COMING FROM DEBATES WITH 10.000 CITIZENS IN 25 EUROPEANS COUNTRIES

This new version of Newropeans Proposals is the outcome of a double process, resulting from the Newropeans Democracy Marathon which took place in 2002-2003. This Marathon was the occasion of debates on the future of Europe, in 100 cities of 25 European countries, gathering about 10.000 citizens. An original document comprising 14 Newropeans proposals was then discussed. The new 15 proposals document results from:

the integration of new proposals formulated by citizens during the Newropeans Democracy Marathon

the suppression, modification or simplification of the existing proposals as the outcome of the debates which took place all over Europe in 2002-2003

This new version will serve as the basis (for being defended or criticised) to all future debate sessions that will be organised in the framework of the Newropeans-Networks for 2004 and 2005.

I - FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1. To suppress EU civil servants’ judicial immunity

On principle, a status of European officials inspired by the diplomatic status was acceptable when the EU was dealing with marginal issues. Since it has become the frame of reference for most of European citizens’ activities (and the Constitution will become a symbol of this evolution) and is deciding on an increasing number of internal policy issues, it is democracy which requires that European officials have no particular immunity as it is in a case of officials working in their home countries. To keep these immunities would mean devolution of democracy for 200 years back to the times of privileges. Thus, before the ratification of the Constitution it is essential to erase article 12, Chapter V of the Protocol concerning privileges and immunities of the European Communities of April 8th, 1965: “Officials and other servants of the Communities shall, subject to the provisions of the Treaties relating, on the one hand, to the rules on the liability of officials and other servants towards the Communities and, on the other hand, to the jurisdiction of the Court in disputes between the Communities and their officials and other servants, be immune from legal proceedings in respect of acts performed by them in their official capacity, including their words spoken or written. They shall continue to enjoy this immunity after they have ceased to hold office”. It is also the only possibility to restore the credibility of European institutions in which corruption and fraud have been developed for the last ten years. A Europe closer to its citizens means European public officials are put under the same juridical system as the citizens.

Added Value: Democratization, Equality of all Europeans before law, Closing gap between EU institutions and citizens, Fight against corruption within EU institutions

2. To create a decadal procedure of evaluation of the EU political and administrative systems

One should foresee every ten years, starting from 2002, the organisation of a "Convention", made of elected officials, destined to evaluate the state of European integration, and to propose the necessary structural adaptations.

Added Value: Channelling change to avoid chaos; Pacing European construction to give it a chance to breathe; Democracy, Efficiency, Adjustability, Evolution

3. To create a new system of European political and institutional capitals integrating every national capital (political polycentrism, based on the EuroRings 1 and 2)

One has to look again at the geographical location of the European institutions, and break out of the Brussels - Luxembourg - Strasbourg historical axis. The central institutions should be divided between London, Paris, Frankfurt, Brussels and The Hague (EuroRing 1) and the other community institutions between the other European capitals: Dublin, Madrid, Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Copenhagen , Athens, Lisbon, Stockholm, … (EuroRing 2). These towns will constitute the network of European capitals.

Added Value: Bringing together the common institutions of the peoples; Anchoring the European Union in the long term; Establishing a strong global visibility for the United Europe ; Increasing closeness to the people, osmosis with the European network society, and compatibility with efficiency requirements, Enhancing international credibility

4. To combine the respect of European linguistic diversity and the efficiency of EU political and institutional systems: linguistic system – 2 working languages, 5 official languages, 25 communication languages (including sign language and Braille alphabet)

Linguistic diversity is indispensable to the legitimacy of the European construction process. A certain rationalisation is however necessary, as much for budgetary reasons as for efficiency. Otherwise, the complexity and the growing cost of the system of interpretations will otherwise lead to apoplexy and a rejection of the institutions. It is therefore necessary to adopt a system with several layers: Two working languages for informal administrative meetings (English - French), Five languages for official work (English - French - German - Spanish - Polish), all other languages for communications and public meetings (e.g.: plenary sessions of Parliament). An analogous procedure should be followed for the working documents and official texts. A vast European programme of research promoting automatic translation should be launched in parallel, whilst language courses ought to be made available in all national and regional parliaments.

Added Value : Avoiding the tower of Babel whilst still preserving linguistic diversity; Preserving the linguistic diversity whilst ensuring a good operative functioning ; Ensuring democratic access to debates and information

II - GOVERNING METHODS

5. To implement the systematic ratification of the main EU treaties (constitution, constitutional amendments) through trans-European referenda, possibly organised during the European elections.

If the people once decided to give their national sovereignty to the EU level, THEN future amendments to the EU constitution as well as important topics which have to be decided on EU level should be adopted by the citizens of the European Union in trans-European referendums. This is very important to create a political union among the European citizens. If one topic has to be decided in a referendum which extends itself over 25 countries, a European reality and hopefully a trans-European debate will be created. Trans-European referenda could be one important step to create a “European people” and the feeling to be involved and concerned about European matters. In the moment people’s distance to the European Union and their lack of interest is one major obstacle to a further integration. Referenda on a trans-European level could be part of a remedy to this problem. Over and above it is the natural right of the people - as the sovereign of a democracy – to decide about important issues and therefore it would be a good basis for a more democratic European Union.

