At the 6 – 8 October 2000 autumn conference in International Cultural Centre Achberg (near Lindau on Lake Constance), the deliberations of the Inter Citizens Conferences (ICC), a network of 35 groupings of European civil society, resulted in adoption of an Appeal for »Project EU 21«, which we reproduce below, in its most recent version, with a request for worldwide solidarity and support.

In this way, ICC seeks to give encouragement to the movement which believes that, in future, development of a constitution for the European Union, set in train by the »Charter of Fundamental Rights«, should no longer be left entirely in the hands of European institutions and committees. In parallel, this development should in future be conceptually influenced by committed initiatives from civil society and thus be capable of gaining effective support from all interested parties worldwide.

The corresponding demand, which should be launched via a petition in all EU Member States and accession candidate countries, has as its objective that EU citizens must have the right to decide on the outcome of the process in a referendum.

Since this objective is intimately linked with the globalisation process and, in the view of democratic civil society, a united Europe must be constituted in such a way that Europe’s con- tribution to the well-being of mankind is pursued not in line with purely European precepts but more in tune with the EU hymn (Schiller’s Ode to Joy set to music in Beethoven’s 9th symphony).

And since the most beneficial consequences for all the problems of globalisation would result if Europe were to decide constitutionally for a ground-breaking re-orientation of civilisation in economics, politics and culture and their interaction with each other, we call on all individuals worldwide to express their personal support for this Project »EU 21« with their signatures, since the Europe that they will encounter in the 21st century is of the greatest importance for all continents.

The more women and men express their wish in this way, the greater the political weight of this project will be as we approach the looming decisive crossroads for the social future of our planet.

[Back]

 

Appeal for Project »EU 21« (global)

For a European constitution process from below

1. With entry into the 21st century, the task in the process of European integration is to build on what has already been achieved with a new phase; a phase for analysis of the new challenges posed by widening and deepening of the EU in an age of greater individualisation on the one hand and globalisation on the other.

2. Although no official decision has yet been taken in the European Union on this matter, it is becoming clear that this task will be addressed and executed through drafting and adoption of a constitution or a corresponding basic law whose first stage, the “Charter of Fundamental Rights”, was proclaimed by the European Council on Nice in early December 2000.

3. Yet, as things currently stand, this constitutional treaty, like all previous legal constructs in the EC and EU, is expected to be drafted exclusively by the political bodies and committees of the EU and, at best, offered for the approval of EU citizens only at the end of the process through a referendum.

4. However, this traditional modus operandi is certainly not an effective way of ensuring that in future a European consciousness develops more fully among the populations of Member States and enables them to identify more strongly with European integration.  Neither does it eliminate the shortcoming that the political situation in the EU has not hitherto been given effective democratic legitimacy by EU citizens and has not in any way been driven forward and shaped by free initiatives from civil society.

5. In the conviction

·         that the European constitutional process set in train by the “Charter of Fundamental Rights” is a suitable opportunity for the interested non-partisan forces of civil society also to become involved,

and recognising

·         that a united Europe as a “political subject” in step with the times can only become a reality if not only representatives of peoples act but also EU citizenry itself contribute conceptually to the constitution-building tasks and ultimately can decide directly and irrevocably on the result of this work, we hereby call for creation of a network of all Europeans who wish to support and participate actively in this project.

The goal is, within the timetable already set by the European Council (most likely the middle of this decade), to create the conditions for European citizenry in its entirety to be able to decide through direct democracy on the EU constitution, “basic law” or corresponding “constitutional treaty”, whereby – if it proves impossible to arrive at a joint draft with the EU institutions – the decisions submitted for referendum should also include the draft constitution produced by civil society.

6. We call on all EU institutions, bodies and committees, and on all national parliaments and governments, taking account of proposals from civil society, to create the procedural and administrative conditions for the requisite information, discussion, opinion-forming and decision-making process.

We expect the necessary financial resources to be made available for the non-governmental EU activities targeted on realisation of these tasks.

7. We call on all EU citizens and civil society active around the world to participate in this Initiative in the largest possible numbers. The more people commit themselves to Project »EU 21« and its objectives through cooperation, support and their signatures, the greater the chance of achieving the goal in view.

8. The constitution will lay the foundations and configure the social living spaces for the shared “European house”.  On it depends decisively how our living and working relationships will be able to develop in the 21st century, and what message for the overall social future will go out from Europe to the peoples of the world.

9. Those who want to do more than just follow the decisions of the powerful, now have the opportunity in the European Union – as seldom in the past – to unite in the strength of association and to set the course for freedom and democracy in such a way that the common good is best served.

10. Anyone who wishes to contribute to the framing of civil society’s approach to the constitution with more than a signature or donation should contact one of the addresses given below; he/she will then receive the necessary information.

Start initiative EU 21

Inter Citizens Conferences (ICC)

Achberg, 8 October 2000

IG-EuroVision D-88147 Achberg, Humboldt-Haus, Panoramastr. 30. Tel +49 8380 335, Fax +49 8380 675

IG-EuroVision@gmx.net ² www.Euro-Vision.org

Initiative Netzwerk Dreigliederung, D-70188 Stuttgart, Haußmannstr. 44a, Tel +49 711 2368950, Fax -2360218

BueroStrawe@t-online.de

ICC D-10405 Berlin, Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte, Greifswalder Strasse 4, Tel +49 30 204 53 190,

icc.cic@t-online.de

 

 

 

[Back]                     [Home]