Political Youth communicates demands to European leaders

7 May 2006, for immediate release

The presidents and spokespersons of the Young European Federalists (JEF) and the youth organisations of the four biggest European political parties (ECOSY, FYEG, LYMEC, YEPP) are addressing the President of the European Parliament, the President of the European Commission and the Heads of State in a joint open letter on the occasion of Europe Week and the meeting of the first Interparliamentary Forum.

“The letter is a strong sign that Europe’s young leaders care about the continent’s destiny and its future constitutional order," Jan Seifert, president of JEF Europe commented on the action.

"Given the lack of explicit commitment to the constitutional project over the past months, we feel that we have to press for a more ambitious European agenda starting with Europe week this year.”

The open letter proposes six concrete steps to be undertaken before 2009 in order to bring Europe back on track.

The young leaders ask for a re-commitment to the purpose of the Constitutional project, which should culminate in a European referendum in 2009. Further, they ask for making the EP and national parliaments stronger stakeholders in the Constitutional project and demand a uniform electoral law for European elections including the election of some MEPs via transnational lists. Finally, the youth organisations call upon the Council to achieve full transparency in its legislating formations and to insure for sufficient funding for youth activities and exchange programmes.

Jan Seifert explains: "We, the leading political youth organisations, feel that it is our duty to remind the Heads of State and Government of the commitment they have undertaken by signing the Constitutional Treaty on 29 October 2004 in Rome. Implementing our suggestions is not a question of circumstances but of political leadership and dedication to Europe."

The full text of the one-page letter can be found on the website of JEF Europe as PDF or downloaded here.

JEF Europe, the young European Federalists, is a supranational politically pluralist youth organisation with about 25,000 members in over 35 European Countries. The aim of JEF is to work for the creation of a European federation as a first step towards peace and more free, just and democratic society.

ECOSY, the Young European Socialists, is the youth organisation of the party of European Socialists.

FYEG is the federation of Young European Greens.

LYMEC, the European Liberal Youth, is the organisation of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform party (FLDR).

YEPP, the Young European People's Party, is the youth organisation of the European People's Party (EPP).