It is with a deep sense of sadness and loss that we have learned of the tragic death yesterday of Professor Bronislaw Geremek in a car accident in Poland. On behalf of the European Movement International I would like to express our sincere condolences to his family and his many friends and colleagues.

Bronislaw Geremek through his courageous embrace of Solidarnosc was one of the architects of the emergence of Poland from communism. As a convinced European he was a co-founder and a board member of the European Movement in Poland. As a parliamentary deputy and as Foreign Minister he helped to pave the way for Poland?s accession to the European Union.  As an MEP he represented Poland in the EU with a true sense of public service and public purpose.

He was a respected and exceptional human being, a man of moral courage, deep integrity, clear values and powerful intellect but possessed also of a quiet and serene personal dignity. As someone who came to know him in the past decade I mourn the passing of a good friend, one from whom I took much inspiration and not a little learning. May he rest in peace. 

Pat Cox
President of the European Movement

This Friday morning at the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague, Mr Pat Cox, President of the European Movement opened the celebrations for the sixtieth anniversary of the Congress of Europe. This event commemorating a fundamental moment in the process of European integration is resolutely facing into the future with the participation of some 500 delegates of organisations representing civil society, drawn from over forty different countries and invited to find « 60 ideas for Europe ».

Classes in European civic education in schools and banking on ?education from kindergarten onwards to create a sense of belonging? to the European Union: this is just one of the sixty ideas brainstormed by the European Movement at the sixtieth anniversary celebrations of the Congress of Europe.

During Saturday?s plenary session at the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague, in the presence of the Crown Prince of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander, the representatives of the European institutions were informed of the twenty ideas that had been selected by each of the three workshops on Friday afternoon. The ?Political Europe? workshop focused above all on the need to fight climate change; to give a voice to the EU on the international stage, particularly at the UN ; and to protect citizen?s rights in the framework of an energised European democracy. In ?Economic and Social? Europe, participants were more concerned with well-being than with economic growth and asked for an increased role for women in the economy in order to stimulate innovation. In response to concerns about the rise in immigration, several participants asked that the EU provide aid to countries of origin to contain the migration flux. As regards ?Education and Cultural Europe? the emphasis was on highlighting Europe in the school curricula in order that the idea of belonging to a European agglomerate might be inculcated early on. A few people also insisted on the development of a European heritage listing and for Europe to develop a presence on television, as local TV stations have an important role to play in this question. 

"We cannot look towards the future until we are aware of everything that has been accomplished" expounded the President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, at the opening of the political debate moderated by the EMI President Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament and also former journalist. "We must thank all those who, sixty years ago, launched the concept and the ideas that have allowed us to reach today?s unity" declared Janez Jansa for his part, which allowed the acting President of the European Council to remind the audience that at the time of the original Congress, Europe was divided by the 'Iron Curtain'. As for José Manuel Barroso, he underlined that he had been a member of the European Movement for several years and quoted one of the protagonists of the 1948 Congress, the Swiss thinker Denis de Rougemont, as saying that Europe should find ?unity in diversity?. The President of the Commission noted that we could also add that Europe should have an "identity but that it should not be homogenous".  President Barroso declared himself to be resolutely ?optimistic? for the future insofar as ?there is no other region in the world where there is so much transnational cooperation? in the framework of a 'community of values' that is not restricted to an economic market.

European parties must get the European message to the European public, said Mr Pat Cox, speaking at the European Parliament today, and it is to be hoped that the Congress of Europe will facilitate the realization of this aim.

Mr Cox was speaking at a joint conference with President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering. Presenting the programme of the 60th anniversary of the Congress of Europe, taking place in the Hague on the 23rd and 24th of May, Mr Cox focused on the importance of 'putting Europe into the European elections' and revitalizing the European integration process through a public consultation.

The Congress of Europe will comprise a European Civil Society Forum, during which over 300 ideas for the future of Europe will be debated and discussed, before being commented by the presidents of the European institutions. On the Saturday, May 24th, debates will be organized with the European leaders, including the leaders of the European political parties, who will debate in this fashion for the first time ever. These debates, during which leaders will be questioned on the proposals made during Friday's workshop sessions, will also be televised live across Europe and on the internet thanks to the cooperation of EBS.

