Brussels, 10^th September 2015

 

 

​The first political​ly elected President of the Commission, in his first State of the Union address to the European Parliament, made an honest and emotional assessment of our Union. Predictably, Mr Juncker found it lacking on many fronts: “The Union is not in a good state, there is not enough Union in this Union” he argued and we agree. Fortunately his proposals go in the right direction. We do need to deal more effectively with the refugee crisis, the broader European external borders challenge, the Economic and Monetary Union shortcomings and the democratic deficit of the Union. Also we welcome some key proposals including:

• A common European asylum policy and a new approach to manage legal migration;
• Emergency relocation mechanisms for asylum seekers and of a permanent relocation scheme;
• Better management of external borders: reinforcement of Frontex and creation of European coastguard and borderguard system;
• Reform of Europol;
• A European Deposit Insurance Scheme to guarantee European citizens’ savings;
• A European Treasury and more democratic economic and fiscal governance;
• A common European base for social rights (e.g. protection of workers, health, workers security, social protection)​;​
• ​A Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base in order to improve the business environment for cross-border companies; ​

Most of all, however, what we still miss is a common vision for a Europe that is united and that can deal with external and internal emergencies efficiently​, ​effectively​ and democratically​ (and to be recognised as such by our citizens). A Europe that has a spine and one voice on key issues.

Mr Juncker rightly remarked that: “This is not the time for business as usual”. “Indeed, there is no more time for slow and incremental reforms. We need to change gear now!” argued Pietro De Matteis and Georgios Kostakos, President and Vice-President of the European Federalist Party. The opportunity to build a better Europe will not be offered on a plate. They have to be created and seized as they appear. For example, let’s swiftly organize EU reception and registration centres in Greece, Italy, Hungary and other entry countries, using EU staff and EU resources, in cooperation with the national authorities but taking a truly pan-European perspective.

​“​We call on President Juncker, ​and on ​the ​H​eads of​ State and ​Government of those Member states that have been blocking necessary reforms in the past to be ambitious.  Not dealing promptly with the challenges that we face will not make them disappear as shown by the asylum seekers crisis. It simply transforms “challenges” into “emergencies”” argued the President and Vice-President of the EFP. “Let’s inject more Union into our Union​, let’s take a step closer towards a Federal Europe. We need that urgently!” they added. ​

About the European Federalist Party

The European Federalist Party (EFP) is the only, truly pan-European political party campaigning for a more democratic and federal Europe. The EFP was founded in 2011 by citizens from all over Europe and has since developed into a cross-border movement that ran for the last European Parliament elections in six countries defending the same pan-European programme voted by its members at the 2013 EFP Federal Convention. The EFP contributed to the introduction of several pieces of European legislation including the European Citizens’ Initiative and the EU roaming regulation.

For more information on this Press Release or to arrange an interview with the President, please contact Michel Caillouët, by email: EFP.Press@federalistparty.eu or by mobile: +33 679 563 854.

For urgent media intervention, please copy in your email also the President of the European Federalist Party by writing at: Pietro.DeMatteis@federalistparty.eu .

•