The Young European Federalists have initiated a common letter of 15 pan-European youth organisations to call upon the European Council to preserve the Schengen principles. Open borders are one of Europe’s greatest milestones – we want to keep it that way.
Please find the letter below in .pdf (3 pages): 
22nd of January: Anniversary of the German-French friendship
On the 22nd of January 1963, centuries of wars and enmity in the heart of Europe ended. Charles de Gaulle and Konrad Adenauer signed the Élysée Treaty in Paris and transformed a long term enmity into a friendship. During the following 52 years, the German-French respect has improved steadily. Not only for both countries, but for the whole of Europe this friendship is essential. Germany and France are essential as the propelling forces of the European integration, the EU without these both countries would be quite inconceivable for most of people. The seat of the European Parliament is therefore on the German-French border in Strasbourg.
One of the darkest days in the history of the German-French friendship was the 13th of November, 2015. While locals romped about in Paris restaurants, tourists sauntered through the streets and 80,000 football fans watched the friendly football game between French and German national teams, in the French capital one of the worst terrorist attacks ever occurred. In the midst of the grief, the fury, the questions, the desperation and the sympathy, the German-French friendship hardened so much as never before in its history. Countless Paris citizens opened their doors to give football fans from both countries protection. Germany gave a lot of condolences. After the awful attacks France and Germany grew together even more narrowly. Now both countries strive not only for peace and friendship among themselves, but in whole Europe and all over the world.
(Photo: Mark_K_)
This first IED/YDE Winter Academy Edition gathered in Brussels about 30 young centrists from all over Europe.
Speakers with various backgrounds and responsibilities participated in making this event interesting, lively and a general success. Amongst these speakers were François Pauli (deputy Secretary General of the ALDE Group), François Lafond (member of the Scientific Committee of the IED), Claude Rolin (Belgian MEP), Henri Malosse (Former EESC president), as well as young experts such as Marinella Davide, Wilhelm Bargum, Stepan Berko, Mihai Sebe, Jeremy Van Gorp, and Mathieu Baudier.
IED/YDE Winter Academy – Dec'15 – Beyond the gloomy present: y…
What do more than 30 young Centrists do just a week before Christmas? Reflect, exchange, learn and plan on a brighter future for Europeans and #Europe
Posted by Young Democrats for Europe (YDE) on Tuesday, 29 December 2015
The European Union is facing one massive challenge and all the participants agreed on it: the EU has nearly no budget and is facing great adversity and expectations both internally and externally. The EU’s Budget – 1% of the EU-28’s Gross National Income (just a little bit above Hungary’s GNI) – is far too small for 508 million Europeans. With 75% of its expenditure going to the Common Agricultural Policy and the Regional Cohesion Policy, there is very few left to tackle tremendous crises and challenges at a continent scale such as those currently faced by the EU.
We understand that we need more Europe where it is necessary to tackle those challenges. However, the current organisation of European institutions and the Eurosceptic climate in Europe is a break we, Democrats, will have to handle.
Improving our messages and how the EU is functioning are the only ways to tackle challenges such as youth unemployment, which is “a cancer for our societies”, as Claude Rolin explained. A dematerialised economy and politicians understanding what it means for someone to be unemployed for several months or years are one of the key issues Europe needs to address.
Our internal challenges should not make us forget about external challenges, those just happening at and within our borders. We need to rethink the way we approach the Eastern partnership considering the current and the potential future geopolitical situation. We need to support Democrats where they are, battling for a better, independent, society, just like in Ukraine.
No practical solution can be found without values. Solidarity was exuding from our different talks. Solidarity between citizens after the recent terrorist attacks, solidarity with smaller countries threatened by climate change, solidarity with youngsters who thrive to integrate, solidarity between Member States in tackling the refugees’ crisis.
It is crystal-clear that European Union members have not found the answer yet to handle the refugees’ crisis following a truly humanist path regarding refugees and migrants; nor in a fair way for Member States such as Greece, Italy or Spain which have been asked to handle on their own a region-wide situation, or Germany and Sweden showing solidarity for all others. Fighting opposition one by one is the best way to fail and fall one by one.
While the present does look gloomy, it is not too late to avoid more deadlocks. But solutions will not happen without everyone’s contribution and it is about time to roll up our sleeves.
Special thanks to Eimys Ortiz and Mathieu Camescasse for making it happen.
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On September 21st, the Hungarian parliament adopted a new law regarding asylum seekers: the new law allows the police and the army to open fire on migrants in certain situations as long as the shots do not aim to kill. The legislation is the newest provocation from Orban’s government violating once more every single ideal and value that are the foundation of the European project. The EU, sadly, has been passive to the Orban’s government behaviour. We, as political youth organizations, cannot tolerate the violation of numerous statuses from the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. We turn to European leaders and urge them to take exemplary actions in a short term to not give the impression that they are sitting silent while more policies incompatible with our vision of Europe are passed through.
