Union of European Federalists facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Union of European Federalists

Formation	September 1946
Type	Advocacy group
Purpose	Advocate Federalism
Headquarters	Brussels, Belgium
Region served	European Union
President	Sandro Gozi

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) is an international group that started in 1946. It works to create a united Europe. This means countries would work together like a single country, but still keep their own unique cultures. The UEF believes in "unity in diversity," meaning being strong together while celebrating differences.

The UEF brought together many groups after World War II. These groups, often from the Resistance movements, wanted a united Europe. One such group was the Movimento Federalista Europeo, started in Italy in 1943. Another was the French Committee for the European Federation, formed in 1944.

How the UEF Started: A History of Unity

After two terrible world wars, people in Europe wanted to find a way to prevent such suffering from happening again. Many believed that if European countries worked together as a federation, they could achieve lasting peace. This idea led to the creation of the UEF.

Early Meetings and Foundation

In September 1946, a meeting took place in Hertensteiner Cross in Switzerland. Seventy-eight people from 16 European countries came together. They all believed that a united Europe could stop future wars. They created a plan based on this idea.

Another meeting happened in Luxembourg in October 1946. These groups decided to officially form the European Union of Federalists (UEF). The UEF was formally founded in Paris in December 1946. Its main job was to bring all these different groups together. It also helped them work towards their shared goal of a peaceful and democratic Europe.

First Congress and Key Leaders

The UEF held its first big meeting, called a Congress, in Montreux, Switzerland, in August 1947. Here, they set out the main ideas and goals for uniting Europe. Early leaders of the UEF included important figures like Altiero Spinelli.

The UEF also helped organize the Congress of Europe in The Hague in May 1948. This event was very important for the idea of European unity. The UEF is still part of the European Movement today, which came from that Congress.

Working for a United Europe

The UEF worked hard to create a European Federal Pact. This was a plan to turn the Council of Europe into a group that could write a constitution for a European Federation. They gathered thousands of signatures from people across Europe. They also campaigned for a European Defence Community, which would have created a shared European army.

Challenges and Reunification

After some plans, like the European Defence Community, did not happen, the UEF faced disagreements. Some members, like Altiero Spinelli, wanted to create a European constitution right away. Others preferred a slower, step-by-step approach. This led to the UEF splitting into two groups in 1956.

However, as Europe started to form a customs union and move towards an economic union, the two groups realized they needed to work together again. They agreed on a new goal: to campaign for people to directly elect members to the European Parliament. This idea brought them back together, and the UEF was reformed in April 1973.

Major Campaigns and Public Action

The UEF organized many large public events to promote its ideas. For example, in December 1975, they held a demonstration in Rome. This was when European leaders decided that European elections would happen. In 1985, a huge demonstration in Milan, with 100,000 people, pushed for changes to European treaties.

After the Berlin Wall fell and the cold war ended, the UEF focused on European democracy. They wanted to remove border controls within the European Union. They also pushed for a stronger European Parliament and European Commission. They wanted more decisions to be made by majority voting.

The UEF also played a big part in the Campaign for the Federal European Constitution in Nice. About 10,000 people took part in this event.

Leaders of the UEF

The UEF has had many important leaders over the years. They have guided the organization in its mission to unite Europe.

Presidents of the Executive Board

Hendrik Brugmans 1947–1949
Henry Frenay 1950–1952
Altiero Spinelli 1955–1956
Grigore Gafencu 1956
Alexandre Marc 1957
Raymond Rifflet 1959–1964
Mario Albertini 1966

Presidents

Henri Genet 1947
Henry Frenay 1948–1949
Hendrik Brugmans 1950
Eugen Kogon 1950–1952
Henry Frenay 1955
Grigore Gafencu 1956
Enzo Giacchero 1957
Enzo Giacchero 1959–1962
Etienne Hirsch 1964–1972
Etienne Hirsch – J.H.C Molenaar 1972
Mario Albertini 1975–1982
John Pinder 1984–1987
Francesco Rossolillo 1989–1994
Jo Leinen 1997–2004
Mercedes Bresso 2006–2008
Andrew Duff 2008–2013
Elmar Brok 2013–2018
Sandro Gozi Since 2018

Secretaries General

Raymond Silva 1947–1948
Albert Lohest 1949–1950
Guglielmo Usellini 1950–1957
André Delmas 1959–1962
Orio Giarini 1962–1967
Ludo Dierickx 1969
Caterina Chizzola 1972–1989
Gérard Vissels 1992–1994
Bruno Boissière 1997–2004
Friedhelm Frischenschlager 2005–2006
Joan Marc Simon 2007–2010
Christian Wenning 2010–2014
Paolo Vacca since 2014

Deputy general secretary

Henri Koch-Kent 1946. He was also involved in the founding meeting in Luxembourg.

