u€¦ · web viewmartti ahtisaari, former president of the republic of finland and current...

U.E.F. NEWSLETTER N° 29 – December 2005 - January 2006

U.E.F. NEWSLETTERN° 29 – December 2005-January 2006

INDEX:

1. FOREWORD: Richard LAMING,UEF Bureau Member

2. FUTURE ACTIVITIES UEF Activities for 2006

3. PAST ACTIVITIES “European Citizens’ Convention”, Genoa Evening Debate with JEF and British

Liberal Democrats Civil crisis management workshop

4. NEWS FROM THE UEF BUREAU UEF Bureau meeting Fernand Herman book

5. NEWS FROM THE UEF SECRETARIAT

Restructuring of the UEF Secretariat Material order

6. THE PERIOD OF REFLECTION The UEF meets Commissioner

Margot Wallström European Parliament accepts

Duff-Voggenhuber Report European Federalists call on the support

of national, regional and local authorities in the active debate about the future of Europe

7. NEWS ABOUT WORLD FEDERALISM WFM Council 2005

8. PRESS RELEASES Join the European Citizens’ Convention! First Citizens’ Convention calls for the

continuation of the ratification process of the European Constitution

Constitution Now! Europe 's Citizens take the lead

EU a success in civilian crisis management

“Ms. Wallström, you can count on us” UEF and JEF call for the implementation

of the DUFF-VOGGENHUBER report

9. PRESS REVIEW

10. CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

1. FOREWORD BY RICHARD LAMING

Wow, what a year that was. Let’s hope that Europe doesn’t go through another one like that for a while.

The No votes in the referendums in France and the Netherlands have halted the constitutional treaty in its tracks. The heads of state and government in the European Council didn’t know what to do next. Some of them, most notably the British, seemed happy to abandon their commitment to ratify the treaty; others insisted that the constitution is too important to let it slip so easily. Confusion reigns.

Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström produced a Plan D for Democracy: critics dismissed it as Dismal, Disappointing and even Disastrous. That is probably too harsh, but we remain Doubtful about whether it will make the difference that Europe needs.

On the positive side, the two failures are outnumbered by 14 member states that have ratified the constitution so far, including referendums in Spain and in Luxembourg. This should not be neglected, for two reasons.

First, the proposals contained in the constitution will make the European Union more democratic, more effective and more accountable. The EU desperately needs this kind of reform. It is no good people claiming that the secret of future progress in Europe

UEF214 D Chaussée de Wavre, B-1050 BrusselsTel. +32 2 508 30 30, Fax. +32 2 626 95 01

e-mail: [email protected]: www.federaleurope.org

of 18

http://www.federaleurope.org/

mailto:[email protected]


depends on improving the delivery of policy while at the same time objecting to those very institutional reforms that are needed to make better policies possible.

Secondly, there is the consensus that the constitution gathered in its support. 25 member state governments, who entered the debate with some wildly different viewpoints at the beginning, were all able to support the final text. So were many organisations from politics and wider civil society, including of course the federalists. The fact that the last-named were critical of some aspects of the treaty because of its lack of ambition may be traced to the need for a compromise among all the different interest groups. Purism risks leaving us with no friends.

So how do we keep the idea of the constitution alive in 2006?

We have to focus on the specific problems of European governance, and the inability of the EU to deal with all of the modern-day problems faced by the citizen. We need to point out the need for more democracy within the institutions, and we need to explain our vision that the future of Europe must be united than it is now, and not less.

The European constitution will not solve all the problems faced by Europeans, but it is an essential part of the solution. Whatever the problems, however great the setbacks, we must never forget that.

These are the tasks for 2006, and may I wish you all success with them.

Richard LAMINGUEF Bureau Member

Secretary-General of the Federal Union

2. FUTURE ACTIVITIES

UEF activities for 2006

The European Commission and the European Parliament have both recently issued documents on how to address and give structure to the period of reflection and engage citizens in the European constitutional process. Plan D and the Duff-Voggenhuber report are excellent frameworks for action, but without civil society’s involvement these documents will go unnoticed.

The UEF has an important role to play in order to make these initiatives a success: our network of member organisations, our contacts with EU institutions, our expertise, all make us a privileged link between Brussels and citizens: and in order to be even more efficient we want your involvement as well.

2006 will be a year of increased contact with our sister organisations, JEF and the European Movement. In order to be most efficient and to invite the widest possible audience to take on the European debate we must work in unison!!

Our Newsletter in 2006 will therefore reflect this change of pace: we have decided to dedicate a section to the Period of reflection and all actions and initiatives that seek to put reflection at the forefront of this “period of reflections”. The UEF Newsletter team invites you to look at section 6 for further information, and we would be pleased to advertise your contributions to the Period of reflection here and on our website.

For specific information on UEF events in 2006, please consult our calendar (section 10 of this Newsletter).



of 18




3. PAST ACTIVITIES

European Citizens’ Convention3-4 December 2005, Genoa

On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December, the UEF, along with the Movimento Federalista Europeo (MFE) and the Young European Federalists (JEF), held the first European Citizens’ Convention in Genoa, Italy. It gathered over 400 participants from all over Europe, and of all ages. Various groups of paramount importance to relaunching the European constitutional process were present, including representatives of European civil society, national MPs, and various MEPs.

