European Movement Members' News

EM in the Republic of Macedonia - International Conference on European Integration

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:00:00 +0200

On 15 and 16 of April the European Movement in the Republic of Macedonia organzied the International Conference on the topic European Integration through the Cooperation of the Parliaments, Civil Society and the Independent Regulatory Bodies in South-East Europe.

Parliamentarians, representatives of the national councils of the European Movement and of the independent regulatory bodies from the SEECP participating states took part at the Conference. The debate was divided into three topics: European Integration and Enlargement through the Cooperation of the Parliaments, the Civil Society and the Independent Regulatory Bodies in SEE; Democracy and Human Rights between Legislation and Reality; and The Economic Crisis - A Challenge for Solidarity of Parliaments, the Civil Society and the Independent Regulatory Bodies. The Conference was open for the public and was broadcasted on the Parliamentary TV Channel of the Macedonian Radio and Television.

The conference was organised in the framework of the Macedonian Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).

A joint statement was adopted by the participants. To download the statement, please click here

AEGEE project Europe on Track wins 2013 European Charlemagne Youth Prize

Tue, 07 May 2013 15:55:00 +0200

Europe on Track, a Spanish youth media project, was awarded first prize at the 2013 Charlemagne Youth Prize ceremony on 7 May in Aachen University. The second prize went to the photo contest Discover Europe from Poland and the third to the Youth exchange project "The Story of my Life" from Estonia. The Charlemagne Youth Prize is awarded annually to projects that foster a shared sense of European identity and integration among young people.

The first prize was awarded by EP President Martin Schulz, the second by former EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering and the third by Mayor of Aachen Marcel Philip.

Spain - Europe on Track

EP President Martin Schulz said: "The Spanish project seeks constructive solutions to current problems - the loss of confidence in the EU and the alarmingly high youth unemployment in many Member States.

Europe on Track connects young people throughout Europe both offline and online, giving them the opportunity to express their views and making an original contribution to European integration, especially to the growth of a feeling among young people that 'we are Europe'."

Europe on Track was conceived by members of the European Students' Forum AEGEE-Europe as an answer to the loss of faith in the European idea in the current financial and economic crisis. It aims to capture young people’s vision for Europe in 2020, though photography, videos, interviews and blogs, and to compile a short documentary presenting their opinions.

Europe on Track gives young people a platform to share their ideas and present the faces behind youth policy research and statistical data. In the first, 2012, edition, six ambassadors travelled almost 10,000 km by train in one month, asking more than 400 young people the following questions: Where is Europe heading? How can we sustain our present and preserve our future? What do young people expect from the Europe of tomorrow?

Poland - Discover Europe

In his speech on the runner-up, Discover Europe from Poland, German MEP and former EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering said: "With 'Discover Europe' you have managed to focus youthful creativity and imagination on our united Europe. You recognise the European Union as our home and show that, in the midst of diversity, it is our values that unite us. "

Discover Europe 2013 is the 10th edition of a photo contest which aims to select the best pictures submitted by students from European countries. The main idea of the contest is to show, through photography, the beauty of Europe, its culture, traditions, customs and citizens.

Estonia - The Story of My Life

"The Story of My Life" (Estonia), which won third prize, was initiated to celebrate and support the European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. It brought young people from Estonia, Finland, Austria, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Slovenia and Germany together with active elderly people from two grass-root movements in Estonia.

Awarding the third prize, the Mayor of Aachen, Marcel Philipp, said that the participants "have developed a deeper understanding of cultural differences and also of what people have in common in Europe, and have learned to overcome prejudices - towards other generations and towards other peoples and cultures".

Prize

The three winning projects will receive funding of €5,000, €3,000 and €2,000 respectively. Their representatives will also be invited to visit the European Parliament in the coming months.

Representatives of the 27 projects which took part were invited to the award ceremony on 7 May in Aachen and were awarded a diploma and a medal.

The award ceremony was organised jointly by the European Parliament and the International Charlemagne Prize Foundation. It was hosted by Aachen University.

Welcome speeches were given by EP President Martin Schulz, International Charlemagne Prize Foundation Chairman Michael Jansen and Rector of Aachen University Ernst Schmachtenberg.

Audiovisual material from the ceremony is available on request and will be made available on the website below.

