JEF Manifesto for the 2009 European Parliament elections
Published on
JEF is a supranational, politically pluralist youth organisation with about 30,000 members in over 30 European countries. The aim of JEF is to work for the creation of a European federation as a first step towards peace and a more free, just and democratic society.
Their ideas are spread through international activities and youth exchanges, publications, public actions and co-operation with other youth-organisations.
We young Europeans believe in the values of peace, freedom and solidarity.
We recognise the success of European integration in securing democracy and prosperity in Europe through the unification of the continent.
The European Union is our present and a federal Europe our future, but the rapid evolution of globalisation presents new challenges. The crises are evident in economic, financial, security and ecological matters. We can successfully face these challenges only if the EU is able to speak and to act as a real Union.
It’s time to act!
We expect brave and innovative decisions. We want concrete benefits from the EU in our everyday life. Therefore, we demand:
a European Economic Policy for ensuring growth, employment and sustainable development, in particular to benefit young people; a European Energy and Environmental Agency for ensuring global leadership in the battle against climate change and managing a European Energy Reserve to guarantee a strategic independence of the EU; a Solidarity Clause to ensure Member states protection against terrorism and natural catastrophes; European Blue Helmets enabling the EU to contribute to peace-keeping in the world in the framework of a real European security and defence policy; a Citizens’ Right of Initiative in order to listen to the voice of European citizens; a European Civilian Service to promote EU citizenship among young people; European symbols to be officially recognised by all European institutions.We ask the candidates for the next European Parliament elections (June 2009) to support these proposals. Furthermore, we ask the European Parliament to exercise the right to initiate a treaty change process – as established in the Lisbon treaty – to produce the necessary constitutional and legislative framework for these reforms and to give the European citizens a true federal government.
We invite European citizens and civil society to express their support to our Manifesto.