Mercedes BRESSO, President of the Piedmont region in Italy and President of the UEF, opened the meeting outlining the meeting’s broad objectives. “The European Citizens’ Convention …, in which over a hundred movements, organizations and associations of European civil society are taking part, is the first of three such meetings scheduled … These aim to provide an answer to the total absence of initiatives that has characterized the ‘pause’ for reflection wanted by national governments, which has left European citizens in lack of reference points for this crucial issue.”

On Saturday afternoon, the convention divided up into three working groups, on the following topics: 1. How can Europe meet its responsibilities in the world; 2. An economic and social model for globalisation and sustainable development; and 3. Active citizenship in a participatory democracy. For

reports on these from participants, please see below.

The three major Italian trade unions (CGIL, CISL and UIL) all sent representatives. Civil society groups present included, to name but a few, Centre International pour la Formation Européenne (CIFE), Democracy International, European Citizens’ Action Service (ECAS), ECOSY, Fair, the Italian National Youth Forum, Legambiente, Magistratura Democratica, Mehr Demokratie, Terre des Hommes, and Tradewatch.

Sunday morning opened with the adoption of the European Manifesto, drafted by the chairmen of the working groups, with contributions from participants (please see article below for more on the Manifesto). Interventions by political speakers followed. These included four MEPs: Andrew DUFF, Monica FRASSONI, Roberto MUSACCHIO and Marta VINCENZI; Tana DE ZULUETA, an Italian Senator, and Valdo SPINI, an Italian national parliamentarian, also contributed. Mr. Duff’s contribution was particularly well-received: he outlined the options for the future of the Constitution in the European Parliament and his own priorities for a revitalised constitution (see article below).

Closing the conference, Mercedes BRESSO emphasised that the Convention in Genoa was only the first in a series of such events: the mobilisation of European citizens must continue through further conventions. The next will be held in Vienna at the end of June 2006. She concluded by calling upon all federalists to continue to strive for a federal



of 18




Europe: “a federal Europe will give concrete answers to the questions of European citizens”.

Genoa Working Groups

Working group I: “How can Europe meet its responsibilities in the world.” Interview with

Åsa Gunven, JEF Vice-President.

Åsa Gunven, JEF Vice-president, attended Working Group 1 on the topic: “How can Europe meet its responsibilities in the world.”“The atmosphere was very pacifist” she said, overall people were opposed to military intervention and against unilateralist.

Many of the interventions centred on the role the EU ought to play as a promoter of international law and of a multipolar world. If Europe managed peace through integration and made war unthinkable on our continent, the EU has the duty to export these ideals.

The World Federalist Movement (WFM) made some impressive interventions on the importance of liberal institutionalism in the United Nations. They were opposed to any form of vetoes and stressed the importance of democratic decision making inside the UN institutions.

“For my part”, Mrs. GUNVEN said, “I stressed the need for Europe to unify on the international scene and to move away from ego-nationalism.” We need a multipolar world, but not at the cost of “EU egotism.”

Working group II: “An economic and social model for globalisation and sustainable

development” was chaired by Richard Laming, Director of Federal Union and member of the

UEF bureau.

“We had a very intensive discussion,” said Richard Laming. Speakers and interventions came from many different organisations. At the risk of being too simplistic, there were

three main strands of thinking about the future of the European economy:

- liberal capitalists, who wanted more freedom from government regulation, particularly regulation that enforced the economic difference between one member state and another

- social democrats, aiming to preserve the social consensus, to ensure that every European was entitled to a decent life

- ecological greens, concerned about the unsustainable consumption of natural resources and the loss by communities of their ability to preserve their own identities

What all the participants had in common was that all these analyses were based on the inability of the national state any more to protect and improve our quality of life. It was never more clear that the words “economics” and “ecology” have the same linguistic origin and need to be considered together.

“The future policies of the European Union remain to be decided,” said Richard Laming. “But the challenges are becoming clearer, along with some of the solutions.”

Jan SEIFERT, JEF President;Richard LAMING, Chairman of Working Group II



of 18




Working group III: “Active citizenship in a participatory democracy” as seen by Joan

Marc SIMON, JEF Secretary-General.

Behind the question of European citizenship lie the questions of European identity, feelings of belonging and the rights of citizens. Joan Marc SIMON, JEF Secretary-General, describes the assets of having such an important debate with members of the civil society, judges and even national partisans of the No to the Constitution.

The debate was particularly rich as this theme is evocative of such different ideas. Many of the speakers were judges and approached this question of citizenship from a legal perspective, explaining how European citizenship complements the national citizenships of each member state.

For civil society organisations such as JEF, on the other hand, citizenship is evocative of identity, of the need to make EU citizens identify with Europe as well as with their home state. Joan Marc SIMON also reiterated how important it was to have such a debate in order to avoid the pitfalls of mixing citizenship with nationality, thus negating Europe, or even more frightening, of mixing nationality with identity and therefore risking to fall into nationalism.

After the discussions and various interventions, working group III then went on to discuss the European manifesto and drafted quite a few amendments to the original text. When asked what he thought of the manifesto Mr. SIMON replied, “This manifesto is a testimony to the fact that we can come together and agree on a common vision for Europe. It is more than a manifesto, it is a pact saying that we are going to continue working on this in the future.”

Andrew DUFF outlines the problems, and his solutions, to relaunch the Constitutional

process in Europe.

Andrew DUFF’s speech to the Convention presented a negative picture of the current state of European affairs, with ‘a paralysed Council, … an indecisive Commission’, and national governments unwilling to address European issues.