Follow on Twitter: @EUYouthPrize

Follow the event via #ECYP2013

EU’s proposal on application of workers’ rights to free movement: Positive signal from the Commission both expected and needed

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:19:00 +0200

In October 1968, the Member States agreed to allow European workers to enter their territory with a view to working, thus opening up the labour markets in the Member States to all EU citizens. This freedom was complemented by the right to equal treatment, an essential corollary to the right to free movement. On 26 April 2013, the European Commission launched a proposal for a new enforcement directive on measures facilitating the exercise of the rights conferred on workers in the context of the freedom of movement of workers. The proposal aims to make it easier for people to exercise their rights in practice, to overcome any obstacles and to help prevent discrimination against workers on the basis of nationality.

“This proposal by the Commission was both expected and needed, all the more given the increase in serious problems linked to discrimination and unequal treatment in Europe notably as a result of the application of transitional measures for the new Member States as well as and the increasing xenophobia in more and more Member States” stated Luca Visentini, ETUC Confederal Secretary.

The ETUC agrees with the analysis of the issue as presented in the proposal as well as with the ways for improving the situation and above all ensuring the enforcement of workers’ rights to free movement.

Veronica Nilson, ETUC Confederal Secretary, added “This is particularly true concerning the key role of the social partners in fighting discrimination and unequal treatment. The social partners must be included and respected in all such activities. It is thus extremely important to strengthen the coordination between social partners’ activities and bodies and the existing as well as future bodies set up by Member States on the basis of the proposed directive with the aim of providing assistance and information”.

The ETUC reaffirms that free movement and fair mobility are among its top political priorities and that furthermore all four fundamental freedoms of the common market (movement of goods, services, capital and people) should be given equal importance since, in practice, many obstacles still hamper to the free movement of workers.

The ETUC believes that any discussion of mobility for EU citizens must not lose sight of the following aspects: statutory and additional social security, taxation, the recognition of qualifications, access to employment and the conditions of employment.

Finally, on the eve of the EU’s latest enlargement, the ETUC reaffirms its opposition to the application of the third phase of temporary measures against the free movement of workers from Romania and Bulgaria. The ETUC calls on EU Member States to refrain from applying any kind of temporary measures blocking or limiting free movement of Croatian workers within the European Union.

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Proposition de l’UE sur l’application du droit de libre-circulation des travailleurs : un signal positif, à la fois attendu et nécessaire de la part de la Commission

En octobre 1968, les États membres se sont accordés pour permettre aux travailleurs européens d’entrer sur leur territoire dans le but d’y travailler, ouvrant ainsi le marché du travail des États membres à tous les citoyens de l’UE. Cette liberté s’accompagnait du droit à l’égalité de traitement, corollaire essentiel du droit à la libre circulation. Le 26 avril 2013, la Commission européenne a lancé une proposition pour une nouvelle directive d’application portant sur des mesures facilitant l’exercice des droits conférés aux travailleurs dans le contexte de la libre circulation des travailleurs. La proposition vise à faciliter l’exercice de ces droits pour les personnes, à lever tout obstacle et à contribuer à prévenir toute discrimination à l’égard des travailleurs sur base de leur nationalité.

« Cette proposition de la Commission était à la fois attendue et nécessaire, vu l’aggravation des problèmes liés à la discrimination et à l’inégalité de traitement en Europe découlant notamment de l’application de mesures transitoires pour les nouveaux États membres et la montée de la xénophobie dans un nombre croissant de pays », a déclaré Luca Visentini, Secrétaire confédéral de la CES.

La Confédération européenne des syndicats (CES) partage l’analyse de la question présentée dans la proposition ainsi que les moyens proposés pour améliorer la situation et, avant tout, garantir l’application des droits des travailleurs à la libre circulation.

Veronica Nilsson, Secrétaire confédérale de la CES, ajoute : « Ceci est particulièrement vrai s’agissant du rôle clé des partenaires sociaux dans la lutte contre la discrimination et l’inégalité de traitement. Les partenaires sociaux doivent être impliqués et respectés dans toutes ces activités. Il est donc extrêmement important de renforcer la coordination entre les activités et les organes relevant des partenaires sociaux et les organes existants et futurs mis en place par les États membres sur base du projet de directive en vue d’apporter assistance et information ».

