European Movement UK

Britain's future is with Europe! Join the debate and put your opinion forward!

Archives for Britain and the EU

No case for a referendum on EU membership

August 19, 2011

The People’s Pledge campaign claims to be in favour of a referendum on EU membership. The European Movement does not support this campaign: while it is not necessarily against a referendum on further developments in the EU – should Britain join the euro, for example – the European Movement does not believe that a referendum… » read more

Posted by European Movement UK

Britain and the EU, English

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Bringing back the death penalty?

August 8, 2011

The government has launched a new website where people can post petitions for signature. If a petition gets at least 100,000 signatures, it will may be debated in the House of Commons. The petitions website is here http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/index.html. One of the first campaigns to be launched is the so-called Restore Justice campaign, arguing for the… » read more

Posted by European Movement UK

Britain and the EU, Justice & Home Affairs

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The British government’s ostrich strategy towards the eurozone

By Petros Fassoulas Perhaps the flightless African bird does not deserve the reputation it has acquired but in terms of symbolism at least the British government’s reaction to the eurozone crisis resembles a lot the ostrich’s alleged tendency to bury its head in the ground when confronted with danger. Because there is no other way… » read more

Posted by European Movement UK

Britain and the EU, Economy & Euro

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The EU Referendum Campaign – fisked

September 17, 2010

The EU Referendum Campaign has called for a referendum on British membership of the EU. Here is their statement about EU membership, fisked. 1. Can we really afford to send £45 million a day to Brussels? ** this is the gross figure not the net figure, which implies that the referendum campaign wants to shut… » read more

Posted by European Movement UK

Britain and the EU, English

The truth about road-pricing

September 3, 2010

Certain anti-European groups have been getting agitated lately about an experiment in road-pricing that is underway. They complain that the EU is forcing another tax on motorists, in order to pay for road-building in other parts of Europe. The truth is rather different. First of all, there is no compulsion on any member state to… » read more

Posted by European Movement UK

Britain and the EU, English

European Movement UK

Britain's future is with Europe! Join the debate and put your opinion forward!

The origins of the European Movement

The origins of the European Movement lie in the aftermath of the Second World War. More than eight hundred delegates from across Europe gathered in The Hague in May 1948, under the chairmanship of Sir Winston Churchill, to create a new international movement to unite Europe and prevent further wars between its members. The British section of the European Movement was founded a year later.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the European Movement put forward the arguments for joining the European Economic Community, and it ran a major campaign in the early 1970s, both among the general public and in parliament, to win the battle for entry. In 1975, during the referendum on membership, the European Movement played a central role in the YES campaign. Other campaigns since then have included pressing for direct elections to the European Parliament in the 1970s and promoting the benefits of the single market in the run-up to 1992.

During the 1990s, the organisation became revitalised around the need to create a new national pro-European coalition. The rise in anti-European feeling threatens to undermine Britain's place in the European Union; our exclusion from the first wave of countries joining the euro is an example of how we lose out when the pro-European case is not put strongly enough in public.

Aims and activities

The European Movement is

- A rallying point: The European Movement rallies all those who believe that European unity is vital where the peoples of Europe have interests in common such as increased trade to improve economic prosperity, an improved environment to tackle climate change, and action to combat global poverty. A politically united Europe is needed to sweep aside the petty tribalism that has historically, at the very least, been an obstacle to progress or, at its worst, has led to bitter conflict and a catastrophic loss of human life. Europe must be united as a region of law, justice and democracy, equipped with the institutions capable of achieving these ends. Members receive a regular newsletter, euromove, with information and news about Pro-European developments. In addition, the office publishes updates on campaign ideas and issues an e-mail newsletter, e-News. Members take part in lively discussions in person and online, and the European Movement maintains an informative website.

- A campaign: The Movement has since its creation in 1948 sought to build and maintain public support for the unity of Europe. In the face of a backward-looking nationalist resurgence in some quarters, this role is as vital as ever. The campaigns include public information points, working with the media, and lobbying MPs and other decision-makers. In addition to the work of the London office, the branches and national councils organise campaign activities in their own areas, as well as political discussions and social events for members.

- A pressure group: The creation of the European Union has been an extraordinary achievement - democratic, sovereign states have created a common institutional framework in order to forge a future together based on the rule of law. But the European Movement is not the Union's information service or an apologist for its weaknesses. It must work to win support for the reforms necessary to improve its ability to meet the hopes and aspirations of its peoples.

Contact

Southbank House, Black Prince Road, London W3 7NS

www.euromove.org.uk

emoffice@euromove.org.uk

Tel: 0203 176 0543


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