Mr. DUFF therefore opened his speech with a convincing solution to this impasse: the European Parliament, as the only stakeholder to gain substantially from the European Constitution, must take the lead in the Constitutional process. He then presented various options with which the European Parliament might approach the Constitutional process during the Period of Reflection. Finally, he outlined his proposals for drastically re-thinking European Union policy, which would then be enshrined within the revised policy section (section three) of an improved Constitution. All Mr. DUFF’s proposals were very well received.

Mr. DUFF views the current crisis in Europe as the worst since 1966, when President De Gaulle withdrew from NATO and stopped attending the Council. He typifies the Council leadership of the European Union as completely lacking in vision. ‘Provoked by the challenge of globalisation, Europe seems prepared to become defensive, protective, and nationalist.’ Barroso’s Commission he sees as politically indecisive and unwilling to fulfil its critical role of brokering disputes and reconciling quarrels. It is certainly not the Commission of Delors. He lambastes national parliaments for their opportunistic attitude to European affairs – accepting praise when all is well, and blaming Brussels for any problems. National politics are at fault for their failure to federalise. Indeed, Mr. DUFF believes national political parties will be the



of 18




last bastion of nationalism in Europe. They have no immediate interest in federalising, as the current state of affairs gives them greater immediate power.

The one institution in Europe which can therefore deal with this crisis is the European Parliament. This is by no means an easy load to take on – the Parliament was very proud of the Constitution it helped draft. The Parliament stood to gain most from the Constitution’s readjusting of budgetary and legislative powers among European institutions, as well as in greater control of the executive. It is therefore also the body with the greatest stake in the success of the Constitution.

Mr. DUFF outlined four clear scenarios which the Parliament faces in the Constitutional process. First, it could simply give up, putting an end to the project of the constitution. This is precisely what the ‘Souverainistes’ and the far right in the UK and France would like best.

The second alternative, one to which the European Union may ultimately have fall back on if all else fails in the constitutional process, is that a series of a piecemeal treaties will be signed to keep the core principles of the failed Constitution, which remain essential to run of the newly enlarged Union. Thus one might first pass a treaty establishing an European External Action Service and Foreign Minister; then one treaty would ensure greater political integration of the core states of the Euro-zone; and finally one treaty integrating Justice and Interior Affairs more fully into the Community system. But, in Andrew DUFF’s judgement, it is too early to admit such a comprehensive defeat of the Constitution. To pull it apart, instituting some reforms by ‘cherry-picking’ those considered most viable

and most essential, would demolish the careful equilibrium found between the Brussels institutions. We must ‘not be seduced by simplistic and piecemeal solutions to this grave crisis’.

Andrew DUFF’s third alternative is that we ‘dream on’ that the French and the Dutch accept the same text at second referenda. This, he dismisses as a ‘nonsense scenario’. It would be an affront to the French and the

Dutch, and ignore what he calls a ‘third rejectionist state’ – Great Britain. ‘It would certainly be impossible … to acquire the assent of the profoundly sceptical British

people to a Constitution which has already been rejected and exposed to weaknesses.’ ‘… the present text will never be brought into force.’

The only viable alternative is therefore to modify the Constitution, to revise, improve, and popularise it, democratising the successful consensus created in the Convention and the Intergovernmental Conference. This debate should run through to the 2007 Portuguese presidency of the

Council, ‘following the political disappearance of Chirac, Blair, Bolkenende, Pershon, Berlusconi, and possibly several others’. The European Parliament should establish a common template for the debate, setting fundamental, often

primitive questions about the purpose of European integration today. National parliaments should be encouraged to take part in this task, and the European Parliament, along with civil society, must force political parties to contribute. Mr. DUFF greatly welcomed the Genoa Manifesto as a first step in the pressure to be brought upon governments and national political parties from civil society.



of 18

‘It defies belief … that we cannot

articulate a single social model for

the EU.’

‘Provoked by the challenge of globalisation, Europe seems

prepared to become defensive, protective, and nationalist.’




For Mr. DUFF, the strictly institutional sections of the Constitution are largely satisfactory and little amendment would be necessary for the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Union. Section three, on the policy and functioning of the Union, and section four, which outlines the mechanism for revision of the Constitution, both need revision. The former was the basis of the French and Dutch objections to the Constitution, and the latter’s provisions are too rigid and inflexible. A further, necessary debate of the period of reflection is on process: whether to have a new Convention, a group of ‘wise persons,’ an IGC of the traditional form, or whether to grant the new European Parliament elected in June 2009 a mandate to revise the constitution.

Andrew DUFF also articulated his four basic priorities for the changes in policy-related content of the Constitution. The first is the essential strengthening of the shared economic policymaking tools for the members of the European Economic and Monetary Union, so that they may develop a coherent and relevant economic policy.

His second policy priority is the articulation a European model for socioeconomic policy. He typifies as absurd the supposed ‘competition’ between different models, particularly given that all of Europe faces the same basic problems – low investment, the completion of the single market process, and how to make citizens more employable, with greater skills and training, and more choice for jobs. Europe should therefore be able to come to a common solution. ‘It defies belief … that we cannot articulate a single social model for the EU.’

Thirdly, Mr. DUFF would like the question of climate security to be upgraded from the flanking, subsidiary policy it now is, to a central imperative of all other European policy – agricultural, energy, transport, and so

on. He draws a parallel between the cross-sectional importance of agricultural policy in the hungry Europe of the 1950s and the universal significance of climate security to the Europeans of the 21st Century: ‘Our sense of insecurity has shifted from food to the climate.’