La CES réaffirme que la liberté de circulation et mobilité sont parmi ses priorités politiques majeures et, en outre, qu’une égale importance doit être donnée à chacune des quatre libertés fondamentales (libre circulation des marchandises, des services, des capitaux et des personnes) car, dans la pratique, de nombreux obstacles entravent encore la libre circulation des travailleurs.

La CES pense que toute discussion sur la mobilité des citoyens de l’UE doit tenir compte des aspects suivants : sécurité sociale légale et complémentaire, fiscalité, reconnaissance des qualifications, accès à l’emploi et conditions de travail.

Enfin, à la veille du prochain élargissement de l’UE, la CES réaffirme son opposition à l’application de la troisième phase des mesures transitoires contre la libre circulation des travailleurs de Roumanie et de Bulgarie. La CES appelle les États membres à s’abstenir de toute mesure transitoire visant à bloquer ou à limiter la liberté de circulation de travailleurs croates à l’intérieur de l’Union européenne.

Southern Caucasus Liberals gather in Istanbul

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:03:00 +0200

ALDE Party President Sir Graham Watson delivered a keynote speech on the “conditions of freedom, peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus” at a high level conference in Istanbul, Turkey. The conference was organised by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in cooperation with its partners from the South Caucasus, Turkey and Russia, gathered liberal leaders from these countries to discuss numerous issues crucial for further political, economic and social developments.

In his speech ALDE Party President Sir Graham Watson saluted liberal parties in the region for the important changes they helped kicking off, particularly in the past year, reaffirming the principles of liberalism and liberty.

“The principles of liberty have been trampled underfoot too often, occasionally by democratically elected leaders in the EU and often by authoritarian leaders in the Southern Caucasus,” he said.“Yet, as Napoleon observed, there are only two forces in the world, the sabre and the spirit; and in the end the human spirit is the more powerful. Liberals have always been the watchdogs of democratic values on the European continent. Liberals give priority to the sustainable development of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the partner countries.”

The speech delivered by Sir Graham can be read here.

„Constructive pressure from outside helps to tackle touchy issues“: Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President of the EU-Commission on tour in Berlin

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:26:00 +0200

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) could be more user friendly but with 14 registered ECIs being in the loop it got off to a good start: That’s how the Vice-President of the EU-Commission Maroš Šefčovič summed up the first year since ECI was launched in April 2012. Before meeting the Bundestag’s EU-Affairs Committee, Šefčovič gave a brief survey about current issues at European House near Brandenburg Gate.

In an open atmosphere, Šefčovič gave an exclusive talk to a small circle of representatives from media and PR departments from EM Germany’s member organizations. Hosted by the Representation of the EU Commission in Germany and EM Germany, his tour d’horizon started with the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). Of 26 proposed intitiatives, 14 are currently ongoing with signatures being collected. Šefčovič admitted that there were some technical problems at the beginning and that there are some lessons to be learned after the first cycle will be completed in November: User friendliness and data protection needed to be balanced, Šefčovič said, but emphasized the potential of the ECI: “This could be the first Europe wide e-democracy instrument for consulting the citizens.” An ideal would be an easy e-ID-based opportunity for every EU citizen to politically participate: „Be one click away from the decision makers”, Šefčovič put his vision into a nutshell.

Another issue was the European Semester: End of May the EU Commission will issue the third Country Specific Recommendations (CSR) which Maroš Šefčovič considers an effective tool for reforms on a national level. „Constructive pressure from outside helps to tackle touchy issues”, Šefčovič said.

The former Slovak diplomat’s enthusiasm for the European project could be felt when he shared his childhood experience of cycling next to the Iron Curtain near Bratislava ever so often: “We thought this border would never disappear and we had this famous joke about it: Father and son in front of the Iron Curtain, the son asks: ,Who is behind the bars?’ – And the answer is: ,We are, my son!’ For most of my fellow countrymen being a EU-member is still like a dream come true”, Šefčovič said and called the Europeans to “global responsibility” concerning crisis management in the financial crisis: “We are responsible for the 2nd most important currency in the world – and sometimes you have to pay for it.”

EM UK - Britain's future belongs in the EU

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:33:00 +0200

The Prime Minister's speech at the end of January has created a sense of uncertainty and insecurity among those that believe in Britain's membership of the EU. Many, both within the UK but also among our European and global partners, have expressed concern about the possibility of Britain exiting the EU, as the PM raised it in his speech.

