June 12, 2013

Brussels – The European Movement International (EMI) welcomes the changes to the Common European Asylum System passed today by the European Parliament, giving asylum seekers extended rights. Nevertheless the EMI believes there is still not enough solidarity between Member States.

The handling of asylum seekers is not seen as what it is: A genuinely European problem. Member States on the periphery will still have to carry the burden for the whole Union.

Jo Leinen, President of the European Movement International (EMI), said:

"A chance was missed to finally introduce a fairer system, allocating the refugees to the Member States most capable of handling them. Both asylum seekers and the EU would benefit from a truly European asylum policy."    

Giving  asylum seekers increased rights, including a set decision deadline, a personal interview, and better information dissemination should lower the amount of asylum seekers waiting in limbo. However, the grounds for detention are so broadly defined that detention of asylum seekers risks becoming the norm instead of the exception, the EMI pointed out.

President Leinen concluded saying: "Asylum seekers have escaped horrible and often life-threatening situations; they come to Europe looking for security and peace and don't deserve to be treated like criminals."

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Editor’s Note: The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisation with currently more than 70 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions. 

EMI Media Contact: For more information, please contact the Secretariat at +32 (0)2 508 30 88 or marine.vallet@europeanmovement.eu

Brussels – The European Movement International (EMI) welcomes the adoption of the Schengen Governance Package by the European Parliament today, which will bring increased European governance to an area which was previously based solely on the good will of Member States.

Open borders and the right of European citizens to move freely within the EU are among the most visible and important achievements of European integration as well as a symbol of European unity.

Jo Leinen, President of the European Movement International (EMI), said:

 "The new Schengen rules will ensure that a temporary reintroduction of border controls remains an exception based on clear conditions and prohibit uncontrolled unilateral actions and political games by Member States as we have seen in the past." 

Member States will be accountable to each other and to the European Union for their decisions regarding the introduction of temporary border controls for both foreseeable and unforeseeable events. Migration will not be considered to be a possible reason for the reinstatement of controls at internal borders, the EMI emphasized.

President Leinen continued saying: "A stronger role for the European Parliament, the only directly elected EU-institution, would have been preferable in the supervision of the application of the Schengen rules and the decision-making process, but the Europeanization of the Schengen system is clearly a step forward."

Member States can reintroduce controls for more than six month only as a measure of last resort and only in cases where a Member State is seriously and continuously breaching the Schengen acquis, thus putting at risk the whole Schengen area. The decision has to be taken on a proposal of the European Commission and with a two thirds vote of the Foreign Affairs Council.

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Editor’s Note: The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisation with currently more than 70 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions. 

EMI Media Contact: For more information, please contact the Secretariat at +32 (0)2 508 30 88 or marine.vallet@europeanmovement.eu

At its meeting in Dublin (24-25 May), the Federal Assembly of the European Movement International (EMI) heard from Director of Eurofound Juan Menéndez-Valdés, Irish Minister on European Affairs  Lucinda Creighton, and Irish Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore on the importance of a more united Europe and the involvement of citizens, especially regarding the upcoming European Elections.

At a reception hosted by Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore at Iveagh House, former President of the EMI Pat Cox was awarded title of Honorary President. 

The EMI also adopted the following political resolutions:

The delegates spoke of the importance of diffusing information and fostering interest in European Elections in order to increase turnout, as well as speaking in favour of a new European Convention in 2015.

 Download EMI Resolution:  Concept Paper: A new European Convention  

-          Download EMI Resolution:  Concept Paper: Preparing EP elections 2014

The EMI Federal Assembly also adopted resolutions on the European Elections, the MFF,  the EU-Ukraine Agreement, and on Fostering Greek Civil Society.

-          Download: Resolution on Strengthening the civil society in Greece

-          Download: Resolution on Improving the EU's credibility through the development of European democracy

-          Download: EMI urges European Political Parties to draft Manifestos

-          Download: Resolution on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

-          Download: EU needs a more adequate and ambitious Multi-annual Financial Framework

The European Movement in Azerbaijan, SOLIDAR, the Erasmus Students’ Network, and the College of Europe were ratified as EMI Member Organisation. SOLIDAR is a network of 59 organisations fighting for a more social Europe and ESN is the alumni association of the over 1 million students who have participated in Erasmus programmes.

Finally, the road ahead for the European Movement was set with the adoption of the EMI Work Plan 2013 which you can download hereafter.

-          Download:  EMI Work Plan 2014

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Editor’s Note: The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisation with currently more than 70 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions. 