Mr. DUFF’s fourth basic priority is that a “sense of boundary” be explicitly included in the Constitution. By this, he does not mean a geographical, cartographical boundary. He means basic criteria used to define what makes a country part of the EU. This is not so very complex as some make out: as he explains, they already exist, in the Copenhagen criteria for candidate membership. Particularly as supplemented in December 2004, in view of the Croatian and Turkish bids to join the EU, these are very stringent conditions, in terms of democratic

institutions, for candidate members, and the threshold of accession to the EU is now higher than ever before.

Andrew DUFF concluded with the hope that the political groups in the

European Parliament – particularly the two largest, the European People’s Party (EPP-DE) and the Socialists (PSE), who have thus far been rather conservative in outlining the options for the continuation of the constitutional process – pull together to make the period of reflection a common success, producing, at the end of this period, an improved, workable solution for the Constitution which better reflects the wishes of the European people.

Roberto MUSACCHIO, MEP; Marta VINCENZI, MEP; Valdo SPINI, MEP, Guido MONTANI, MFE;

Mercedes BRESSO, UEF President; Andrew DUFF, MEP; Tana DE ZULUETA, Italian Senate



of 18

‘Do not be seduced by simplistic and

piecemeal solutions to this grave crisis’.




Genoa’s European Manifesto

Participants in the European Citizens Convention came together to draft a European Manifesto. This document, a concrete set of proposals from European citizens to the European Parliament, sets out a broad vision for the future of Europe. Europe should “promote a new world order, founded on peace, justice, cooperation with poor countries and sustainable development.”

In concrete terms, the European citizens, gathered in Genoa, demand that national parliaments fulfill their democratic duty to conclude the national ratification processes despite the setbacks in France in the Netherlands. “Should they fail to do so by the end of 2006, the European Citizens’ Convention asks the European Parliament to relaunch the constitutional process on a new basis.” The European Citizens ask that a new, improved text be drawn up by a new Constitutional Convention, with far greater input from European civil society, thereby better reflecting the citizens’ true wishes. This new Constitution shall be subject to a European consultative ballot, concurrent with the European elections in 2009, and enter into force if a double majority of citizens and states approves it.

Finally, the citizens and civil society pledged to carry on the constitutional debate, with further European Citizens’ Conventions in Vienna and Paris in 2006. “The European Citizens’ Convention shall not be dissolved until it will have reached its goals!”

For the full European Manifesto, pleaseclick here, or simply go to the Convention’s website (www.citizensconvention.net) and click on “Documents and Contributions”, then “Documents and Contributions for the Convention”

Evening Debate at the UEF/ JEF European Secretariat,

with British Liberals30 November 2005, Brussels

The UEF European secretariat welcomed about 15 visitors from Great Britain who were accompanied to Brussels by the Lawrence Fullick, Treasurer of Federal Union, the British section of the UEF.

The meeting was chaired by the new UEF European Secretary-General, Dr. Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLAGER. Representatives of the European Council – Dr. Alison WESTON – and the European Parliament – Arielle ROUBY, Assistant to the British MEP Richard CORBETT – were present and debated the advantages of a politically strengthened European Union. Participants also discussed the causes and symptoms of euro-scepticism, especially amongst British citizens, and then debated how to reverse this trend.

UEF International Workshop onInternational Crisis Management,

12-13 January, Vienna

On 12 and 13 January 2006, in Vienna, UEF-supranational and the Austrian Study-Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution organised an international workshop on “The Role of the EU in Civilian Crisis Management”. Gathering over 120 participants from all member states, EU institutions and crisis management NGOs, this public conference allowed experts in the field to review the EU’s contribution to peace and stability in crisis-affected areas across the world.

This event is part of the UEF’s on-going effort to provide public forums where members of the audience and experts can come together to concretely discuss specific aspects of European affairs.



of 18



http://www.citizensconvention.net/doc/contributi/Manifesto_EN.pdf


The Vienna conference falls within a series of such experts’ workshops, aiming to better define the political structures and practical needs of Europe’s work in crisis management. Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLAGER, UEF Secretary-General and former Austrian federal Defence Minister, who moderated the opening and closing sessions of the workshop explains:

“[Crisis management] is the logical consequence of the growing interdependence in global security. The European Union is an international economic force, but it is generally politically weak. Nevertheless, the EU has been extending its activities beyond its immediate borders – in Aceh, performing relief work and civilian crisis management, policing borders in the Middle East, and providing civilian and military crisis management in Congo and the Darfur. […] What is needed now is a detailed assessment of what must be done to fulfil our crisis management aims and identify the tools and the organisational structures available to us. For example, we have to learn from successful cooperation between civilian and military crisis management in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). There must also be close cooperation between the different pillars of competence in the EU: the Council, the Commission, and even the Parliament. We need to set up firmly the basic preconditions for the European Union to be an effective player on an international level.”

The participants included representatives of the 25 EU member states, the European Commission, the Council Secretariat, the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CivCom) as well as members

of the European Parliament and of European NGOs working in the field of Conflict Prevention participated in the panels and working groups.

Martti AHTISAARI, former President of the Republic of Finland and current President of the Crisis Management Initiative, and Karl VON WOGAU, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence of the European Parliament, were be amongst the high-ranking personalities addressing the workshop. Others of note included: Philipp AGATHONOS, EU Civilian Crisis Management Committee; Gen. Sauro BAITROCCHI, EU Military Committee; Lars-Erik LUNDIN, European Commission; Pedro SERRANO, Council Secretariat; and Roland ZINZIUS, Civil-Military Cell.