During questions, Mr Pöttering agreed that although Europe has made extraordinary progress since 1948, "[we can] always strive for a more united Europe", and that although European countries are different socially and economically, they can find ways to come together. The Congress of Europe should serve as a means to inspire the leaders of Europe to take positive steps in this regard in the lead up to the European elections.

More details on the Congress can be found at www.thehague2008.eu and registration for the Congress is still open.

For press dossiers on the event, and contacts for interviews during the Congress, email communication @ europeanmovement.eu

At a debate on the Commission's Third Liberalisation Package yesterday, both industry and institution representatives agreed that there was a need for further liberalisation of the market, and for an independent agency which should provide cross-border regulatory oversight of the implementation.

The European Movement would like to inform you that in the context of the 60th anniversary of the Congress of Europe a public consultation of European citizens has been launched via a  blog space.

The original call for contributions, which we would kindly ask you to promote, has now been launched and can be viewed here.

The European Movement now invites citizens to participate and spread the word.

The 60th anniversary of the Congress of Europe, which will be organized in The Hague the 23rd and 24th May 2008, will be the culmination of the consultation phase. On this occasion, the Presidents of the European Institutions and the leaders of the main European political parties will address citizens' recommendations on the future of Europe.

For further information on the blog and the Congress of Europe, contact us!

Communicating Europe Together

For national communications strategies on Europe

Following their meeting on Saturday December 15th 2007, The Federal Council of the European Movement appeals to member state governments to ensure a more active communications strategy on European issues, with a particular emphasis on effective communications with civil society actors.

Four crucial areas have been identified in which improvements can be made, and the European Movement is dedicated to pursuing these objectives:

1. The need for new communication on Europe
2. The need for strong support to "Communicating Europe in Partnership, the European Commission's Communication of this October.
3. The need for coordinated communications during the 2009 European elections.
4.The need for clear national communication strategies dealing with the EU in member states

The European Movement Internationalon the occasion of its Federal Council:

Welcomes the solemn proclamation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights on 12 December and the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon on 13 December;

Urges all member states to complete their ratification procedures as quickly as possible;

Looks forward to a European Union, thus reformed, with an enhanced capacity to act at home and abroad, stronger citizenship and more robust parliamentary democracy;

Warns the European political parties that the next European elections in 2009 might be used, as has happened in the past, for national politics, neglecting the opportunity for an in-depth discussion of the construction of a democratic Europe;

Believes that the European political parties have sufficient power in the European Parliament to make the European elections the starting point for a more democratic Europe, capable of acting;

Requests

- that the European political parties include in their manifestos the possibility of choosing candidates according to transnational lists, thereby strengthening the European public sphere;

- that the European political parties present candidates for the available EU posts before the next European elections, announcing to voters that they entrust the new European Commission with the responsibility of implementing their electoral programme.

The Portuguese Presidency should open the Ministerial sessions of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC).

The next IGC will be opened on the 23rd July and the European Movement International (EMI) appeals on the Portuguese Presidency, the EU governments, the European Parliament and the Commission to open its Ministerial sessions.

"We know that the purely legalistic and technical sessions of lawyers, do not necessarily need to be monitored by the public. But the most political debates during the IGC, where crucial decisions are taken, need public scrutiny," said Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement.

"This would help media and the general public to understand what these negotiations are about. It would disclose the real positions of the various governments and help end the speculations."

"It would be a good start for the Portuguese Presidency and would add legitimacy to the process that, compared to the European Convention, loses on the involvement of parliaments, civil society and openness," concluded Pat Cox.

ENDS

---

The full text of the EMI’s position on the Reform Treaty and the IGC is available here (PDF)

Brussels, 12th June 2007, for immediate release

Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement International (EMI), speaking also on behalf of Notre Europe, Deutsche Gesellschaft and European House Hungary, resumed at today’s press conference the results of several Plan D projects:

"Citizens are are not especially interested in the car engine but rather are more focused on its ability to travel to the desired policy destinations. In short, they are results and not process oriented."