For more information, please contact the secretariat: +32 (0)2 508 30 88, email: secretariat(at)europeanmovement.eu

The exchanges covered four specific areas relevant to the EU's energy policy. First, the leaders agreed to maintain the pressure to complete the internal energy market in 2014 and the interconnections for 2015. Second, they indicated the need to increase energy efficiency, while reducing the dependence on foreign resources. Thirdly, planning for investments in infrastructures was described as fundamental, as well as addressing the diversification of sources of energy. Last but not least, consumers should be at the centre of the policies developed, in particular since current high prices have a direct impact on households. On the four areas, the Council agreed to act and ensured decisive follow up.

With hundreds of millions of Euros being lost every year, the need to take effective steps to fight against tax evasion and tax fraud was the second key topic of today's meeting. As issues surrounding fiscal havens and opaque tax policies gained momentum, the European Council agreed to combat more efficiently the fraudulent practices and generalise automatic exchanges of information. Fighting VAT fraud comes at the forefront, in particular with legislation to be presented by the European Commission by June on the quick reaction mechanism and a reverse charge mechanism.

For the EU leaders, the current political momentum should be channelled to advance as much as possible, both with legal impulses and practical coordination. One of the objectives set today is to adopt a revised Directive on the taxation of savings income before the end of the year. At the same time, given the importance of a general approach to ensure global effectiveness, the leaders called to prepare strong, coordinated EU positions for the upcoming international talks in G8, G20 and OECD.

Last week's progress in the ECOFIN ministerial meeting, that agreed on the negotiating mandates for savings taxation with third countries (affecting Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Andorra and San Marino), was a clear sign of the relevance of advancing in the efforts of combating tax evasion and enhancing transparency among all member states and with third countries.

In relation to business taxation, another "Achilles' heel" of the tax evasion strategy being put in place, the Commission will present a proposal before the end of the year for a revised "parent/subsidiary" Directive. The European Council in December will review all these issues.

Finally, a formal decision on the future composition of the Commission (2014-2019) was adopted. The principle of one Commissioner per Member State will continue to be implemented.

In relation to the Summit meeting scheduled for June 27/28, it is worth mentioning that in addition to the agenda in preparation, related to economic policy and the European Monetary Union, it will deal specifically with the youth unemployment, a key issue in the current situation.

Some useful links for today's meeting:

Full conclusions of the meeting:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/137197.pdf

Remarks by President Van Rompuy to the press:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/137199.pdf

The conference will be organised in cooperation with the Embassy of Denmark and the Danish Cultural Institute. It will focus on the current crisis oriented debate on Europe and European identity in view of Søren Kierkegaards legacy, who would have turned 200 on 5 May 2013.  

EMI President Jo Leinen and Danish Ambassador to Belgium Poul Skytte Christoffersen will be opening the conference. Please see below for a more detailed programme.

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Title: "European identity - in the eyes of Kierkegaard"

Date and Time: 14 May 2013 from 16.00 - 19.30

Agenda: For the programme, please click here

Speakers: CVs of the speakers, please click here

Venue: Danish Church, Rue Washington 27-29, 1050 Brussels

Registration: Please send an E-Mail to Lina Christensen at linsch@um.dk and confirm your participation latest by 8 May 2013.

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Contact:

Marine Vallet

European Movement
Square de Meeûs 25
B-1000 Brussels
Phone: (+32-2) 508 30 88
Fax: (+32-2) 508 30 89

• EMI Resolution - Nomination of top candidates for the Presidency of the European Commission

• EMI Press Release - Beyond the Crisis: Achieving a Europe of Citizens, not only a Europe of States

• EP Press Release - 2014 elections: give European voters bigger say on Commission, say MEPs

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Editor's Note: The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisation with currently more than 75 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions.
 
For more information, please contact the secretariat: +32 (0)2 508 30 88, email: secretariat@europeanmovement.eu

Mr Pinto continued saying that “a peaceful resolution of the current South Caucasus conflicts is the only way forward and the EMI and its partners aim to create an environment where citizens perceive each other as friends and neighbors rather than as enemies”.

Already at a first meeting in August 2012, creating peace had been defined by all partners as the main priority for their work in favor of the European integration of their countries, leading to an initial text, jointly adopted and later proclaimed as “Tbilisi Declaration”.

EMI President Jo Leinen added that “it was the peaceful settlement of a conflict and in this context the Franco-German reconciliation that led to the establishment of the European Union. European integration is closely linked to the creation of peace and should be the main priority for the South Caucasus”.

The partners have agreed to meet again, in June 2013, in Baku.

Download the final declaration of the 2nd meeting of the Tbilisi Process, please click here

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Editor's Note: The European Movement International (EMI) is one of the largest pan and pro-European civil society organisation with currently more than 75 Member Organisations, bringing together representatives from European associations, political parties, enterprises and trade unions.

For more information, please contact the secretariat: +32 (0)2 508 30 88, email: secretariat@europeanmovement.eu