The EU’s lack of reaction to Orban’s policies sends the signal that different standards apply to Member States. How could we justify that the EU is strong in confronting a country that is not respecting financial obligations as it has been the case for Greece, while it remains silent when a Member State transgresses the fundamental values of our union? No matter what voting power or political affiliation it may have, a Member State that calls into question more than sixty years of European construction cannot act with impunity even by calling upon the principle of subsidiarity.
In this situation we demand/urge:
Mister Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the European Commission to state the violation of the Europe’s values by Hungary (art. 2 TEU) and to initiate a sanctioning procedure as stipulated in article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union.
European Heads of State or Government to reaffirm the fundamental values of the EU as written in the Treaties and take exemplary actions against State members that transgress them.
Mister Donald TUSK, President of the European Council to breach this subject during the next Summit. The issue is yet to be discussed and has not been mentioned up until now.
Mister Manfred WEBER, Chairman of the EPP group; Mister Gianni PITTELLA, President of the S&D group; Mister Syed KAMALL, Chairman of the ECR group; Mister Guy VERHOFSTADT, President of the ALDE group; Miss Rebecca HARMS and Mister Philippe LAMBERTS, co-Presidents of the Greens/ALE to tackle the subject in the European Parliament, to take note of the violation of the European values by Hungary (art.2 TEU) and to put pressure on the European Commission so it will react accordingly.
We would like to remind our deep commitment to keep the Hungarian people in the EU. We regret the isolation of the country caused by the Orban’s government policies which have lead to the erection of both political and physical fences such as those built at the Romanian, Serbian and Croatian borders. We also regard the EU as partly responsible for aggravating the situation by not creating a deeper integration and requirements of solidarity amongst the Member States.
Appeal signed by Young Democrats for Europe and two of our organisations : Jeunes Démocrates (France) and Euzko Gaztedi Indarra (Basque Country).
You can find the appeal here
[English version below]
Am 3. Oktober 1990 ist nicht nur Deutschland wiedervereint worden. Ganz Europa ist an diesem Tag zusammengewachsen. Nach dem Fall des Eisernen Vorhangs und der Einigung hat sich die Europäische Union in den Osten ausgeweitet, von zwölf auf heute 28 Mitglieder. Ehemals kommunistisch regierte Staaten wurden in die EU integriert, was für die alten und neuen Staaten eine große Herausforderung, aber auch eine große Chance war. Und Deutschland lag von nun an nicht mehr am Rand, sondern in der Mitte Europas. Die Bundesrepublik ist seiner Verantwortung und seiner Möglichkeiten in Europa bewusst. Der damalige Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl sagte am 3. Oktober 1990: „Die Einigung Deutschlands ist untrennbar verbunden mit der Europas. Mit der gleichen Beharrlichkeit, mit der wir unsere Einheit angestrebt haben, werden wir uns weiterhin entschlossen für die europäische Einigung einsetzen.“
Seit der Gründung der DDR am 7. Oktober 1949 versuchten etwa drei Millionen Menschen aus dem Land zu fliehen und in die Bundesrepublik einzureisen. Heute ist das vereinte Deutschland Ziel vieler Flüchtlinge. In Erinnerung an die Flüchtlingsbewegungen von 1949 bis 1989 ist Europa, eine Gemeinschaft für Frieden und Freiheit, heute in der Verantwortung, Menschen aufzunehmen, für die ihre Heimat kein sicherer Ort mehr ist.
Für Deutschland ist die Wiedervereinigung ein Meilenstein. Zu verdanken ist er vor allem den Menschen, die der staatlichen Unterdrückung trotzten und ihre Freiheit forderten. Von nun an haben wir eine Flagge, eine Nationalhymne, ein Parlament, eine Hauptstadt, eine Fußballmannschaft und vor allem – ein gemeinsames Volk. Daher feiern die Menschen jedes Jahr den 3. Oktober und erinnern an die Nacht im Jahr 1990, die zwei Länder vereinte.
On the 25th anniversary of German Reunification
On 3 October 1990 not only Germany was reunited. Europe as a whole reached together a new step. After the fall of the Iron Curtain and the reunification, the European Union has expanded eastwards, from twelve to 28 members. Former communist ruled countries got integrated in the European Union. This was a major challenge but also a great opportunity for the old and the new countries. And Germany was no longer on the edge but in the middle of Europe. The Federal Republic is aware of its responsibilities and its possibilities. The former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said on 3 October 1990: “The unification of Germany is inextricably linked with that of Europe. With the same tenacity with which we pursued our unity, we will continue to work resolutely for European unification.”
Since the founding of the GDR on 7 October 1949, about three million people tried to flee out of the country and to enter the Federal Republic. Today the united Germany is the destination to many refugees. In memory of the refugee movements 1949-1989, Europe, a community for peace and freedom, is today a responsibility to take people for whom their home is no longer safe.
For Germany, the reunification is a milestone. It is mainly due to the people who braved the state repression and demanded their freedom. From now on we have a flag, a national anthem, a parliament, a capital, a football team and most importantly – a common people. Therefore, people celebrate every year October 3 and remember the night in 1990 that united two countries.
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