But irrespectively of the reasons behind the PM's attitude towards the EU and his ability to deliver what he promised in January, his speech has focused public attention and forced front-line politicians and business with pro-European sentiments to come out and join organisations like the European Movement in defending Britain’s membership of the EU.

The public’s attitude is also changing. After decades of anti-EU bias in the political discourse and across the tabloid press, the British people only had the opportunity to listen to the euromyth-infused anti-EU arguments. As a result their perception of the EU membership is one-dimensional. But as the coalition in favour of EU membership enlarges and the advantages of membership are finally articulated, public opinion is shifting. There is still a lot to play for of course, but with mainstream politicians, business, the trade unions, the US, global investors and Britain's European partners advising against EU exit, public opinion is finally acquainted with what it really means to be a member of the EU and what are the dangers of a potential exit.

It is imperative that pro-Europeans in the UK explain what the real benefits of EU membership are, in an effort to counter-balance the negative image projected by the tabloid press, UKIP and some Conservative MPs and even Ministers. At the same time we must build bridges with other EU states and ensure they do not allow Britain to slide towards the EU exit. An organisation like the European Movement, which as part of a wide, pan-European network of organisations, has played a pivotal role in the process of European integration in the past 60 years, has an important role to play in this sense.

In my contact with politicians across the EU I can see first-hand that Britain still commands respect among European nations. So a British government, which is prepared to constructively engage with its EU partners and work towards strengthening the Union, deepening the Single Market, improving the way it works and enhancing the EU's global reach, will be able to help shape the future of the European Union.

What is important to understand is that the process of European integration is not a zero-sum game, where nations compete against each other for the preservation of the national interest. On the contrary, the EU is a consensus-based organisation, founded on the principle of compromise and the pursuit of the common interest. A British government which is prepared to engage in those terms will find it much easier to promote its own priorities, which are intimately linked to the interests of the European Union as a whole. The creation of the Single Market and the enlargement process are two prime examples of Britain working with its EU partners and succeeding in materialising two of the most ambitious and successful undertakings in the EU's history.

It is easy to detract why a British exit from the EU will have undesirable consequences. Britain will lose massively in economic terms. With over 40% of our trade going to the EU and about 50% of FDI emanating from our continental neighbours, leaving the EU will have negative effects on the country's economic well-being. Britain's ability to be part of big trade deals will also be reduced. Negotiating as a member of a 500 million strong market, an economy worth €12 trillion, offers all member states a competitive advantage; collective bargaining strengthens our hand. The same applies to other global agreements, not least on environmental and climate change negotiations.

Furthermore, Britain and its EU partners increase their reach in foreign policy terms when speaking with one voice, enhancing their ability to promote European values across the world, especially in places that suffer under the rule of dictators with sinister intentions.

Also, EU membership offers economies of scale when it comes to defence expenditure at a time of austerity, when defence budgets are under pressure. We can share the burden of security by working together, like in the case of fighting piracy off the east coast of Africa, where the EU mission has been successful in protecting the lives of EU citizens and European commercial interests.

Leaving the EU will not enhance Britain’s sovereignty. It will shrink it. At an age of continent-sized powers, with global ambitions, European nations are better off working together, pooling resources, joining forces in the pursuit of common interests. Britain alone, adrift in the Atlantic, squeezed between the US, the EU, China, Brazil, India and other global powers will be relegated to a bystander of world events, unable to shape history and influence its own destiny.

Now more than even membership of a strong, confident, effective, outward looking European Union should be an absolute priority for all European nations. Playing games with something so important is dangerous and short-sighted.

by Charles Kennedy MP, President of the European Movement UK

The European Movement UK is Britain’s longest standing pro-European organization, campaigning for decades to inform the debate around the benefits of EU membership.

We are a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization, funded exclusively by our members. Visit www.euromove.org.uk to see how you can join us and help keep Britain in the EU.