From left to right: Alexander McLACHLAN, Sylvie PANTZ, Michael SAHLIN; Martina WEITSCH; Hannes SWOBODA;

Susan E. PENKSA

The conference split up into four working groups, on the following subjects:

WG 1 - Training: training requirements for civilian crisis management; WG 2 - Recruitment: link between training; recruitment and mission needs; WG 3 - Procurement and financing: WG 4 - Adapting national institutions and procedures to increased demand for civilian crisis management

The conclusions reached in the workshop were clear. There is a definite need for a European role in international crisis



of 18




management. This is not only a military necessity, there is also a need for a strong civilian role. It is therefore equally important to create the political will to intervene in crisis management. This needs to be backed up by greater, integrated training, procurement and financing structures. In all matters of crisis management, cooperation with the UN, OSCE and others on the ground is of paramount importance for successful crisis management.

From left to right: Philipp AGATHONOS,Karl VON WOGAU, Martti AHTISAARI,

Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLAGER

4. NEWS FROM UEF BUREAU

UEF Bureau Meeting,14 January, Vienna

The UEF Bureau met on 14 January to discuss the UEF 2006 Programme. Most of the debate centered on the upcoming FC and Congress, which are due to take place in June in Vienna.

The two next Citizens’ Conventions, this spring in Vienna and this autumn in Paris, were also discussed. The Bureau arrived at the conclusion that in order to make the next Citizens’ Conventions most effective, they ought to be scheduled at significant political times for the country hosting them. This means trying to synchronise the Vienna Convention with the end of the Austrian presidency of the Council in June and the Paris Convention with the launch of the French presidential campaign in December.

UEF Secretary-General, Friedhelm Frischenschlager, also proposed an increased cooperation with the UEF’s sister organizations, such as JEF and the European Movement, in order to structure and encourage debate during the period of reflection. The Bureau approved, and agreed to discuss this further on the next Bureau meeting scheduled for 14 February in Turin.

« Fernand Herman, 15 years of political, economic, social and european life. »

A collection of Fernand Herman’s 15 year long contribution to the “Courier de la Bourse et de la Banque” will be published, in spring 2006, in the memory of our ex-Bureau member and a man who was a member of the European Parliament for more than 20 years.

These articles discuss European politics in a clear and fascinating fashion and summarise the grand stages of European integration. This book is an opportunity to discover one of Herman’s hidden talents as well as to relive the journey of European integration through the eyes of one who knew it so well.

« Fernand Herman , chronique de 15 années de vie politique, économique et sociale européenne »,

Published by Didier Devillez, Brussels

For additional information on this book, please call:+32-2 284 23 65+32-2 284 34 36

5. NEWS FROM UEF SECRETARIAT

Restructuring of the UEF Secretariat

The UEF has slightly restructured its European Secretariat. The UEF Secretary-General, Dr. Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLA-GER, will be working alternate weeks in Brussels and Vienna, where his work is being supported by full-time staff as well as by volunteers from JEF Austria and UEF Vienna.



of 18




The Organisation Manager, Hanneli EBDING, has been promoted to the position of Director of the UEF European Secretariat, in order to reflect the increase of work and responsibility. The European Secretariat will continue to work with at least two stagiaires. Currently, Leah CHARPENTIER and Atli STANNARD are giving the most valuable support to the Secretariat's work.

UEF Materials

The UEF Secretariat still has UEF stickers and UEF banners that can be ordered. In order to find information about prices, images of the material and an order form, please click here:http://en.federaleurope.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Expression_of_interest_for_banners.doc

6. THE PERIOD OF REFLECTION

The UEF meets CommissionerMargot Wallström

On Wednesday, 18 January 2006, the UEF met Margot Wallström, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication. Together with the Secretary-General of the Young European Federalists (JEF), Joan-Marc SIMON, and the European Movement’s Secretary-General Henrik KRÖNER, UEF Secretary-General, Friedhelm FRISCHEN-SCHLAGER, offered the help of European Federalists in the implementation of the Commission’s so-called “Plan D” for democracy, dialogue and debate. Following the negative referenda results on the draft European Constitution in the spring and summer of 2005, the Commission launched this “contribution to the reflection period and beyond” in October. It aims at improving communication of European Politics on the national and regional level in order to increase the citizen’s support for European politics and

eventually the adoption of a common constitution for Europe. For more information about the meeting with Commissioner Wallström, please read our Press Release in section 8 of this newsletter. For more information on « Plan D », please click here : http://europa.eu.int/comm/commission_barroso/wallstrom/pdf/communication_planD_en.pdf

European Parliament acceptsthe Duff-Voggenhuber Report

Responding to the June 2005 decision by the European Council to establish a period of dialogue or reflection, the European Parliament (EP) stressed the need to involve all European citizens in the process of building Europe's future. On 19 January 2006, it adopted the plan drafted by the Co-rapporteurs of the EP’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Andrew DUFF (Liberal, UK) and Johannes VOGGENHUBER (Green, AUT). The “Report on the period of reflection: the structure, subjects and context for an assessment of the debate on the European Union” aims at reviving the EU constitution.

