Dear Friends,

After some weeks in office already a lot happened. Our main issue at the office for now is: We are moving our offices. I want to thank UEF Director Mana Livardjani and Communication Officer Laura Bringina for their great commitment to combine their hard work in between FC and EB Meeting and not to forget my new organizational demands with rolling up their sleeves to assure telephone, internet, cabelling, furniture and services for and by the UEF Office. With great engagement of our friends from UEF Belgium and Groupe Europe we celebrated the 9th May, day of the Schuman Declaration in front of the Parliament. In these days of crisis it is important to speak up for Europe. Find below some passed actions we would like to share with you. Let us know what you did and give us a short description.
Sincerely yours,

Christian Wenning

UEF Secretary General

UEF NEWS

UEF Secretariat Moving

There is a House in Brussel's Square de Meeûs we call our new Offices. Unfortunately and due to contractual provisions we had to move out of our previous premises, where we shared some rooms together with JEF, who in their part of the offices can still stay and avoid the moving. Thanks to the great help of the European Movement International we were shown a house placed directly in their Courtyard. We are now neighbours to EMI and close to JEF. You will all have the occasion to visit this very cosy place. We are still in moving and you will have to wait for the comprehensive photoset. Take the above picture as a sneak preview. Please use the old address until we inform you about the official opening.

Meeting Italian Students

The first official visitors to our new offices were students for Diplomatic Studies from the University of Turin. Thanks to our active FC Member and former JEF-President Ugo Ferruta, UEF Director Mana Livardjani and Secretary General Christian Wenning presented the work and the ideas of the UEF. We hope to have some more Members in Turin soon!

The Ash Cloud postpones UEF SG visit to Austria

A word for our friends in Austria. Christian Wenning was invited to a very well organized debate - luncheon to Vienna as the accession candidate's Volcano Eyjafjallajökull spit. Thanks again to Guenter Lindner for the invitation, we will have another occasion!

Executive Bureau Meeting ahead

The 5th and 6th of June, 2010 the UEF Executive Bureau will meet in Brussels. Be welcome to write us if you wish to address issues.

NEWS FROM SECTIONS

Federal Committee Meeting of the Europa-Union Deutschland

The Europa-Union Deutschland (EUD), our German UEF Section, has held its Federal Committee where Christian Wenning was kindly invited to present himself as the new UEF Secretary General.
The financial crisis again took the vast majority of the debating time. Our Germans showed activity, not only in presenting a press release, but also in offering their members a Q&A on the German involvement in the crisis, set up by their Presidium Member and former State Secretary for Economic Affairs Joachim Wuermeling.

International training course "Improving the European Communication" in Bulgaria

UEF Bulgaria was co-organiser of the international training course "Improving the European Communication" which was held in Sofia from 2to 9 May 2010. Participants were from the Balkan countries, Germany and Poland.
The event was opened by Dr Andrey Kovatchev, MEP and President of UEF Bulgaria, who invited the participants to visit his Information centre afterwards. Mr Svetoslav Spassov delivered a greeting address on behalf of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
Unfortunately the air traffic chaos caused by the volcano disturbed not only the session of the EP but let to the cancellation of some international participants and speakers including UEF Vice President Philipp Agathonos. The rest of the speakers and trainers included representatives of EU institutions, NGOs and journalists. EMI Secretary General Diogo Pinto was chosen the best speaker according to the anonymous evaluation forms the participants filled in.
The project met the need to inform the new European generation how the EU works and the rights and obligations the EU citizenship brings in order to encourage them to participate in the decision making process. Panel discussions, working groups, debates, lectures and plenary sessions were part of the methods used to debate these issues. Participants gained practical knowledge how to communicate the EU to the young citizens and built capacity for organization of information events on national and local level.
The political, social and cultural aspects that the course addressed, contributed to shape a vision how to strengthen European democracy and reaffirm the concept of active European citizenship.

“60 Years After the Schuman Declaration: Is the European Dream Still Alive?”

On 10 May 2010 on the occasion of Europe Day and the 60th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, UEF Bulgaria along with the European Movement in Bulgaria and JEF organised a round table “60 Years After the Schuman Declaration: Is the European Dream Still Alive?”. The event focused on the future of the EU and was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Robert Schuman's proposal, which led to the creation of the European Union. The main topics discussed were as follows:
- Are the Ideals of the Founding Fathers and the Basic European Values still Valid
- The Future of the European Project After the Lisbon Treaty
- Critical Analyses of “Europe 2020” Strategy The panellists who shared their opinion on the topics included the Ambassador of Germany H. E. Matthias Höpfner, the Ambassador of Spain H.E. Jorge Fuentes Monzonis-Vilallonga, Deputy Minister of Defence Mrs Avgustina Tzvetkova and Dr. Andrey Kovatchev, MEP and President of the Union of European Federalists Bulgaria. The participants received greeting addressees from the Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and the Minister of Defence Anu Angelov.

PAST EVENTS

Federalists honour the 60th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, a meeting was organised by UEF, JEF and ALDE on 4th May 2010 in the European Parliament in Brussels, which was followed by a reception.

Europe Day celebrations in Brussels and in Europe

On 8th of May when the European Parliament in Brussels and other EU institutions held a festival and open day to mark the 60th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, UEF Secretariat, UEF Group Europe, UEF Belgium and JEF Europe members were present were present at the esplanade next to the Parliament to participate in the festivity with their information stand. Many thanks to those UEF members who joined us! UEF sections all over Europe actively participated in the celebration of the Europe Day as well. They were present with their information stands, they were organizing singing, dancing, degustations of European specialities and with European flags fluttering everywhere, they coloured cities in blue. To see pictures, click here.

FUTURE EVENTS

What Future For The Communitarian Method With the European External Action Service?

On the 2nd of June at from 14:00 till 15:00, the Group Europe of the Union of European Federalists is organising a public conference “What Future For The Communitarian Method With The European External Action Service?”
Special guests: Elmar BROK & Guy VERHOFSTADT (tbc), rapporteurs European Parliament
Venue: "Espace Monte Paschi" avenue d'Auderghem 22-28 (Facing the gas station, 50 meters away from rondpoint Schuman)
Please confirm you will attend at info(at)uef-groupeeurope.eu.