Erasmus Student Network (ESN) joins the European Movement International

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:06:00 +0100

ESN is proud to be accepted as a full member of the European Movement International. The European Movement is an international organisation open to all political, economic, social and cultural trends in civil society. Its objective is to "contribute to the establishment of a united, federal Europe founded on the principles of peace, democracy, liberty, solidarity, and respect for basic human rights. It seeks to provide a structure to encourage and facilitate the active participation of citizens and civil society organisations in the development of a united Europe". Its 42 National Councils and 32 associated Member Organisations work towards bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises, trade unions and individual lobbyists. The European Movement has a very rich history involving very high level political figures crucial for European integration such as Walter Hallstein and Robert Schuman.

ESN is very much looking forward to working with the European Movement on the international level and also encourages national levels to seek ties with the respective European Movements on the national level. Our main aim is to be a strong voice for international student mobility in the European Movement and at the same time gain access to important decision makers that will shape the future of mobility and international education in Europe.

More information can be found at http://esn.org/

College of Europe - Invitation: Bruges European Business Conference “Europe as a Location for Industry and Innovation”, 23 April 2013

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:56:00 +0100

The College of Europe is pleased to invite you to the fourth Bruges European Business Conference “Europe as a Location for Industry and Innovation”, to be held at the College campus in Bruges (Dijver 11) on Tuesday 23 April 2013. The purpose of the conference is to explore the themes of competitiveness and innovation and how Europe can become a more attractive location for manufacturers.

The programme features a high-level plenary session with European Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, Minister-President of the Flemish region, Kris Peeters (tbc) and Adrian van den Hoven, Deputy Director General and Director for Industrial and International Affairs, BusinessEurope as well as expert contributions from the author of Deloitte’s 2013 Global Manufacturing Competitiveness report, Craig Giffi and Commission representative presenting EU Competitiveness report, Dr. Neil Kay (DG ENTR).

In the afternoon, three sectorial workshops devoted to the chemical, automotive and pharmaceutical industries allow for an in-depth, focused dialogue on business issues between practitioners, experts and Commission representatives. The conference is free of charge. The programme with more information is available on the conference website.

You can register via the following link:

http://www.coleurope.eu/businessconference

For queries, please contact Joanna Kulpa (Academic Assistant at the College of Europe) on +32-50-47.72.25 or joanna.kulpa@coleurope.eu.

Europe’s youth demands freedom in Belarus

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:07:00 +0100

On 18 March 2013, the Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe) will organise for the 8th edition their pan-European "Free Belarus Action" in numerous European cities to decry Europe’s last dictatorship and to show support for the suppressed Belarusian people lacking even basic human rights taken for granted by Europeans elsewhere today. In 2012, almost 100 cities all over the globe and various organisations joined JEF’s call for more freedom in Belarus.

JEF-Europe is convinced that values such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and association, freedom of press, minority rights and other basic human rights are key achievements of Mankind, building the corner stones of every peaceful and prosperous society. Those values are commonly accepted in Europe as our common values and codified by the Council of Europe. Hence, it is absolutely unacceptable for Europe to tolerate Mr. Lukashenka’s nasty dictatorship which deprives its own citizens from enjoying even basic freedoms taken for granted by Europeans elsewhere today.

Since 2006, JEF-Europe has spearheaded a broad coalition of civil society organisations aiming to raise awareness of the undemocratic regime in Belarus and the EU's ambiguous and hypocritical approach towards it. JEF members and other human rights activists recall the need to break the deafening silence that is imposed on Belarusian civilians by Lukashenka's regime by symbolically gagging prominent statues and putting megaphones in front of them in a pan-European action. This way we show the world that silence – either of Belarusian civilians silenced by Lukashenka’s illegitimate security forces, or EU politicians refusing to speak up on the situation in Belarus – simply cannot be tolerated anymore.

JEF-Europe therefore, organises its 8th pan-European “Free Belarus Action” in numerous European cities to denounce Europe’s last dictatorship and to demand more freedom for the people in Belarus on 18 March 2013. “Outside of the focus of the mass media human rights violations in Belarus are a sad reality on our doorstep: opposition activists have been consistently silenced and jailed, large civil protests after the 2010 presidential elections have been brutally dissolved by the police, independent media is been suppressed, internet users are frequently reported by their service providers for visiting opposition websites – and despite all this, the European Union and its member states remain still silent to express a clear and common attitude on Belarus,” deplores JEF-Europe President Pauline Gessant.

