will be heard. For this reasons, the European federalists call on the European Commission and the Council, to engage fully and genuinely with this exercise in participatory democracy. The Conference on the Future of Europe shall not be a new dialogue exercise as seen in the past, but a democratic and participative process where citizens have a real say on the Future of the Union. Therefore, in line with the proposal of the Parliament, UEF and JEF welcome an inclusive model that allows citizens to discuss the most pressing policies and institutional reforms, both necessary to rebuild trust in the European project. UEF and JEF are however concerned that there is no credible feedback loop between the decisions ultimately taken by political representatives and the proposals put forward by the citizen agora.

“We couldn’t agree more with the European Parliament: the increase in voter turnout at the 2019 European elections showed that citizens engage with Europe when they are offered the opportunity. For too long we, European citizens, have been sidelined or only cosmetically “consulted” in discussions over the future of European integration. Those times are over. Citizens and civil society are determined to continue pushing for change. The EU’s 60-years-long record of ensuring peace on the continent is at risk if it keeps muddling through the current intergovernmental status quo. The Conference on the Future of Europe is the opportunity to address the concerns of citizens about the future of European democracy and to provide the EU with the tools - institutional and financial - to deliver on its promise”, concludes Leonie Martin, President of JEF Europe.

END

UEF PRESS CONTACT:
Valentina Presa
valentina.presa@federalists.eu
+32.2.5083030

JEF PRESS CONTACT:
Leonie Martin
leonie.martin@jef.eu
+32.2.5120053

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) welcome the resolution adopted yesterday by the European Parliament stating its position regarding the Conference on the Future of Europe. Both UEF and JEF have long advocated for the renewal of our European Union and put forward detailed proposals for the setup of the Conference. The Conference is a golden opportunity for European citizens to walk the path towards an “ever closer union”.

“We are pleased to see the European Parliament take the lead in setting the agenda for the Conference on the Future of Europe, finally opening the door for long-needed Treaty changes with yesterday 's vote. Europe cannot win back the trust of its citizens with another so-called "listening exercise". Instead we need to be courageous and give citizens a real say over the future of the European project. Only a Conference on the Future of Europe that puts all options of deep policy and institutional change on the table can now deliver on citizens' expectations. If Commission President von der Leyen and the European Council are genuine about bringing Europe closer to the people, we invite the Commission and the Council to support the proposals and the level of ambition indicated by the European Parliament", says Sandro Gozi, President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF).

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF Europe) welcome the resolution adopted yesterday by the European Parliament stating its position regarding the Conference on the Future of Europe. Both UEF and JEF have long advocated for the renewal of our European Union and put forward detailed proposals for the setup of the Conference. The Conference is a golden opportunity for European citizens to walk the path towards an “ever closer union”, as stated in the Treaties. The Conference should not shy away from proposing to expand the Union’s powers and resources and renew its institution to make Europe really sovereign, including through an overhaul of the current Treaties.

The Conference on the Future of Europe must send a clear message to the Union's citizens that their voices will be heard. For this reasons, the European federalists call on the European Commission and the Council, to engage fully and genuinely with this exercise in participatory democracy. The Conference on the Future of Europe shall not be a new dialogue exercise as seen in the past, but a democratic and participative process where citizens have a real say on the Future of the Union. Therefore, in line with the proposal of the Parliament, UEF and JEF welcome an inclusive model that allows citizens to discuss the most pressing policies and institutional reforms, both necessary to rebuild trust in the European project. UEF and JEF are however concerned that there is no credible feedback loop between the decisions ultimately taken by political representatives and the proposals put forward by the citizen agora.

“We couldn’t agree more with the European Parliament: the increase in voter turnout at the 2019 European elections showed that citizens engage with Europe when they are offered the opportunity. For too long we, European citizens, have been sidelined or only cosmetically “consulted” in discussions over the future of European integration. Those times are over. Citizens and civil society are determined to continue pushing for change. The EU’s 60-years-long record of ensuring peace on the continent is at risk if it keeps muddling through the current intergovernmental status quo. The Conference on the Future of Europe is the opportunity to address the concerns of citizens about the future of European democracy and to provide the EU with the tools - institutional and financial - to deliver on its promise”, concludes Leonie Martin, President of JEF Europe.

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.

PRESS CONTACT
Valentina Presa
valentina.presa@federalists.eu
+32.2.5083030

The Young European Federalists (JEF) Europe is a non-partisan youth NGO active with 13.000 members active in more than 35 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.

PRESS CONTACT:
Leonie Martin
leonie.martin@jef.eu
+32.2.5120053

12 European civil society and other organisations unveil today their set of recommendations for a successful Conference on the Future of Europe. The recommendations emerged as outcome of a series of brainstorming sessions between European civil society organisations and other entities held in autumn 2019.

The proposal for a “European Conference on the Future of Europe” initially put forward by President Emmanuel Macron and then taken up by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, represents a great opportunity to reshape the future of the European Union.

The CSOs’ common key recommendations for the Conference on the Future of Europe are:

1. An open mandate for the Conference, aimed at developing policy and institutional proposals, as well as proposals for treaty change or a new treaty framework, if considered necessary.
2. A wide-ranging approach, looking at the scope of competences of the Union, the financing of Union policies and proposals for the democratic and efficient governance of those policies.
3. A democratic process with wide participation and deep deliberation with individual citizens and civil society organisations from across the Union, as well as accession candidate and eastern neighborhood countries.
4. A multi-step approach allowing individual citizens and civil society organisations to give input at different levels of expertise using digital tools and deliberative polling and engagement with institutional decision-makers.
5. A clear upfront commitment by the institutions of the Union, as well as National Governments to deliver legislative proposals on all policy recommendations and initiate Treaty changes on all proposals adopted by the Conference.

The full common recommendations can be found here. The common recommendations are supported by the following organisations:

European Students' Forum (AEGEE), European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA), Assembly of European Regions (AER), Civil Society Europe (CSE), Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE - Church organisation under Art. 17 TFEU"), European Citizen Action Service (ECAS), European Youth Forum, Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, Foundation EURACTIV, garagErasmus Foundation, Young European Federalists (JEF) and the Union of European Federalists (UEF).

Related files

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SET UP OF THE CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE
OF EUROPE BY 12 EUROPEAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS

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.

PRESS CONTACT
Valentina Presa
valentina.presa@federalists.eu
+32.2.5083030