Reform not Rhetoric

This was written on behalf of Conservative MEPs in the European Parliament…

1. A Europe of Nation States
‘The Union needs to become more democratic, more transparent and more efficient… restoring tasks to Member States.’
The Laeken Declaration, Signed in 2001 by the EU Heads of Government.

European Parliament assembly room

Instead we move ever closer to the centralisation of power – a European Super-state which rather than:
‘looking outwards to the world, looks inwards at itself, attempting to breathe new life into an old constitution.’
David Cameron’s speech to Brussels, 6th March 2007.

Now, following Labour’s failure to back a Europe that gives National Parliaments more say in the running of the EU, Conservative MPs, with British people’s support want to establish a new group in the European Parliament immediately after the 2009 elections:

The Movement for European Reform
Before its inception, two other parties have already joined Britain’s largest political group in the European Parliament.  Bulgaria’s UDF Party and Czechoslovakia’s ODF Party – the latter a country whose Parliament has voted to delay a vote on the EU Constitution.  Many members believe it limits the country’s sovereignty.  They are right.  It does, which is why the Movement for European Reform will focus on:

EU Parliament

2. A 3G Europe
Simply put the ‘3G Europe’ looks after the three biggest factors affecting the future of member states in the EU:

Globalisation: We must make Europe the best place to do business. As the BRIC economies continue to flourish, Britain’s slowly crumbles.  Starting points include reform of the Common Agricultural Policy to ensure farmers in Britain get a fair deal.  And efforts to create a transatlantic common market must be supported – how can a country’s economy grow when businesses don’t have the opportunity to float?

Global Warming: The Emissions Trading Scheme needs reform.  It should be more transparent and businesses must be given an incentive to invest in green technology.  By doing so they will help Britain both reduce its carbon footprint and reduce our reliance on politically unstable countries for the more damaging fossil fuels.

Global Poverty: People in Britain want an end to ‘talk’ that Africa is one of the EU’s top priorities.  We must make it a reality!  In 2000 a list of Millennium Development Goals were set up.  We need to re-emphasise our commitment to them including the promise to donate 0.7 percent of GDP to international development.  In the long-term developing nations must be given market access so that their businesses can prosper too, in turn benefiting all member states of the EU.  They will also need help building the legal and financial infrastructure needed to grow their economies.

3. A Flexible Europe
Britain needs a flexible Europe that does less but does it better:
‘With 27 member states there is no way the EU can make progress if we continue to insist that all members take part in every project. The ‘one size fits all’ approach just won’t work in a union that is so diverse.’
David Cameron’s speech to Brussels, 6th March 2007.

A federal wrapper means we will no longer be able to make important decisions about Britain’s future:
• It will be bad for jobs and our economy.
• Decisions on asylum and immigration will be made by the EU.
• The EU will also have greater control over criminal justice and our courts.

Should all member states sign up to a constitution, changes could begin as early as next year. However, Conservative MEPs are prepared and have already set up:

The European Reform Commission
It aims to review all areas related to the running of the EU including how best to address a ‘3G Europe.’  But perhaps most importantly it will look at whether, and how, the body of EU law could be made reversible.