On October 29, 2002

The Youth Contact Group welcomes Valéry Giscard d'Estaing’s proposal to the Convention on the future of Europe for a framework for a real European Constitution.
"The draft sets out the skeleton for a greatly improved, democratic Europe. It is time to add substance to the proposals now," stated Giacomo Filibeck, President of the European Youth Convention. Bringing together 210 young people from around Europe in July this year, the Youth Convention proposed a number of answers to the questions that Mr Giscard d'Estaing leaves unanswered in his constitutional framework.

"The major issue relates to the accountability of the Commission. The European Parliament should be given the power to elect the head of the European Union's executive. This should not be left to a “Congress of the People” as Giscard proposes, which would only make the European Union more cumbersome. We do not need yet another European institution." continued Giacomo Filibeck.
"We are also concerned at the prominence given to the European Council and the Council Presidency. This Constitution must not retreat into greater intergovernmentalism if it is successfully to equip the Union for the challenges it faces today. The European Parliament, as the only directly democratic European Institution, must play a bigger role in the future Europe.”

Once more Valéry Giscard d'Estaing has raised the issue of renaming the Union. Young people in Europe demand a strong, effective and democratic institutional structure for the European Union, not a superficial rebranding exercise.

The Youth Contact Group restates its demand that the President and two Vice Presidents of the Youth Convention be granted full observer status within the Convention, allowing the representatives of young people formally to express their views.

"It's time that the Convention listens seriously to the demands of the Youth Convention" explained Giacomo Filibeck."The views of young people must be taken on board if the European Union is to become truly democratic."

Contact: Marianne Bonnard, tel: +32 (2) 512 00 53,
email: sg@jef-europe.net

For more on the Youth Contact Group, see www.constitutional-convention.net.