Added value: democratisation, better information of citizens on main EU decisions and system, strengthening of European common political identity, strengthening of EU democratic legitimacy

6. To consolidate primacy of political power on administrations, merging the two European executives in the European Council: Suppression of the college of European Commissioners / Accurate definition of two different administrations (common policies and intergovernmental policies)

Europe should now be governed and no longer built. In a democracy, the two key functions, executive and legislative, correspond to two entities only, and not three as in the EU today. And the competences are not shared, so as to avoid the multiplication of obscure and incomprehensible procedures. Politically there is one institution too many, and there is no doubt that it is the Commission. A European Government should be created. It should take responsibility for the European executive, assimilating the current executive functions of the Commission and Council. The European Parliament will form the legislative branch, assimilating the current legislative functions of the Council and Parliament. These two political institutions will together incarnate the common interest of the European Union. The European budget will be voted on for five years by each new European legislature in necessary agreement with the European Government. Naturally, it will only deal with spending under common policies. In order to associate citizens to European responsibilities, the funding of the budget could be bound into a single visible source in the shape of a " European tax ".

Added Value: Democratising and thus simplifying the community political system to render it more comprehensible, and thus more controllable by the citizens ; Bringing a 100% democratic anchoring of the 2 key institutions; increasing the understanding of the decision-making process; empowering the elected officials

7. To accelerate the process of democratic legitimation of the European Parliament, giving to every European citizen two votes in the European elections: one to elect 50% of the EP via trans-European lists and one to elect the other 50% of the MEP via national or regional lists (according to each country’s individual choice).

In order to take over an important political role, the European parliament must be able to integrate the 2 (or 3) identities each European is made of. 50% of its members should thus be elected on trans-European lists at the level of the EU, and 50% of them should be chosen at the national level (or regional, depending on each country’s specificities and choice) by the citizens or by national (or regional) parliaments. This system requires that each citizen is given a double vote in the European elections: one for the trans-European lists and the other for the lists of his/her country/region.

Added Value: Anchoring the legislative component of European politics in national or regional identities as well as the common European identity; Assuring its visibility by placing this common legislative power in one single institution; Avoiding the complexity and conflicts of a two chambers' system; Strengthening significantly the legitimacy of the Parliament, Democratising by giving each citizen 2 votes: national (or regional) and European, generating a political and electoral common layer.

8. To energize the European public function system by limiting the career-length within one organisation to 10 years, and by organising a broad process of mobility between EU and national/regional administrations

The European Parliament must have a complete right of legislative initiative, shared with the European Government embodied in its common administrative branch , European Common Administration (ECA), when it comes to common policies. In the field of inter-governmental policies, the right of initiative belongs naturally to national governments and parliaments. The initiative to shift a policy from one level of responsibility to another (common or inter-governmental) belongs to the European Government alone.

Added Value: Ensuring a healthy competition and an effective control between the community executive and legislature; as well as between the European and national levels; Simplifying, Empowering, Strengthening the decision making process

III - STRATEGIES FOR THE MAIN ACTION DOMAINS OF THE EU

9. To introduce a neighbourhood policy of the EU (Status of Privileged Neighbours), leaning on a reinforced Council of Europe and more significant political and economic partnerships between the EU and neighbour countries, excluding integration as a goal for several years to come, e.g.: Russia, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Tunis, Algiers and Morocco

The success of the enlarged European Union is a real historical challenge: The current enlargement is only a step on this road. The European Union did not use the 90s to prepare itself for enlargement, and the candidate countries have prepared themselves primarily to meet the formal criteria and to start economic reforms. Neither are really ready for a successful enlargement in the 2002-2004 time frame. The hankering after the "official " date risks compromising the historic project, whilst 2-3 years delay would permit the EU to succeed fully, by making sure it is structurally and politically ready to receive new members - and that the candidate countries are socially and politically ready to take this important step. The Copenhagen Summit must establish a real political calendar for enlargement, committing the heads of State and of Government of the EU, as well as the candidate countries before their public opinions. This is far from being the case today in the EU as regards the official calendar. And this enlargement must be accompanied by a vast communication campaign on the utility of enlargement for the EU, concluded by referendum.