With 385 MEPs voting in favour, 125 deputies voting against and 51 abstentions, a great majority of deputies has accepted the “Duff-Voggenhuber” report. The EP has thus shown that it wants to play a leading role in the debate. The main idea of the report is to organise various parliamentary forums, a number of debates between national parliaments and the EP. At the same time, the EP asks member states to hold a large number of Citizens Forums, i.e. public meetings and media debates at national, regional and local level, in order to ensure the active participation of the public. Moreover, the committee on Constitutional Affairs will prepare a series of “European Papers” to be used as a basis for discussion.



of 18



http://europa.eu.int/comm/commission_barroso/wallstrom/pdf/communication_planD_en.pdf

http://europa.eu.int/comm/commission_barroso/wallstrom/pdf/communication_planD_en.pdf

http://en.federaleurope.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Expression_of_interest_for_banners.doc

http://en.federaleurope.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Expression_of_interest_for_banners.doc


Deputies acknowledged that the debates to be held over the next couple of years can result in different decisions - such as giving up on the constitutional project or re-starting its ratification in the current version. However, a majority of MEPs supported the view that the “positive” outcome of the “reflection” would be to maintain the constitution's text as it stands now, while taking measures to “meet the concerns” expressed in France or the Netherlands.

According to the approved report, the public is concerned more about the context, i.e. the EU’s political role and policies, than the constitutional text itself. The two Co-rapporteurs stressed that all debates should be structured around specific topics to deliver clear results. They should involve political parties, employers’ and employees’ representatives, civil society, the academic community and the media. The main issues on which the debate should focus are the integration process, the EU’s global role, the European social and economic model, security and justice and the financing of the Union.

Under the proposed schedule, the first Parliamentary Forum would be held this Spring, starting on 9 May 2006. This would mean an extension of the “reflection period” beyond the one year agreed in 2005. The results of the debate and a decision on the way ahead should be taken in the second half of 2007, which would be after the French presidential elections. The goal would be to have the Constitution in force for 2009.

For the full report, please click here.

European Federalists call on the support of national, regional and local authorities in

the active debate about the future of Europe

On 20 January, following the Parliament’s adoption of the DUFF-VOGGENHUBER report by the European Parliament, the UEF

and JEF called on all levels of government and European civil society to take its key recommendations firmly onboard. In a letter to national, regional and local authorities and civil society organisations, they drew particular attention to the reports three core innovations: “Parliamentary Forums”, “European Papers” and “Citizens’ Forums”.

Pledging to do our utmost to bring this constitutional debate to the people, JEF and UEF asked the authorities to contribute actively to the Forums and the Papers, and civil society to press their governments and parliaments to provide the Forums.

For more detailed information, please see our press release in section 8 of this newsletter.

7. NEWS OF WORLD FEDERALISM

World Federalist Movement Council4-6 November 2005, Brussels

The World Federalist Movement (WFM) held is annual Council meeting in Brussels on 4-6 November 2005. The Meeting regrouped about 50 Council members who reflected on the WFM-IGP annual progress and their plan for the upcoming year. Of course this meeting was placed under the omens of the “failed” UN Summit.

No in depth reform of the UN institutions came out of the General Assembly, however, it pledged support to the Millennium goals and was a success in the domains of human security and the “responsibility to protect”. The WFM expects a lot of work on the implementations of these principles and objectives for the upcoming year. They will also seek further partnership with other civil society organisation to ensure that these pledges are implemented. To learn more about he World Federalist Movement, please click here:http://www.wfm.org/



of 18



http://www.wfm.org/

http://www.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade3?PUBREF=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A6-2005-0414+0+DOC+WORD+V0//EN&L=EN&LEVEL=0&NAV=S&LSTDOC=Y&LSTDOC=N


8. PRESS RELEASES

UEF President, Mercedes BRESSO, invites you to join the European Citizens’ Convention and help relaunch the

constitutional process.

Brussels, 2 December 2005

The European Council wants to defer the “Constitutional question” until the Austrian Presidency. Mrs. BRESSO, UEF President, finds this unacceptable: “We must act now and not waste time!” She continues: “a reflection period should not be an excuse for a silent, sleepy atmosphere; in the constitutional process the contrary is particularly need!” In her opinion a dialogue that engages with European citizens must start now.

The majority of EU member states, which have already ratified the Constitution, and the other states and civil society activists which support the constitution should not be forgotten! To this end the UEF, as a spearhead of pro-European opinion, has launched its European Citizens’ Conventions. These Conventions are to catalyse hundreds of politicians, civil society organisations, intellectuals and interested citizens to discuss what Europe they want, and force the European Council to finally act! The first Convention will take place this weekend in Genoa, the second is already planned in Vienna in June 2006 and many more will come.

Join us, and help us ensure that the European Council learns the lessons of the referenda and closes the gap between EU Institutions and European citizens.

Your Press Contact:UEF European Secretariat

Tel: +32 2 508 30 30

First Citizens’ Convention calls for the continuation of the ratification process of

the European constitution

Genoa, 5 December 2005

More than 400 participants from all over Europe attended the first European Citizens’ Convention, which was held in Genoa this weekend. About 50 non-governmental organisations, representatives of the European Parliament – first and foremost the Co-rapporteur of the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Andrew DUFF – and of national governments and local authorities were present.

“A move back to a Europe of nation states cannot be the solution to the common problems Europeans face today. There is no alternative to a European constitution”.

Mercedes BRESSO, President of the Union of European Federalists, urged all stakeholders in the process of European integration to continue the ratification process. Since the majority of Europeans have already voted in favour of the constitution, their wish cannot be ignored. To this end, the mobilisation of European citizens will continue through further conventions. The next will be held in Vienna at the end of June 2006. Until then, the signature campaign, launched this weekend in Genoa, will continue, giving the citizens of Europe the opportunity to make their voices heard.