"We call upon the EU Heads of State and Government to avoid a low-level compromise that would significantly dilute the existing Constitutional text. We believe that it is essential to design the new European Union fit for our times and capable of fulfilling the expectations of its citizens," Cox appealed to the EU leaders meeting next week.

"The political leaders need to regain citizens' trust and confidence in the European project and show they care about citizens' involvement in the decision-making machine. In terms of energy to act on what the Summit must do is to refuel and not dilute the Union’s prospects," concluded Cox.

Mrs Margot Wallström, the Vice-President of the European Commission, followed with her wish that "the Plan D extends well beyond the 2007" and that "we continue with the setting up an infrastructure for such debates in the future."

Mr Jo Leinen, the Chairman of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the EP, strongly emphasized the need to respond to the wish of the citizens "for more Europe, in the area of environment, energy and much more."

"The democratic improvements of the Constitution should not be watered down," Leinen said.

----

You can read the FULL STATEMENT of Pat Cox here (PDF).

The Audio Recording of the Press Conference is available here.

Pictures from the event are available here.

----

Note to Editors:

The press conference was organised by four organisation that are running projects in the framework of the Plan D. The European Movement International is the main coordinator of the project “Speak up Europe”. Notre Europe runs the project “Tomorrow's Europe: Pan-European Deliberative Polling for Plan D”. The Deutsche Gesellschaft runs the project “Our message to Europe”. Európa Ház Egyesület runs the project “Our Europe – Our Debate – Our Contribution”.The four organisations have received financial support from the DG Communication, European Commission in the framework of the Plan D - Democracy, Dialogue and Debate.

Today, the European Movement will celebrate the 9th of May – Europe Day in unison. The day will be celebrated in the 27 countries of the European Union and many other locations around Europe including, Kosovo, Iceland, Macedonia, Serbia, Armenia, Croatia, Albania and Switzerland. Hundreds of events are set to take place in the spirit of promoting a united Europe.

"The European Union has been by far the most successful political cooperation in the World. That is why the 9th of May is a day for congratulation and celebration for all European citizens," stated Henrik H. Kroner, the Secretary General of the European Movement International.

Every year the European Movement International with its National Councils and Member Organisations organises a large number of public activities all around Europe to celebrate "Europe Day", where it focuses on information about the EU and its goals, European culture and discussions about how to improve the functioning of the Union and where people have fun and celebrate. This year 23 partners are involved, including national councils of the EMI, AEGEE Europe and JEF-Europe.

“Through this celebration the European Movement reaches thousands of Europeans directly and encourages them to actively engage in learning about and discussing Europe,” concluded Henrik H. Kroner.

NOTE:

The "Europe day" celebrations in 2007 will take place in the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, FYR Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

For more information contact EMI Projects Department.

This is to express our support for the stand taken by and for the person of Bronislaw Geremek as regards his European Parliament mandate.

Apart from the legal aspects which are a matter for the appropriate authorities, we address the moral and political dimension of this affair.

Bronislaw Geremek is an exemplary representative of Poland in Europe. His highly respected academic career, his courageous role in Solidarnosc, his successful period as foreign minister of Poland, his chairmanship of the European Committee in the Polish Parliament which prepared the way for Polish EU accession through the speedy adoption of the acquis communautaire - all bear testament to his outstanding contribution and ability.

He has taken a stand in principle by refusing to sign a certificate of non-collaboration with the secret services of Polish Communism. As with so much else in his life, this morally courageous stand says less about the law or his person, but is more about the prevailing political climate in Poland and its unhappy echoes of the intolerance of McCarthyism in the USA in the 1950s.

This respected son of Poland deserves better. He has our full support.

Pat Cox, President of the European Movement International (EMI)

Olivier Hinnekens, Vice-President of the EMI

Catherine Lalumière, Vice-President of the EMI

Jo Leinen, Vice-President of the EMI

Charles Ferdinand Nothomb, Vice-President of the EMI

Edvard Outrata, Vice-President of the EMI

On the initiative of the European Movement International, with the support of the ALDE Groupin the European Parliament (EP) and with the participation of all the main political groups in the EP, a press conference took place today to launch a humanitarian appeal for bringing home the five Bulgarian nurses and a the Palestinian doctor detained in Libya and alleviate the tragic situation of the HIV/AIDS-infected children in Benghazi hospital.