How the UEF Works: Its Structure

The UEF is made up of many smaller groups in different countries. These groups work to spread the UEF's message and organize activities where they are. They can plan their own events as long as they fit with the UEF's main goals.

The Congress

The Congress is like the UEF's main meeting. It happens every two years. Delegates, or representatives, from all the UEF groups attend. They decide the UEF's overall plans, choose the UEF president, and make changes to the rules.

The Federal Committee

The Federal Committee helps guide the UEF's political direction between the Congress meetings. Half of its members are chosen by the Congress, and the other half by the national groups. This committee also approves the budget and elects other UEF leaders.

The Bureau

The Bureau is a smaller group chosen by the Federal Committee. It carries out the decisions made by the Federal Committee and reports back to them.

Conference of Representatives

This meeting brings together representatives from the national UEF groups and top UEF leaders. It gives advice and helps coordinate activities. It also decides how much each member group pays to the UEF.

The President

The UEF president is chosen by the Congress. They also lead the Federal Committee and the Bureau. The current UEF president is Sandro Gozi from Italy.

The Treasurer

The Treasurer is in charge of managing the UEF's money. They are chosen by the Federal Committee. The current UEF Treasurer is David Martinez Garcia.

The Secretary-General

The Secretary-General runs the UEF's main office and makes sure decisions are carried out. They attend all meetings but do not vote. The current UEF Secretary-General is Paolo Vacca.

The Arbitration Board

This group has seven members chosen by the Congress. Their job is to make sure the UEF's rules are followed. They also help solve any disagreements within the organization.

Member Organizations: Spreading the Message

States with member organisations of the Union of European Federalists in 2017

The UEF has member organizations in many different European countries. These groups help share the idea of a united Europe with people in their own nations.

Europäische Föderalistische Bewegung Österreich (UEF Austria)
U.E.F. België / U.E.F. Belgique (UEF Belgium)
U.E.F. Balgarija (UEF Bulgaria)
Unie evropských federalistů v České republice (U.E.F. Czech Republic)
European Federalist Movement of Cyprus (UEF Cyprus)
Europa-Union Deutschland (UEF Germany)
Eurooppafederalistit (U.E.F. Finland)
European Federalist Movement Greece (UEF Greece)
Union des fédéralistes européens (U.E.F. France)
Európai Föderalisták Uniója (UEF Hungary)
Movimento Federalista Europeo (UEF Italy)
Europos federalistai Lietuvoje (UEF Lithuania)
UEF Luxembourg
UEF Crna Gora (UEF Montenegro)
UEF Portugal (UEF Portugal)
UEF Romania
Únia európskych federalistov (UEF Slovakia)
Unión de Europeístas y Federalistas de España (UEF Spain)
Unija evropskih federalista (UEF Serbia)
Europafederalisterna (UEF Sweden)
Mouvement européen Suisse/Europäische Bewegung Schweiz/Movimento europeo Svizzera (UEF Switzerland)
Federal Union (UEF United Kingdom)
UEF Europe Groupe

What the UEF Aims to Do: Its Mission

The UEF has several important goals to achieve its vision of a united Europe:

Raise Awareness: They organize public talks, workshops, and street campaigns. These events help people learn more about European issues and the idea of federalism.
Influence Politicians: The UEF talks to politicians who share their views. They create platforms to spread understanding of federalism. They also start discussions in European and national parliaments.
Share Ideas: They use press releases, their website, and newsletters to share their ideas. This helps reach a wide audience of people and leaders across Europe.
Work with Other Groups: The UEF cooperates with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This includes groups like the Young European Federalists (JEF) and the European Movement. They also organize public demonstrations to encourage politicians to act.