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For this year's elections to the European Parliament, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) together with the association Jean Monnet, the Spinelli Group, the Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe) and Guy Verhofstadt MEP, former Belgian Prime Minister, published a manifesto to revive the Action Committee of Jean Monnet for the United States of Europe. I wrote about the origins and background of this action committee in my book “Europe is for everyone!“Written something. And also the European letter was already a topic here in the blog.
The current European Letter N° 79 | May 2024 will be dedicated to disseminating the above manifesto. This manifesto Any citizen can sign. My better half and I are already among the signatories.
European Letter N° 79 | May 2024
The stakes in the European elections from June 6th to 9th
The European elections in June 2024 will be of exceptional importance for the European Union and its citizens. Our future is at stake. In the world we are witnessing the comeback of imperial powers, we are facing a war on our continent and the threat of its expansion, while democracy is under attack; and at the same time we must face the challenge of artificial intelligence, climate change, large migration flows and increasing inequalities. In this context, the sovereignty of European states and their ability to act independently are as meaningless as ever.In the face of such a profound change in the political history of our continent and such dramatic risks that threaten our society, we, the undersigned, feel the duty, the people who believe that the solution lies in a European federal state, as set out in the Ventotene Manifesto, the resolutions of the Hague Congress, where the International European Movement was born, and the Schuman Declaration, to unite in a recognizable network. Almost 70 years after the founding of the Action Committee for a United States of Europe Jean Monnet We would like to draw on its experience and lessons to revive it, and for this reason we are making this appeal to citizens and parties before the elections to renew the European Parliament.
Participation. First of all, we would like to remind citizens of the importance of their vote in the European elections in June. Democracy works and thrives thanks to citizen participation and is based on the legitimacy and trust that citizens place in institutions. Participation in voting is the first and fundamental act in this regard. If we are to rely on the European Union to protect our military, economic and social security - because these are areas where we must act together and where individual states are now powerless - it is crucial that consensus and the will of the citizens is expressed in the elections.
Pro-European election. The choice expressed in the vote is equally important. Some political forces see the cause of our problems in Europe and are calling for its breakup in order to give states more freedom. But free for what? Simply to fight each other, to fight each other on the basis of trying to advance their national interests. In this way, would we be stronger and able to face the challenges ahead? Parties that want to weaken the European Union confuse selfishness with freedom, which, however, is exercised where institutions guarantee it, respecting the interests of all and promoting the common good and solidarity. For this reason, it is important to understand that extremist parties endanger not only the European Union, but also the European peoples and each of us individually; and instead support those political parties that are committed to building a more united European Union, more capable of acting and protecting its citizens.
A pan-European debate. Pro-European political forces must be able to talk to citizens about European challenges and solutions. We therefore call on them to lead a European debate so that voters understand the transnational dimension of the challenges, develop an awareness of a common destiny and also recognize the potential of a stronger Europe in which culture and creativity play a more important role.
Towards the United States of Europe. Pro-European political families have supported the European Parliament's project to amend the Treaties in November 2023, drawn up under the leadership and program of the Spinelli Group, in line with the demands of citizens expressed during the Conference on the Future of Europe were expressed. Consequently, these political forces have also included in their electoral manifestos the reform of the Treaties, which is essential for progress towards a federal Europe.
We therefore call on the newly formed pro-European parliamentary groups after the European elections to make the election of the President of the Commission and his colleagues conditional on support for the launch of a convention on federal treaty reform.
We also call on the European Council on 27 and 28 June 2024 to respond quickly to the European Parliament's proposal, in accordance with Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union, and to agree to the organization of a Constituent Assembly. This is absolutely necessary to provide the European Union with the competencies, including defence, resources and institutional and decision-making mechanisms required to act authoritatively and effectively internally and externally and to protect the values and interests of Europe and its citizens .
Most of the solutions to our concerns and many of our hopes will be decided in the European vote on June 6-9, 2024. Everyone should clearly feel this responsibility and understand the importance of the missions. Now, as in 1941 and 1950, our creative efforts must meet the challenges and dangers facing Europe and the world.
Brussels, May 7, 2024
PROMOTER
Domenec Ruiz Devesa MEP
President of the Union of European Federalists
Philippe Laurette
President of the association Jean Monnet
Miguel Angel Martin Ramos
Vice President of the association Jean Monnet
Sandro Gozi MEP
Chairman of the Spinelli Group
Christelle Savall
President of the Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe)
Guy Verhofstadt MEP
Former Prime Minister of Belgium
You can access the call at the following Link sign.
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