“Our message is simple: bring them home!” stated Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement International in his opening remarks at the press conference. “We have today a duty of solidarity with our fellow European citizens that have been detained for more than 8 years.”

“We need to cut the blizzard of resolutions and bring them home.”

“Our appeal is to public opinion in particular and not just to public authorities. It is a humanitarian appeal, concerned for the 426 Libyan children infected with HIV/AIDS in Benghazi, for the 53 who have died and for their families. It is a humanitarian appeal for the five Bulgarian nurses and the Palestinian doctor,” concluded Cox.

The press conference hosted four relatives of the Bulgarian nurses, whose message was equally clear. According to Marijan Georgiev, the son of the released doctor Zdravko Georgiev, the EU should step up its political pressure on Libya and reassure European citizens that EU institutions do care about them.

All the main political groups from the EP have sent representatives to the press conference who expressed their readiness to join the appeal and urged for action.

In parallel to the press conference, a coalition of Bulgarian media and international NGOs has launched the international campaign Ne ste sami / You are not alone (www.nestesami.bg).

You can read the full statement of Pat Cox here (PDF).

“The European leaders should ensure that the contemporary European project is an authentic political vision fit for a modern society and not only a platform for markets, economism and technocracy,” stated Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement, summarising the content of the declaration.

The declaration of the European Movement addresses the need for a renewed consensus on the institutional future of the EU, the need for the EU to become a model of an open Global Society, notes the internal and external challenges and suggests ways to increase citizens’ participation in the process of European integration.

You can read the full declaration here (PDF), below is a Press Summary:

---

Press summary

The European Movement International:

• Celebrates the sense of common purpose and hope engendered by the Treaty of Rome.
• Commends the dynamic of enlargement.
• Contends that these achievements were neither inevitable nor pre-ordained.
• Asserts the need for strong and determined leadership and a high level of ambition for today’s generation of Europeans.
• Urges the rebuilding of a consensus that conserves the innovative substance and progress represented by the new treaty.
• Insists these core elements should not be diluted.
• Calls for increased commitment, skill and determination in campaigning for the agreed outcome.
• Believes that based on its values and capacity to act the European Union can be a 21st Century model of an open global society.
• Observes that a segment of popular opinion seeks reassurance that the contemporary European project is an authentic political vision fit for a modern society and not only a platform for markets, economism and technocracy.
• Recognises that anxieties provoked by the challenges of a globalised and increasingly interdependent world must be acknowledged honestly and addressed.
• Presses the Union to act with more unity of purpose and visibility if it is to contribute its full potential as a good global actor relative to its size, capacity and values.
• Calls for a more human face through greater investment of effort and resources in creating a European civic infrastructure in areas such as exchanges, twinning and volunteering.
• Supports full respect for and implementation of the four freedoms.
• Proposes that the time now has come to secure the financial autonomy of the Union.
• Commits itself anew to the task of building a united Europe which will deliver peace, tolerance, prosperity and freedom to our peoples and to the wider world. 

Press summary

The European Movement International:

• Celebrates the sense of common purpose and hope engendered by the Treaty of Rome.
• Commends the dynamic of enlargement.
• Contends that these achievements were neither inevitable nor pre-ordained.
• Asserts the need for strong and determined leadership and a high level of ambition for today’s generation of Europeans.
• Urges the rebuilding a consensus that conserves the innovative substance and progress represented by the new treaty.
• Insists these core elements should not be diluted.
• Calls for increased commitment, skill and determination in campaigning for the agreed outcome.
• Believes that based on its values and capacity to act the European Union can be a 21st Century model of an open global society.
• Observes that a segment of popular opinion seeks reassurance that the contemporary European project is an authentic political vision fit for a modern society and not only a platform for markets, economism and technocracy.
• Recognises that anxieties provoked by the challenges of a globalised and increasingly interdependent world must be acknowledged honestly and addressed.
• Presses the Union to act with more unity of purpose and visibility if it is to contribute its full potential as a good global actor relative to its size, capacity and values.
• Calls for a more human face through greater investment of effort and resources in creating a European civic infrastructure in areas such as exchanges, twinning and volunteering.
• Supports full respect for and implementation of the four freedoms.
• Proposes that the time now has come to secure the financial autonomy of the Union.
• Commits itself anew to the task of building a united Europe which will deliver peace, tolerance, prosperity and freedom to our peoples and to the wider world.

