22.10.2014

Federalists support the re-launch of the „Spinelli Group“ 

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) supports the re-launch of the parliamentary group of the „Spinelli Group“ in European Parliament. The Group held its first meeting yesterday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.  Named after Altiero Spinelli, a founder of the federalist movement, former MEP and Commissioner, the Group gathers the federalist and most fervent pro-integration members of the European Parliament.

The parliamentary group will be jointly chaired by Elmar Brok, MEP (EPP), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and President of the Union of European Federalists, and Jo Leinen, MEP (S&D), President of the European Movement International. The board includes also the MEPs Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE), Sylvie Goulard (ALDE), Danuta Hübner (PPE), Mercedes Bresso (S&D) and Ulrike Lunacek (Greens).

Elmar Brok, co-chair of the Group, declared: “The Spinelli Group wants to gather MEPs from all parties and all countries who believe that the future of Europe lays in more and better integration and more supra-nationality. We want to be a strong voice opposing Euro-skepticism and nationalism. We want to be a catalyst for discussions in the Parliament and we want to initiate proposals for the European Parliament to become a leading force in the debate on the future of Europe. This debate can’t be left only to the Heads of State and Governments. There is still much to be done to further exploit what it already in the Lisbon Treaty but it is not applied. And there is the need to reflect on which policy challenges facing the European Union require changes to the Treaties. As Spinelli Group in the European Parliament we want to support the Constitutional Affairs Committee and the Parliament as a whole to be prepared and be a leader on these matters“.

UEF will encourage members of the European Parliament who believe in a federal Europe to join the Spinelli Group.

More information on the Spinelli Group can be found on https://www.spinelligroup.eu/article/launch-mep-spinelli-group-2014-2019