| Article I38a in the Maastricht Treaty, adopted with the ratification of the Treaty of the European Union by the end of 1993, means great challenges for European parties: 'Political parties at European level are important as factors of integration within the Union. They contribute towards the formation of a European consciousness, and to expressing the opinions of the Union's citizens.' |
| To do justice to these demands an important effort is needed. If the European People's Party is to become established as a permanent and influential element in European politics, we now have to lay the foundation for the coming years. The European People's Party must, simultaneously develop into a real European party and, in conjunction with the member parties, it must become the engine which pushes forward the process of European integration. Important preparations are already in place. |
| Thanks to intensive programme work and especially the elaboration of the 1992 Athens basic programme, the European Peoples Party has laid a solid foundation as regards content for co-operation with parties which have diverse regional and historic backgrounds, within the EPP and its parliamentary groups. |
| On the road to enlargement of the Union from six to 15 Member States, the EPP has always succeeded in winning the support of parties with other political experiences for co-operation inspired by Christian tradition from the political centre in the continuity of the founding fathers of European unification. This co-operation means a possibility to learn from each other and to develop our political thinking. |
| The European Peoples Party made important achievements in 1995. By the accession of Moderata Samling and Kristdemokratiska Samhaellspartiet (Sweden), Det Konservative Folkeparti (Denmark), kansaalinen Kokoomus (Finland), Oesterreichische Volkspartei (Austria) as well as Centro Christiano Democratico, the Christiani Democratici Uniti and the Partito Popolare Italiano (Italy), the number of full members has increased from 13 to 20 within a few months. |
| Without the inflated British Labour Party presence (distorted by the British voting system) and despite the weakness and division of the Italian Christian Democrats, the EPP Group in the European Parliament today would have been as strong as the Socialists. |
| The move of the EPP office to an address close to European Parliament, will improve co-operation between party, parliamentary group and MEPs. Since February 1995, MEPs as well as national MPs are regularly informed about the EPP's work by 'EPP-News', which is printed in 4000 copies in six different languages. Since June of last year, a Press-Officer has been in regular contact with international media. The creation of the European Union of Senior Citizens and the EPP Small and Medium Sized Business and Economic Association have decisively completed the important structures of the Associations. |
| Within the framework of the November EPP Congress in Madrid, statutory amendments were adopted allowing for a gradual and careful opening of the EPP to parties from countries in Central and Eastern Europe applying for EU membership, as well as establishing a presidency which is capable of political action. The newly constituted Council will offer the basis for a befter association of the leaders of EPP member parties in important political decision-making. The election of the President by the Congress, to come into effect from 1999, is an important step on the road to a real European party. |
| The 1996 Intergovernmental Conference programme adopted in Madrid confirmed the direction of European policy for parties already adopted at the congresses of Dublin, Athens and Brussels. |
| The EPP is a programme party. It ensures cohesion and capacity for political action on the basis of philosophies inspired by the Christian values and the basis of European civilization Man in tension between individual freedom and responsibility towards the community, a socially and ecologically-committed market economy, and a readiness to deepen European integration. Without this core of common Christian Democratic basic values, the EPP would fall back and become an umbrella organization and as a result lose influence and cohesion in the European Parliament as well. |
| The European Peoples Party can not emerge weakened from the next stage of EU enlargement. On the contrary we wish to once again take our place as the predominant force in Europe. Sister parties from countries applying for EU membership thereby have to be identified in time and be integrated cautiously and step-by-step into the EPP framework. Basis for this co-operation will be - as successfully practised in the Scandinavian countries - agreement on our vision of the world, the political programmes and political actions. |
| The EPP Group in the European Parliament has, during the course of the last few years, convinced deputies from non-EPP member parties to cooperate and to work together with it. We should offer these parties the possibility of becoming associated with the EPP as well as with its ideas and objectives and to co-operate with it in as much as they wish to. The EPP must keep and open mind regarding eventual new partner parties from current Union Member States. The situation in Portugal is in our view particularly unsatisfactory. The basis for membership remains a knowledge and recognition of our programme. |
| As the European Peoples Party becomes stronger it will also become more successful it is in bringing together decision-makers at national and European levels. Secretaries General of the member parties, spokespersons for European affairs in national parliamentary groups, EU commissioners, but also the group presidencies of the Parliamentary Assembly of the European Council and the WEU, as well as the Committee of the Regions, have to be integrated into the framework. Common conferences for national and European parliamentarians should be a regular part of this work. |
| The presidency has a constitutional responsibility to ensure the EPP's permanent political presence. In order to fulfil this obligation, it is not least important for the EPP to be seen as a political actor by the citizens. The presidency - in co-operation with national and European decision-makers -will have to develop new methods of working in order to reach this goal. |
| The dynamic of European integration has also created a European media scene. National papers, radio programmes and TV broadcasts regularly report on European themes, European papers and electronic media make attempts to establish themselves. In this field there are numerous chances we have not yet exploited to convey our political opinions to the citizens. |
| A variety of Foundations and Research institutes which are close to our Member Parties exist throughout the Member States of the European Union. The potential of these bodies is enormous. Coordination between them at this time is clearly insufficient. We must particularly guarantee that the results of research on European integration are made accessible to everybody. |
| The arrival of the Internet has revolutionised the global exchange of information. Particularly for organisations working at international level, such as the EPP, this is a remarkable means of distributing information on our work and that of our Member Parties and will particularly permit the acceleration and increase in exchange of information. |
| Concentration of EPP activities in Brussels and Strasbourg is made necessary by the expectation of translation into all languages of the Union. However, it must be ensured that this does not lead to our not being anchored in the member parties. The EPP must have a stronger presence outside Brussels and Strasbourg as well. In this regard we must envisage the organisation of certain meetings, working groups and commissions outside of Brussels or Strasbourg and an even closer co-operation with our member parties. A foregone condition is the reduction in the number of working groups and the frequency of their meetings and at the same time, the lengthening in the time allocated to these meetings. |
| Eight of 10 EDU parties in the European Union are today full members of the European Peoples Party, a ninth (British Conservatives) is linked to our parliamentary group in the European Parliament. The parties from Central and Eastern Europe which wish to become observer members are normally members of EDU as well as of EUCD. We therefore have to prevent unnecessary duplication of work between these organizations. Member parties can in this way have some burden taken off them, but at the same time the particular advantages of each organization can be exploited. |
| Without stable financing, the European parties will not be able to fulfil the task set out in Article 138a of the Maastricht Treaty. Together with other political families in Europe, a common solution has to be found, so that European parties can rely on a fixed and reliable base for further development. |
| Member parties constantly face similar problems when it comes to publicity, election campaigns, fund-raising, or even addressing members. A regular, direct exchange of experiences between those responsible in the member parties, with the assistance of external experts, could be helpful in European Parliament campaigns, but not only then. |
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