To view the full declaration, please click on the link below:

The European Movement and its Pariteia campaign partners take the opportunity today, on the 2007 International Women’s day, to recall the importance of a commitment of both men and women to achieve gender equality.

In the European Union, during the last few decades, public authorities, the business world, civil society and media have focused more and more attention on gender equality in the labour market, in private as well as public life and in politics. However, the endeavour for achieving gender equality remained essentially a women’s issue.

This is why the European Movement and its 10 partners across Europe conducted the Pariteiacampaign from November 2005 until the end of January 2007. A series of interesting tools were developed through this one-year partnership, including a Catalogue of Good Practices, a Survey and a Charter of Intents for Equal Citizenship.  These tools put particular emphasis on the role of men in gender equality in Europe and were the results of workshops held at the local level in the five participating countries: Italy, Latvia, Poland, Spain and The Netherlands.  

As Pat Cox, President of the European Movement, highlighted on the occasion of the final conference of the Pariteia campaign: "the road [to gender equality] is long and the journey is incomplete. Significant gender gaps still remain. Fewer women are at work, of those at work fewer are in senior positions and women at work still are paid less than men. For men and women alike a satisfactory work/family-life balance remains an elusive prospect."

In this context, we invite you to commit yourself to achieve an equal European citizenship and therefore support the principles contained in the Charter of Intents for Equal Citizenship.

You can read and sign the charter HERE.

The thought-provoking cartoon "What has Europe ever done for us?" has generated a wide range of commentaries since its first public appearance. The high level of feedback received proves its success.

As part of the campaign Speak up Europe, the cartoon is today re-launched together with a re-styled web portal www.whathaseuropedone.eu, featuring news & updates from the campaign, plus interactive areas.

Soon the cartoon will be available in 20 European languages and similar web portals will be launched in all the European Union (EU) Member States. These will provide a space for debate and allow visitors to express their opinions about how the EU performs and how it should perform in the future.

The "What has Europe ever done for us?" web portals will be the on-line element of the campaign Speak up Europe, which links with the European Commission's Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate and stimulates interaction with EU citizens.

Visit www.whathaseuropedone.eu, join the forums and enjoy the debate!

Note: The campaign Speak up Europe is organised by the European Movement and its partners in the framework of the Plan D and with the support of the European Commission.

More than 200 people witnessed the launch of the Charter of Intents for Equal Citizenship at the conference “Men and Gender Equality in Europe” organised by the European Movement International (EMI) at the European Economic and Social Committee.

“Gender equality is central to the achievement of the European Union’s goals on rights, democracy, solidarity, cohesion and competitiveness” stated Pat Cox, the President of the EMI, in his opening address.

“The concept is undergoing a transformation from being an almost exclusive and essentially isolated women’s issue, driven by and for women, to a more inclusive societal perspective where men are no less central to its elaboration and achievement.”

“This is why the campaign that the EMI has led, adopted an innovative approach and took men as the necessary driving force towards more equal societies,” Pat Cox concluded his remarks.

Vladimir Špidla, the Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities strongly emphasized “the leadership that the European Union (EU) has shown in adopting legislation promoting equal opportunities for women and men.” He presented the Roadmap for equality between women and men 2006-2010 and particularly stressed the importance of its goals for the achievement of full equality as a fundamental value of the EU.

You can sign the Charter on-line by clicking here.

Visit the website of Pariteia: www.pariteia.org

You can view the pictures from the event in the EM's photo gallery.

About the campaign:

The Pariteia campaign aimed to create a bridge between European gender policies and active European citizenship in order to establish a European citizenship based on the active participation of women and men in all social, political and professional activities.

