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Newropeans for European Democracy - 2 - 1 - Newropeans for European democracy - 2 - Programme of Newropeans 18/12/2008 Summary Page A. The Newropeans core message 3 B. The Newropeans programme 6 I. Europeans in command 6 1. Proposal for a European Government 6 2. Evaluation of EU Programs 9 II. Europe for all Europeans 3. For a European policy in the field of education 10 4. Voting age 16 13 III. Europeans better protected 5. Newropeans position on socio-economic questions 13 6. Proposal on the European agricultural policy 17 7. Programme for Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Climate 19 IV. Europeans influencing the world 8. Programme on the international policy of the European Union 20 9. European Defence 29 10. Immigration policy 30 11. Israel /Palestine 32 C. The initial 16 propositions 35 D. Funding / Transparency / Ethics 40 A. Newropeans core message National parties and politicians handed over power to European bureaucrats and non-elected politicians. They did little to enforce European democracy and made no serious effort to empower European citizens. This alone is reason enough not to vote for national parties in 2009. But there are - 3 - more reasons to vote for Newropeans. Newropeans is a truly European party and starts were national political parties stop: by devising European solutions to European problems. Newropeans in the European Parliament will innovate and radically change European political cooperation. For Newropeans this is the key to European democracy and citizenship. Newropeans is the first trans-European political party. And is the first political party which will propose candidates for the 2009 European Parliamentary elections in different European countries. Our main goal is the democratisation of European politics. Only when Europeans have better control of their own society can European cooperation develop further in crucial areas including the environment, immigration, defence, social economics and international policy. Our programme has 4 main themes: . Europeans in command. Democratise, innovate and change institutions: restructure European Parliament, control of power of bureaucrats and politicians, transparency in agenda setting, control of power of lobbies. Newropeans will put you in command of Europe. We propose: . To include European parties in Parliament (see page 37) . To elect (not appoint) a European government (see pages 6 to 8) . To stop bureaucrats running the system . Annual evaluation of EU programmes by their beneficiaries (see page 9) . Right of initiative for the European Parliament . To abolish the life-long immunity of European civil servants(see page 35) . Trans-European referenda on enlargement of the EU and new treaties (see page 35) . Europe for all Europeans. Enhance skills and tools to be able to participate in a European democracy: a comprehensive package for education, mobility, language teaching, telecommunications, media and transport which will allow a vast democratisation of access to Europe. Newropeans will make sure that you are able to participate in Europe. We propose: . A European mobility programme similar to Erasmus for 500,000 young citizens each year(see page 10) . To teach at least two additional European languages to all students at secondary school (see pages 10) . To give younger Europeans the right to vote(see p. 13) . To allow associations to develop on a trans-border basis in order to give citizens the same rights as companies . To bring Europe closer to its citizens and to decentralize European institutions (see page 35) - 4 - . To ensure the lowest possible costs of trans-border communications and transportation within the EU . Europeans better protected. Better protection against free-market excesses and stronger demand for consumer rights, sustainability and social security: trans- European regulation of the financial sphere, counter the negative consequences of uncoordinated harmonisation policies for consumers, workers, employers, and especially those running small- and medium-sized enterprises. Newropeans will make sure that Europe develops a social and sustainable dimension too. We propose to promote: The creation of political leadership for the Euro by Euro-zone countries Sustainable production of products and food (see pages 17 through 19) Respect for local and regional identity and for the internal structure of member states Consumer choice and protection (see page 17) Trans-European public services (see 39) A stop to the over-regulation caused by harmonisation An innovative European energy programme (see p. 19) European social solidarity (see pages 13 through 17) . Europeans influencing the world. An international policy that makes the voices of Europeans heard on the global stage. Newropeans will make sure that Europe plays a role in world affairs. We propose: . To secure one seat on the UN Security Council (cf p.20) . A single European defence policy (see p.29) . To play a leading political role in resolving the Israeli/Palestinian conflict (see p.32) . An immigration policy to pair with development policy (see pages 30 through 31) . European leadership to rebuild the international system of political cooperation (cf pages 20 through 29) . To ensure that international policy is guided by Europeans interests, independent of Washington or Moscow (cf pages 20 through 31) Newropeans is different from any other political party. Newropeans will only participate in the European elections over the coming 20 years. Newropeans is only financed through membership fees and private donations. Newropeans has no local level – decisions are made through intranet discussions and ‘via’ e-voting. Candidates are chosen at the European level. Newropeans in the - 5 - European Parliament will donate 50% of their fees to Newropeans. No family members will be employed as staff in Parliament. Newropeans will play a role both inside and outside the European Parliament. Newropeans will connect with other organisations with the same ambitions through the creation of a European Democratic Front to protect our national democratic rights and extend these rights within our common European democracy. The European Parliament was created to represent you. Use the 2009 European elections to make sure it does. Europe is too important to be ignored: vote Newropeans! - 6 - B. 16 Propositions Newropeans initial 16 Proposals for rendering the European Union more democratic and for meeting the challenges of the XXIst° Century These first proposals are the result of a unique debate in Europe, which directly associated over 10000 citizens in 100 towns and 25 countries in the development of Newropeans programme for the 2009 elections. In the coming four years, Newropeans will continue the process of conversing with citizens in order to build a complete programme covering all the major questions which touch all 500 million Europeans, in a way that systematically associates citizens and the actors involved in the development, application and evaluation of EU policies that touch them. A new beginning for the EU on a democratic foundation I. Europeans in command 1. Create a genuine European Government (see page 6 of this programme) - To make elected officials responsible, reign in the technocrats, and facilitate understanding of the decision-making system and its political efficiency - To avoid letting Europe’s « democratic black hole » stimulate a victory of all sorts of populism and extremism. The European Government should become the executive responsibile for European policy, taking over the current executive functions of the Council and the Commission. The political level of the European Commission (Commissioneers) should therefore be abolished. The pooled administrative branch, the Joint European Administration (JEA, developed from the current administration of the Commission) will manage common policies. The European Parliament will constitute the legislative branch, based on the legislative functions of the current Parliament and Council. These two political institutions will together embody the common interest of the EU. The European Parliament must be given a complete right of initiative, shared with the European Government. In inter-governmental matters, the right of initiative belongs to national Governments and Parliaments. 2. Ensure that the principle of equality of all European citizens before the law is maintained by eliminating the legal immunity of European officials. In order to respect the fundamental principle of democracy in Europe To avoid creating a caste of « untouchables » who run the EU The life-long legal immunity of officials of the European institutions (cf. Protocol on the privileges and immunities of the European Communities of 8 April 1965, Art.12a) constitutes a flagrant example of inequality before the law for a category of European citizens. There is no reason for it given that the EU groups 25 democracies where the independence of the legal system is guaranteed. On the contrary, it should be abolished for maintaining a disconnect between the officials running the EU and other citizens. Linking words and deeds, Newropeans will not accept any European officials among its active members as long as this immunity is not eliminated. 3. Ratify systematically the main changes of community treaties, and in particular enlargements by trans-European referenda. To allow citizens to decide the main future orientations of the EU to avoid having an elite, disconnected from the citizens and peoples, impose its choices. These trans-European referenda will use a double majority
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