Added Value : Ensuring a successful enlarged European Union; Achieving the democratic unity of the continent by 2010; Avoiding rejection and populism from both sides; Democratising by involving public opinions

10. To make the EU actions in the world more efficient, reinforcing the role of the EU Foreign Affairs Minister and stating a European vision based on the three key issues: the central position of the United Nations - reformed and adapted to 21st century challenges, the primacy of international law on national interests and reject of the "preventive war" destabilising concept

The existence of common policies under the sole authority of the European Government and European Parliament forces that the handling of the des external aspects of these policies be given to a single responsible political figure (Minister of Common External Relations Communes - MCERC) and to integrate into a single administration the relevant administrative competences (Trade, Agriculture, Competition, Development, …) (Common European Embassies). He or she is chosen by the President of the European Government from among the current Ministers of Foreign Affairs in office on the national level (and has to be a different nationality to the President of the European Government). He/she co-ordinates with the ministers of Defence of the EU the implementation of a common rapid reaction force. All other fields of external policy are naturally left in the hands of Member States and their diplomatic corps.
A definition of the Europe’s role in the world may be based on three principles which for the first time brought together the majority of European citizens confronted with the Iraqi crisis: The central role of the reformed UN system adopted to the challenges of 21st century, a primacy of international law over national interests and refusal of a destabilising “preventive war” concept.

Added Value: Rendering the action of the EU in the world efficient, whilst still retaining the diversity and wealth of Member States' bilateral relations; Consistency of the internal and external EU action; Insuring consistency between the President of the European Government and the Minister of Common External Relations; Strengthening the image and the weight of the EU worldwide

11. To elaborate a common policy of immigration, implemented on a national basis, founded on the will to turn immigrants and their children into Europeans


For the European Union, immigration is an inevitable, necessary and useful phenomenon, but which has to be mastered on two levels: control of the migratory flows in order to limit as much as possible illegal immigration ; control of the integration process of immigrants, to ensure that there children feel fully-fledged Europeans. As regards the flows, the EU must play as much on the common protection of the frontiers (common customs, common rules…) as on the good neighbourhood, trade and development (increased aid with reinforced efficiency, focused on specific issues, sanctions against uncooperative states); As regards integration, its refusal by the immigrant must become synonymous with return to their country of origin, whilst the public authorities (for the most part national, but in a common strategic framework) must ensure that this integration is effective and come down hard on any form of racial or religious discrimination.

Added Value: Empowering all the Europeans for one of the most important challenge of the coming decades, Basing a trust in our common values and their future, Linking the EU with its neighbours, Ensuring the EU dynamism

12. To make fight against organised crime and trans-national criminality a common policy, creating a European court assisted by specialised European police and justice networks.

The internal market without frontiers, the Euro, enlargement, terrorism, the Internet, all force the European Union to manage more efficiently the fight against trans-national crime, which is more and more professional and expert. The interests of the Union must be preserved, just as must those of its citizens. The creation of an integrated customs network, of a European prosecutor, assisted by a European criminal police (networked from national police forces) and an ad hoc network of European magistrates will allow the EU to face up to this rising risks.

Added Value: Building up the internal and external credibility of the EU; Using the "dimension factor"; Reducing Enlargement-related fears)

13. To reinforce the democratisation of the EU and the quality of its human resources by implementing two big initiatives in the field of education and training:

- making the European dimension accessible to everybody: creation of a support fund aimed for students and youth mobility initiatives designed to allow each year 500 000 young Europeans (15-25 years old) to spend a minimum of one week in an European environment (meetings, conferences, seminars, cultural and sport events, ...).
- bridging the gap in terms of competent trans-European human resources: introduction of a training programme for competent European white-collars (able to build and manage projects, resources and trans-European organisations) in the economic, political, social and cultural sectors through integrated European training programmes (each year of the curriculum should take place in a different EU country).

Added value: democratising the EU, making Europe accessible to new generations, training required future elites and citizens, improving EU’s society efficiency and skills

14. To set up the EU President’s annual social report, aimed at giving an overview of EU social situation (health, employment, education, poverty), using precise indicators.

The European Union has put upon itself numerous convergence criteria in the economic, monetary, fiscal and juridical fields. At the same time, one can observe that the Euro has a great impact on the social sphere of EU policies (public expenditure, fighting unemployment, pension schemes, education and health). Thus, it is urgent to integrate the social dimension to the various convergence criteria. Every year the European executives should present to the European Parliament a detailed report on the a state of the European Union in the social field and present proposals for progress and social convergence.

Added value: social balancing of EU construction, increasing EU outreach within its citizens, improving EU social fabric

15. To Dream, Communicate, Decide and Undertake together: a series of European research and competition initiatives strengthening the EU political project:

A. Common dream and technology: the European space conquest (launch of the European programme for a human settlement on the moon, preferably conducted in cooperation with other spatial powers)

B. Mobility, Economic growth and Technology: creating broad trans-European transport and communication networks (low-cost TGV, Internet, highways, cheap airlines)

C. Common democracy and Technology: automatic translation (invention of cheap soft-wares allowing automatic translation and/or interpretation of European languages) to facilitate and democratise the debates among Europeans.

D. To undertake together vis-à-vis the rest of the world: implementing a European incentive aid-programme (up to 30% of the operation’s budget) to allow the presentation of trans-national applications (at least three EU Member States) for the organisation of the Olympic Games, World Championships and International/Universal Exhibitions.

Added value: improving EU economic and technological fabric, getting ready for 21st century challenges, setting up a leader’s pace for global challenges, shaping up tools for EU and world complex transcultural fabric, positioning the EU as one on international scene