The campaign was supported by the European Community – Programme relating to the Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2001–2005) and focused on gender equality practices in five European countries (Italy, Spain, Poland, Latvia and the Netherlands) using a strong network of numerous and varied partners. The campaign began in December 2005 and will be concluded in January 2007.

The European Movement International (EMI) welcomes the working plan of the Finnish Presidency due to start its work tomorrow, on the 1st of July.

"Europe can only remain a success story, if citizens and institutions are reconnected" said Jo Leinen, Vice-President of the EMI and Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee for Constitutional Affairs. The European Union has to be more transparent, open and efficient, for the Union citizen's to feel part of the European project. Therefore the European Constitution needs to be ratified. "Decisive steps have to be taken during the Finnish presidency and we are very optimistic that this can be achieved," stressed Jo Leinen.

The Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen has expressed his commitment to a twin-track approach: improve the trust of Europeans towards the work of the European Union and actively look for solutions regarding the Constitution. "This twin-track approach is the right choice,” commented Jo Leinen. "Prime Minister Vanhanen’s commitment to bring the passive reflection period to a close and starting to analyse different options for the future of the European Constitution is important. Finland plays a crucial role in the process by ratifying the Constitution during its presidency. The presidency thus shows that the constitutional project is very much alive."

Only by improving transparency and showing clear benefits of the EU, we can improve its ratings in the public opinion. "The EU legislation needs openness in order to earn trust," stressed Mr Leinen. "This will certainly be a major challenge for the Finnish Presidency, but we are confident in its success.” The intension of the Finnish Presidency to boost the number of public sessions is certainly of benefit for the citizens.

The EMI has long campaigned for a more open and transparent EU. As part of its commitment and work, the EMI will organise an international seminar on the challenges of a transparent and open EU in December in Helsinki, in cooperation with the Anders Chydenius Foundation.

Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement International and the former President of the European Parliament congratulated Giorgio Napolitano on his election to the Presidency of the Italian Republic.

In his official message Pat Cox emphasised “the invaluable contribution of Giorgio Napolitano to the work of the Italian Council of the European Movement, his outstanding commitment as Vice-President of the European Movement International and the political leadership on the Constitutional Treaty demonstrated during his work in the European Parliament.”

“The European Movement is particularly pleased with the election of Giorgio Napolitano, as it  represents the crowning of a political career so positively dedicated to Europe.”

“We are sure that his devotion to Europe will continue through his new mandate as President of the Italian Republic and I wish him all the success,” concluded Pat Cox.

----

The official letter from Pat Cox, on behalf of the European Movement International, congratulating Mr Napolitano on his election (PDF).

Link to the Structure of the European Movement International.

Today, 24 partners of the European Movement which cover 27 countries are celebrating the 9th of May – Europe’s Day. Hundreds of events are taking place.

“The European Union has been by far the most successful political cooperation in the World. That is why the 9th of May is a day for congratulation and celebration for all European citizens“, remarked Henrik H. Kroner, the Secretary General of the European Movement International.

Every year the European Movement International with its National Councilsand Member Organisationsorganises a large number of public activities all around Europe to celebrate “Europe Day”, where it focuses on information about the EU and its goals, European culture and discussions about how to improve the functioning of the Union and where people have fun and celebrate.

“Through this celebration the European Movement reaches thousands of Europeans directly and encourages them to actively engage in learning Europe and discussing Europe,” concluded Henrik Kroner.

----

You can also read the Europe Day Message from Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement International.

----

Link to the news on the EMI website with a complete list of countries involved.
Link to the 9th of May celebrations from previous years.

----

The original text of the Schuman Declaration.

The Councils of the European Movement from the Region of Western Balkans, with the support of the European Movement International,  jointly express their concerns regarding a possible increase of the costs of Visa documents for the non-EU nationals, including those from Western Balkans states, which will be discussed at the meeting of the European Unionos Justice and and Home Affairs Council on 27th April 2006 in Luxemburg.

“The existing Visa regime already makes normal communication with this specific region difficult,” stated Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement International.

