The European Movement Political Committee ‘More Democracy Citizens’ Right and Freedom’ handles the Movement’s interests across a number of policy interests centred on participatory democracy and promoting European values and unity. Since its last meeting in April, members have been active in a number of different activities, from monitoring policy developments to issuing statements.

With more and more media attention being dedicated to the growing issue of migration and the different routes sought by migrants in entering Europe, political leaders are increasingly being forced to find ways to cope with this influx. The European Commission recently announced that it sought a permanent system of responsibility sharing for asylum seekers between all EU Member States. In response to this the European Movement issued a press statement in which the Committee Co-chairs expressed their support for the initial proposals.

Despite this, in a conflicting move, Hungary took a decidedly different approach to dealing with its own influx of migrants from the overland route via Balkan states, by announcing that it would create a fence on the border with Serbia. In response, both Committee Co-Chairs voiced their strong opposition to ‘tear down this plan’.

In other areas of interest to the Committee, members attended several meetings and hearings in order to keep on top of the latest policy developments. These included a Regional conference on “European Union and Western Balkans: the Basics at the Beginning“, attended by Bernd Hüttemann and hosted by the European Movement in Serbia. The event focused on the stability and integration of the Western Balkans region, with a particular view on its relationship with the European Union. One area of the committee’s work is towards developing the democratic governance and legitimacy of the EU, which includes work done by several European Movement members through their ongoing work in Europe+. Members of the committee also attended events at the European Economic and Social Committee (Civil Society Day) and on developing the European Citizens’ Initiative. At the latter event interventions were made on behalf of committee members from ECAS, and by Sophie Hatzfeldt of Democracy International.

To wrap up a busy couple of months work, the European Movement also published a background briefing on Electoral Reform, an area the Movement has repeatedly suggested would benefit from reform of the electoral law and the rules governing European political parties. The Movement believes that several steps need to be taken to bridge the democratic deficit so often spoken about and to develop our European Democracy. You can read more here.

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The Political Committees of the European Movement International allow the Movement to respond to and develop positions on policy in order to lobby on behalf of its members. You can find out more information here.