The UEF President concluded the Convention calling upon all federalists to continue to strive for a federal Europe: “a federal Europe will give concrete answers to the questions of European citizens”.


Tel: +32 2 508 30 30



of 18




Constitution Now! Europe 's Citizens take the lead


“The European Constitution is alive!” was the key message of the first European Citizens' Convention held in Genoa over the weekend. Citizens and civil society groups came together to find a way out of the current EU crisis.

“The heads of national governments must not bury the European Constitution”, said Jan Seifert, President of the Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe).

Waving federalist flags and shouting “Give us back the constitution!” groups of young people from all over Europe took to the streets to demand the relaunch of the Constitutional Process.

Demonstrators dressed up as Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Commission President José Manuel Barroso, who were carrying a coffin with the constitution inside symbolising their failed leadership and their lack of commitment to Europe.

“We badly need leadership. As neither the Heads of State nor the European Commission live up to their responsibilities, we need the legitimate representative of the citizens – the European Parliament – to react”, Jan Seifert reiterated.

After two days of lively debate, the European Citizens' Convention urged the European Parliament to take the lead and initiate a new democratically elected Constitutional Convention in case no results have been achieved by the end of 2006. “It is time that the debates around Europe be brought out to all parts of society. JEF commits itself to taking a leading role in this process and to continue promoting its ideas for a democratic and federal Europe.” As part of that process, the European Citizens' Convention will continue to play a key role. In 2006, further meetings of the convention include Vienna and Paris.

Your Press Contact:

JEF-Europe SecretariatTel: +32 2 512 00 53

www.jef-europe.net

EU a success in civilian crisis management says international workshop on “The Role of

the EU in Civilian Crisis Management”

Vienna, 16 January 2006

On 12-13 January 2006, the Union of European Federalists-supranational (UEF) and the Austrian Study-Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution organised an international workshop on “The Role of the EU in Civilian Crisis Management”, in Vienna. The purpose of this workshop was to discuss and bring to light this successful domain of EU policy.

The conference brought 120 participants from all EU member states together with renowned experts in order to discuss the EU’s contribution to civil crisis management. “Until now, EU-operations have been successful, and the demand for EU presence and EU action is increasing” explained Martti AHTISAARI, former President of Finland and current President of the Crisis Management Initiative.



of 18



http://www.jef-europe.net/


The Vienna conference reached two overarching conclusions:

First, the EU is needed as a crisis manager, and it should be allowed to act more freely and efficiently. Friedhelm Frischenschlager, UEF Secretary-General and former Austrian Minister of Defence, explains: “There must be close cooperation between the different pillars of competence in the EU: the Council, the Commission, and even the Parliament. We need to clarify the basic preconditions needed to allow the European Union to be an effective player on an international level.”

Second, there is a paradox between an increasing popularity of the European Union abroad as a crisis manager and its decreasing popularity with European citizens at home. 77% of European citizens support the EU’s role as a crisis manager even in today’s climate of distrust towards the EU’s capacity to act swiftly and efficiently. Johannes Kryle, from the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained that it was such misconceptions that the Austrian Presidency of the European Council sought to address in order to rebuild citizens’ trust in European politics.

Your Press Contact:

Friedhelm Frischenschlager, UEF Secretary-General Tel: +32 2 508 30 32

“Ms. Wallström, you can count on us”, says UEF-Secretary-General, Friedhelm

FRISCHENSCHLAGER

Strasbourg, 18 January 2006

The “Plan D” for more dialogue, democracy and debate, launched by the European Commission last year, was the main topic discussed at the meeting between the European Commission’s Vice President Margot Wallström and representatives of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), the Young European Federalists (JEF) and the

European Movement International (EMI), taking place on 18 January in Strasbourg.

“2006 will be crucial if the European Union wants to win back the citizens’ confidence. It is imperative that the debate about the future of Europe now starts in national capitals, regions and local communities”, stated the UEF Secretary-General Dr. Friedhelm Frischenschlager. The ‘Plan D’ contained a lot of interesting proposals in this respect, but “now it’s time to take concrete action”, Dr. Frischenschlager said.

According to the UEF, it is of vital importance that civil society is actively involved in informing the public about European integration and in explaining its benefits to ordinary citizens. “Ms. Wallström, you can count on us”, Dr. Frischenschlager said. European Federalists consider themselves to be the Commission’s allies when it comes to promote democracy and dialogue. “We have been campaigning for more transparency and democracy in Europe for the last fifty years and can thus claim a high degree of authenticity and credibility.”

Dr. Frischenschlager added that the Union of European Federalists, together with their partners from the Young European Federalists and the European Movement International, were ready to work with the Commission and its delegations in order to make “Plan D” work and bring Europe closer to the citizens.

Finally, Dr. Frischenschlager reminded, that Europe does not only need more democracy but also “real leadership and a vision for the future of Europe”. “In view of the paralysis after the French and Dutch votes, the EU must not forget about the need for institutional reform - and that is best achieved through a European Constitution!”, the UEF Secretary-General concluded.