“It seems that the basic issue is that one can simply not sell the proposition that the European Union is a beacon of hope for the future of the Western Balkans while simultaneously making it more difficult for ordinary citizens to move freely to and from the EU.”

“Any possible increase of Visa costs would represent a further obstacle to a freedom of movement, for the majority of the Western Balkans citizens an invincible one. Travelling to the EU countries would remain possible only for a few selected officials, not for a large number of citizens.”

“Apart from the practical problems, such a decision would also send a wrong signal to the countries willing to join the EU,” continued Mr Cox.

“One fully appreciates concerns regarding criminality and trafficking but regretably the criminal bosses and classes are already fully integrated through multiple if dubious passports and travel with ease in one of the truly fully integrated single markets, that of cross border crime!”

“Instead of imposing new obstacles, we want to call upon the Council to take an early initiative on free movement and thus show that the accession message carries real substance.”

----

JOINT STATEMENT

The Councils of the European Movement from the Region of Western Balkans, with the support of the European Movement International,  jointly express their concerns regarding a possible increase of the costs of Visa documents for the non-EU nationals, including those from Western Balkans states, which will be discussed at the meeting of the European Union’s Justice and Home Affairs Council on 27^th April 2006 in Luxemburg.

The existing visa regime makes advancement of the European integration process harder and hampers communication in the broader sense. A possible cost increase from 35 to 60 euro would in this sense represent a further obstacle. Sadly, for the majority of the Western Balkans citizens it would be insurmountable.

A possible increase of the costs for Visa documents would also send a very negative signal to the countries of the Western Balkans. Instead of moving towards freedom of movement between the region and the member states of the EU, this would represent an element of isolation of the current EU from the neighbors.

Therefore, we call upon the Ministers of Interior and Justice of the EU member states to find a way for the liberalization of the Visa regime and not to impose any further obstacles to the cooperation between the citizens of the Western Balkans and those of the European Union.

Signed by:

Pat Cox, President of the European Movement International

Miodrag Zivanovic, President of the European Movement in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mislav Stipic, Secretary General of the European Movement in Croatia

Dimitar Mircev, President of the European Movement in Macedonia

Momcilo Radulovic, Secretary General of the European Movement in Montenegro

Zivorad Kovacevic, President of the European Movement in Serbia

After being released, Mr Marynich told Chapter ‘97in an exclusive interview: “Prison has convinced me that we should move ahead, we should fight for fast changes. We must develop our country and society. We must get rid of the dictatorship. Dictatorship is a dead-end.”

Mr Marynich is determined to come back to politics after rehabilitation activities and he wished to thank his democratic supporters for all they have done during his imprisonment.

“As we have seen in recent elections in Belarus, people like Mr Marynich are risking their lives and those of their families for the most noble cause – to fight for democracy, where it does not exist,” said Pat Cox, President of the European Movement International.

“He and his colleagues can be assured of our solidarity and support in their promotion of the values we all share and believe in.”

--------

The European Movement International has been running a political campaign in support of Mikhail Marynich, together with his family, the organisation "Freedom to Political Prisoners" and in close cooperation with members of the "Council of Civil Initiatives Free Belarus".

You can read more by visiting: Support Mikhail Marynich
You can also visit the website of Chapter ’97.

See the original Press Release here.

“South-North Mediterranean Dialogue: For a Shared Vision of the Future”
Conclusion of the Congress held in Algiers from 24 to 26 February 2006

Adoption of a Political Declaration and of a Common Action Plan

The Congress was held under the high patronage of HE Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the Algerian Democratic and Popular Republic. It was organised by the European Movement International (EMI), the Algerian Preparatory Committee, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and its Arab Reform  Forum and the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures.

The event centred on three issue clusters of common interest to both the North and South of the Mediterranean, which were discussed during nine specific Workshops: Information, education, training; employment, migration, investments; participation, ownership and culture.

Attended by over 600 participants, the Congress was opened by Pat Cox, President of the European Movement International, and by HE Mohamed Bedjaoui, the Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister, who held a powerful opening speech.

