ECOSY Bureau Meeting
Valencia, 19th – 21st April 2002

1. European Young Socialists welcome the establishment of the Convention working on the Future of Europe. We think that the involvement of representatives of the EU, its member states and the applicant countries and particularly the strong participation of parliamentarians allow starting deep and forward-looking discussions. The Convention provides the chance to raise public interest and to win people’s support for the European project by stimulating public and transparent debates about the Europe of tomorrow. After the obvious problems of Intergovernmental Conferences to face the existing challenges and following the positive example of the Convention elaborating the Charter of Fundamental Rights, this Convention on the Future of Europe can be the place to discuss about the interests of people, not about so-called “interests of nations”.

2. ECOSY regrets the almost non-existing nomination of young people and is disappointed by the fact that only a few women were nominated as members of the Convention. We emphasise the necessity to allow an open discussion and welcome the steps taken by the Convention members to limit the competence of the Convention Praesidium. We support the strengthened role that was finally given to representatives of applicant countries.

3. The reform of the European Union is going to influence all Europeans. It will especially affect young people who are the future. Their involvement in the process is more than necessary. Therefore we strongly welcome the project of the Youth Convention, that is going to take place in July this year. It is necessary that the Youth Convention represents all young Europeans and is gender balanced. We urge the Convention to really take into account the outcomes and demands of the Youth Convention. We want equal rights for all participants from EU Member states and applicant countries in the youth convention. We demand equal rights for all participants coming from Member states and applicants countries in the Youth Convention.

4. We do not agree with the rules of nomination to the Youth Convention. It is not acceptable that the Convention members choose their youth representatives. We are asking to take seriously into consideration the nomination proposals by youth organisations, particularly by the European Youth Forum on the EU level and by National Youth Councils on the national level. ECOSY is demanding to organise follow-ups of the Youth Convention session in order to involve young Europeans also in the further process of the Convention’s work.

5. The ongoing discussions in the Convention seem to be mainly about institutional issues. It is also the content of European policy, which is crucial for the people. It is a political necessity to define the purpose of the European project before starting a debate about institutional reforms. As ECOSY we have always pointed out very clearly, what we expect:
- a Welfare Europe supporting economical growth, promoting full employment and guaranteeing social protection
- an enlarged European Union establishing a continental area of peace, democracy, stability and prosperity
- an EU active on the international scene, contributing to peaceful and sustainable global development
- an Union working for the interests of young people, fighting youth unemployment, increasing chances in education and facilitating mobility

6. The institutional reforms are necessary instruments to achieve these aims. ECOSY is not afraid to say that a federal Europe is the only way how to deal with the future challenges. In principle we refuse all tendencies to re-nationalise competence in the European Union and to increase the influence and the power of the Council. Particularly we are demanding to write a European Constitution.

7. European Young Socialists demand the elaboration of a European Constitution. The Charter of Fundamental Rights should be its foundation and has to become legally binding. The competence of the EU and its member states has to be clarified. Clear rules for institutions and decision-making processes have to be included. The intergovernmental character of the second and third pillar of the treaties - Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PCJJ) – should be transformed into a supranational one. Thereby the competence of the European Court of Justice must include also these fields. The principle of majority voting should be extended to all legislation.

8. ECOSY demands the establishment of a bicameral parliamentary system with today’s Parliament as the representation of the European population and today’s Council as the representation of member states. We do not see the necessity for a (third) chamber consisting of national parliamentarians. The European Parliament should have primary legislative function, with the power to initiate and full budgetary competence. Elections to European Parliament must become more European, a part of the mandates should be distributed on the European level. We are asking for a strengthened role of European Parties and are in favour of direct financing by the EU, based on clear and transparent regulations set in a European Party Statute.

9. We demand the development of today’s Commission into a European Government. It should be the executive of the EU, being responsible also for the field of CFSP. The European Government must be democratically elected by the European Parliament. European Parties should present their presidential candidates during European elections.

10. European Young Socialists ask the members of the Convention to work seriously and in an open-minded way for a consensual result, in order to come forward with a clear and convincing proposal. In matters where consensus can’t be reached we demand distinction between majority-minority positions. We strongly demand from governments to respect the final result of the Convention.

11. We urge the members of the Convention and especially the Convention Praesidium and the Convention Secretariat to strongly involve civil society in general and youth in particular into the process. ECOSY will come forward with further proposals also by being a part of The Contact Group and by being a part of the Federalist Voice: Network for a European Constitution.

12. ECOSY and its member organisations see the debate about the Future of Europe as a priority and are going to contribute strongly to it. Our members and activists are going to take part in the Youth Convention and will provide input. We will encourage the debate in the framework of the European Youth Forum. And of course ECOSY will contribute to the discussions in our mother party, the Party of European Socialists (PES) and in the PES Group in the European parliament.

13. In order to contribute, ECOSY proposes:
- To hold regular meetings with PES and PES delegation to the Convention.
- To form a working group that will follow the work of the Convention closely.
- To have a formal meeting between the PES Convention members and the PES Youth Convention members prior to the Youth Convention.
- To urge the Bureau members to contact the Convention members from their country.