“Recalling EU ambassadors from Minsk and expanding the black list of sanctions have abysmally failed to deliver the intended change in behaviour. The EU now needs a tougher and more united stance towards Lukashenka’s regime. Further travel and visa restrictions against high officials as well as restrictive measures such as the freezing of assets must be considered by the European Union. Belarus is the crucial test case whether the future foreign policy of the European Union will be indeed by guided by European values or whether this claim just serves PR purposes,” further explains Gessant.

“The European Union has committed itself to the promotion of peace, democracy and human rights among its member states as well as with other states. Therefore, it cannot ignore the persistent violations of these crucial principles in its immediate vicinity. Human rights violations in Belarus are a concern for all Europeans as they basically happen next door! With regards to the so far unsuccessful attempts to rein in Alexander Lukashenka, JEF calls for a more articulate stance against his authoritarian regime and for the EU not to forget the Belarusian people – they are Europeans as much as any citizen of the Union!” concludes Radoslava Šeráková, Free Belarus Action coordinator.

JEF emphasizes that choosing silence instead of speaking up is intolerable and calls on Europe to stand up for the defence of freedom, democracy and human rights in Belarus. On 18 March, JEF will once again speak up with its street actions and invite European politicians and people all over the world to join us in a global call for freedom, democracy and humanity in Belarus.

Details on the 8th Pan-European Street Action for a Free and Democratic Belarus!

Who: JEF-Europe (Young European Federalists) and partners

What: Organising flash mobs, conferences, debates, street actions, press conferences and sending personal messages written on banners to Belarus

Where: Simultaneously in cities across Europe and the world

When: 18th March 2013 - the anniversary of Lukashenka’s condemned election victory in 2006

Why: Ever since coming to the power in 1994 the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenka, oppressed the freedom of his people and ignored their voices. JEF believes that a united Europe can be achieved only if all people in Europe become united in their action and support each other. Freedom is a key foundation of a just and democratic Europe and we, as Europeans, cannot leave the Belarusian citizens behind!

How: By collecting the actions’ photos from young people all over Europe and putting them on the JEF blog within few hours from the action, we make an important statement that will be heard loud and clear by the EU institutions and officials, the dictatorial regime and the citizens of Belarus.

More information on www.free-belarus.eu

[ENDS]

PRESS CONTACTS:

Pauline Gessant, JEF Europe President, president(at)jef.eu, +33 683 116 009

Radoslava Šeráková, Free Belarus Action Coordinator, radoslava.serakova(at)jef.eu

Italian-German Dialogue on the Future of the EU Asks for Democratic Reforms and Revisions of Treaties

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 17:20:00 +0100

Forty Italian and German representatives from politics, business and civil society have developed a roadmap for a more democratic EU, enabling it to face economic and social challenges. The proposals that emerged are: support to a real banking union; enlargement of the Eurozone; direct election of the EC President; a Convention to be called by the EP in 2014 for the revision of the treaties.

The Italian-German Dialogue, held in the Quirinal Palace in Rome on 1-2 March, even received a message from the Italian President of the Republic. President Giorgio Napolitano, upon returning from his visit to Germany, underlined the importance of Italian-German common initiatives for the European project and warned not to bring out the old stereotypes about relations between the two countries.

Presidents of the Italian and German European Movements, Dr. Virgilio Dastoli and Dr. Rainer Wend, highlighted two important Italian-German initiatives of the past: in 1981, the Genscher-Colombo plan spurred the creation of the EU in Maastricht; and, in 2000, the Amato-Schroeder project gave rise to the Laeken Declaration. Jo Leinen, President of EMI, agreed with the previous statements and announced a brainstorming session with all EMI members to prepare the next steps. Among others, Giuliano Amato, Rainer Wieland, Gianni Pittella, Elmar Brok, Emma Bonino and Monika Wulf-Mathies attended the meeting.

For further details, please click on the links:

http://movimentoeuropeo.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=270:iniziativa-di-dialogo-italo-tedesco-sul-futuro-dellue-si-esprime-a-favore-di-rapide-riforme-democratiche-e-per-la-convocazione-di-una-convenzione&catid=1:ultime&Itemid=59

http://www.netzwerk-ebd.de/news/demokratische-reformen-fuer-europa-deutsch-italienischer-zukunftsdialog-fordert-eu-konvent-fuer-ein/