At its meeting in Warsaw (25-26 November), the Federal Assembly of the European Movement International (EMI) elected a new leadership and adopted resolutions for a more united and stronger Europe. Created in 1948, and now with more than 70 member organisations in more than 40 European countries, the EMI is the oldest and largest pro-European organisation in civil society.

The Chairman of the Environment Committee in the European Parliament, Jo Leinen, succeeds the former Parliament President Pat Cox as new President of EMI for the next 3 years. The 6 Vice-Presidents and the 12 board members elected come from international and national affiliations in EMI (1).

“Europe is in a deep crisis and risks new splits”, warned President Jo Leinen. “We should not allow falling back in old prejudices and egoisms”. The EMI will therefore mobilize political and social forces to fight re-nationalisation and euroscepticism and will push for the next steps of European integration.

The Federal Assembly asked for a new Convention to prepare an “Economic and Fiscal Union” and urged the European Parliament to make concrete proposals.

In the perspective of the next elections to the European Parliament in 2014, the EMI asks for a more European electoral system with the introduction of transnational European lists. The European Political Parties should nominate top candidates who stand for the Presidency of the European Commission.

European Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski addressed the EMI Assembly on the topic “New budget resources and the Multiannual Financial Framework perspective”. The Federal Assembly supported in a resolution the demand for own resources to finance the EU, in order to replace the unfair and intransparent current system of national contributions. EMI supports the demand for a sufficient Multiannual Financial Framework to fulfill the new tasks given by the Lisbon Treaty, especially in Foreign Policy but also in Justice and Home Affairs.

“The new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) will be used by the EMI and its member organisations to mobilize public opinion for a more united Europe“, stated Jo Leinen.

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(1) Vice-Presidents: Jessica Chamba, Olivier Hinnekens, Christof-Sebastian Klitz, Ksenija Milenkovic, Bernadette Ségol, Róza von Thun und Hohenstein.

Board Members: Michalis Angelopoulos, Erik Boel, Daniel Correa, Bernd Hüttemann, Pauline Gessant, Antonio Moreira, Natasa Owens, Eve Pakkanen, Christodoulos Pelaghias, Federica Sabbati, Frédéric Vallier, Christian Wenning.

[ENDS]

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Editor’s Note: The European Movement is an international organisation open to all political, economic, social and cultural trends in civil society.

For more information, please contact the secretariat: +32 (0)2 508 30 85, email: communication(at)europeanmovement.eu