Tel: +32 2 508 30 30UEF

214 D Chaussée de Wavre, B-1050 BrusselsTel. +32 2 508 30 30, Fax. +32 2 626 95 01


of 18




UEF and JEF call for local, regional and national governments and European civil society to capitalise on the opportunities of

the DUFF-VOGGENHUBER report

Brussels, 20 January 2006

Today, 20 January, the UEF and JEF sent joint letters to European civil society organisations as well as to local, regional and national parliaments and governments, to draw their attention to the innovations of the so-called DUFF-VOGGENHUBER report. This report, drafted by the Co-rapporteurs of the European Parliament’s (EP) Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Andrew DUFF and Johannes VOGGENHUBER, proposes to organise parliamentary and citizens’ forums in order to ensure a broad public debate about the future of Europe, and the active participation of all stakeholders in the current “period of reflection”.

In their letters, the UEF and JEF Presidents ask NGOs as well as institutions, and authorities to support the report’s propositions. Parliamentarians along with governments were asked to participate actively in the “Parliamentary Forums” and “Citizens’ Forums” and to ensure that the EP’s “European Papers” summarising the debate could be of the best possible quality. Civil society was asked to pressure their parliamentarians and governments to realise these Forums. This would guarantee that European politics as well as the Constitution are truly brought to the people.

“It is of vital importance that the debate about the future of Europe now starts in national capitals, regions and local communities,” explains the President of UEF-Europe Mercedes BRESSO.

These letters followed a JEF and UEF action organised in Strasbourg on the 18th, immediately preceding the plenary debate on the DUFF-VOGGENHUBER report. MEPs, JEF and UEF members, posing as a “Europe

United Courier Service”, moved boxes labeled “European Constitution” in front of the EP building. Passers-by and MEPs were asked to “post” the debate to their home countries.

Johannes VOGGENHUBER and Andrew DUFF helped the Europe United Courier Service. “We are speaking for the Union of the people and not [member] states and bureaucracies… We want to open a European debate … to go further with the ratification, and, if it is not possible, to consider to revise the text and then go back to the people and hold a Europe-wide referendum”, Mr. VOGGENHUBER said.

The UEF and JEF ask all parties in the continued constitutional process to take up their respective responsibilities. It now falls to MEPs, national MPs, regional and local governments and European civil society to act on the proposals outlined in the DUFF-VOGGENHUBER report. UEF and JEF calls on the support of all those who wish to join us in this endeavour.


Tel: +32 2 508 30 30



of 18




9. PRESS REVIEW

Genoa Convention moots idea of referendum and Constitution coming into force through

double majority voting


The first European Citizens' Convention was held in Genoa, Italy, on 3-4 December, organised by the Movimento Federalista Europeo and the Union of European Federalists (UEF) chaired by Mercedes Bresso, President of the Italian Region of Piedmont and former MEP.

The Federalist Intergroups for a European Constitution in the European and Italian Parliaments cooperated with the event. The European Parliament's Co-Rapporteur on the Reflection Period Andrew DUFF (ALDE, UK), Italian MEPs Monica FRASSONI (Verts-ALE), Marta VINCENZI (PSE) and Roberto MUSACCHIO (GUE-NGL) as well Italian MPs Tana de ZULUETA (Senate, Verdi-un) and Valdo SPINI (Chamber of Deputies, DS-Ulivo) addressed the Convention.

It adopted a European Manifesto arguing that at the end of the Cold War, wars are still killing thousands of people, the proliferation of nuclear weapons is continuing, international terrorism is a daily fact of life and calls for international solidarity are unable to cut the gap between rich and poor. Against this backdrop, the EU can make a special contribution to the future of humanity, claims the Manifesto (signed by around 400 people), arguing that the EU is an incomplete project and that democracy, confined within the narrow borders of nation states, is in crisis. The people meeting in Genoa say the EU has to be turned into a community of democratic nations, a European Federation in other words, requiring the adoption of a Constitution recognising peace as the founding value of the EU, encouraging social progress and ensuring every individual's

fundamental rights. The Convention participants decided to meet up again in 2006 in Vienna and Paris. They feel that Member States' governments have the democratic duty to conclude the ratification process for the European Constitution. If the process has not been concluded by the end of next year, the Citizen Convention will call on the European Parliament to relaunch the constitutional process on new foundations by calking for a Constitutional Convention made up of MPs and MEPs to draw up a new Constitution, submitted to a European referendum at the same time as the 2009 European elections. They want the European Constitution to come into force on a double majority vote (of people and governments).

AGENCE EUROPE©

9. CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

Cancelled: UEF Slovenia Conference 11 March: Federal Union event, London:

“The European Constitution: What went wrong and how to put it right?”

1 April: UEF Bureau meeting, Turin 12-14 May: UEF-JEF workshop in Berlin 28-29 June: European Citizens’

Convention, Vienna 30 June-2 July: UEF Congress, Vienna November: European Citizens’

Convention, Paris

***

Please do not hesitate to contact us in case you might have any questions, comments or critiques concerning the UEF Newsletter! We would be happy to hear them in order to improve it!

Please also think about sending us news from your organisations, of which you think that they could be of interest to other federalists in Europe!



of 18




The UEF Newsletter is a free monthly service prepared by the European

Secretariat of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) with the financial

support but not representing the opinions of the European Commission.

Editor: Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLAGER Secretary-General

Newsletter Team: Hanneli EBDING, Leah CHARPENTIER & Atli STANNARD

Contributions: Leah CHARPENTIER, Hanneli EBDING, Christian GLÖCKNER,

Åsa GUNVEN, Richard LAMING,Jan SEIFERT, Joan-Marc SIMON,

Atli STANNARD



of 18

