European Federalists welcome adoption of
EP reports to deepen EU integration

Press Statement
Brussels, 16 February 2017

The Union of European Federalists welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament of three important reports calling for more integration in the European Union. Every single day is essential to re-gain people’s trust in Europe, re-build vision and re-launch Europe’s unity. Today, the European Parliament moves in that direction and shows the right way to the national governments.

The report on “Improving the functioning of the EU building on the potential of the Lisbon Treaty”, prepared by MEPs Elmar Brok and Mercedes Bresso, shows that the Lisbon Treaty offers instruments that can be used with no delay to deepen the Economic and Monetary Union, increase the effectiveness of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and make the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice more fit for today’s challenges. The adopted text indicates also ways to improve the effectiveness of Council’s decision making, by extending the use of qualified majority voting, and to guarantee its transparency by holding its meetings in public.

The report on “possible evolutions and adjustments of the current institutional set up of the EU”, prepared by MEP Guy Verhofstadt, outlines proposals for deep reforms of the EU’s institutional architecture, going also beyond the Treaty of Lisbon. It calls for a real European Government, a genuine EU budget and for the creation of a European defence union.

The report on “Budgetary Capacity for the Euro area”, prepared by MEPs Pervenche Berès and Reimer Böge, makes a strong call for the creation of a budget of the Eurozone, aiming at providing finally the monetary union with economic policy tools. The European Parliament is now taking a strong stance in support of the full completion and parliamentarisation of the Economic and Monetary Union.

Mr Elmar Brok, President of the Union of European Federalists, stated: “Today the Parliament shows that it has a clear vision on how to move towards more and better Europe that delivers what European citizens expect: from economic stability and growth, to internal and external security threats as well as better and more transparent decision making”.

The 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March 2017 is the right occasion to start a process, involving also national parliaments and civil society; on that day, the Union of European Federalists is co-organising, together with other pro-European organisations, an open “March for Europe”, expected to be attended by thousands of European citizens coming from across the continent calling for a relaunch of European political unity. Against walls, divisions and nationalism.