Participants adopted a Declaration for a Shared Vision of the Future which follows the philosophy of the Malta process initiated by the EMI in November 2004, namely to promote an open and balanced dialogue without any restrictions. The participants pledged to promulgate this message “beyond all borders and limitations”.

In his closing speech, Minister Bedjaoui highlighted the fact that “we cannot ignore our common history and geography, our economic relationship, the migratory flows and our matching concerns about today’s major issues”. All these, he added, “draw us into a partnership where obligations will have to be well deliberated — such as the current event which has ripened in an atmosphere of collaboration and mutual respect”.

Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb, Chairman of the EMI Mediterranean Committee, emphasised that this Congress in Algiers was “merely the beginning of a partnership between countries on both sides of the Mediterranean”. He furthermore announced the setting up of a “Follow-Up Committee” made up of about 40 members of the Congress and in charge of expanding upon the proposals made during the Conference.
[see: Action Plan]

Among these proposals, the Conference calls for setting up in Algiers an “independent Euro-Mediterranean  Observatory” for monitoring the dialogue between North and South of the Mediterranean. The organisational details and specific remit of this body will be elaborated by the “Follow-Up Committee” in time for its meeting in September 2006, at the latest.

On his part, the Vice-President of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Mr El-Sayed Yassin, highlighted the success of the Algiers gathering and said that “the effort undertaken and the proposals which it produced measure up to the concerns of both sides” of the Mediterranean.

The European Movement International (EMI) is pleased to announce the launch of a website devoted to its Europe-wide project, Pariteia – Promoting Gender Equality in European Active Citizenship, which aims to establish a European citizenship based on the active participation of women and men in all of the social, political and professional activities and which also aims to create the conditions for positive changes within personal and collective culture.

The campaign supported by the European Commission and ten partners from across Europe will run until January 2007 and will include five actions: a comparative survey, a comparison of good practices, workshops, the launch of the Pariteia Charter of Intents and a communication campaign. 

The website is specially designed to inform the public about the campaign providing visitors with a background on the current situation of gender issues in Europe and a detailed description of the five actions foreseen. The public will also be informed of all the activities taking place in the framework of the project through a regularly updated news section. A list of useful links will direct those wanting to investigate gender equality further to related websites.

Find out more at: www.pariteia.org

Speaking at the press conference of the European Movement International (EMI) today, its President Pat Cox, also former President of the European Parliament stated: »As we have seen recently in the debate that followed the publication of the now famous cartoons portraying the prophet Muhammad, the dialogue with the Arab world is fragile. We should not risk its break-up.”

“Many European civil society organisations will go to Algiers in the framework of our Congress to nurture the dialogue with our immediate neighbours and to make sure the slogans and insults do not prevail.”

The Vice-President of the EMI, Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb, former speaker of the Belgian Parliament, also reflected in a similar way: “We have been working on this dialogue for the past three years in the spirit and on the basis of values from both sides. It is particularly important that we keep it alive and honest in these moments.”

“It is important that the civil society also leads such a global dialogue and it might well be we will be more successful than our governments. We are clearly long-term oriented and we will work in this spirit.”

“The idea is to define a shared vision for the future and then develop concrete actions to implement it.”

---

You can find more information about the North-South Mediterranean Dialogue here.

To see some pictures from the Press Conference, visit the Photo Library.

The Flemish parliament has ratified the European Constitution, which adds Belgium to the list of currently 14 countries that have finished the ratification of the Constitution.

»By ratifiying the Constitution today, the Flemish and Belgian authorities send a strong signal that for them the Constitution is not dead and that Europe needs to implement the main improvements it would bring in order to function in the Union of 25,« ,« stated Pat Cox, the President of the European Movement International.

Mr Cox also welcomed the strong signal the Flemish Parliament gave by approving a resolution that calls for a permanent debate about Europe and the bigger involvement of the civil society in reaching out to the concerns and the worries of the ordinary people.

»The European Movement welcomes this initiative and offers itself as one of the partners in helping to implement this plan to structure a permanent debate. It is only by involving the ordinary citizen that we can breach the gap which too often is still seen to exist between the institutions and the citizen.«

»Europe is not for politicans only, it belongs to us all,« concluded Pat Cox.