EPP in Action 2005 by European People's Party

EPP IN ACTION 2005

WELCOME TO THE EPP

elcome to the European People's Party, the largest European-level party of Europe. With 71 member-parties from 36 countries, 18 heads of government, 9 European Commissioners, including the President, and the largest Group in the European Parliament with 264 members, the EPP is the leading political force on the continent. The EPP is a family of the political centre-right, whose roots run deep in the history and civilization of the European continent and has pioneered the European project from its inception. The EPP is committed to a federal Europe, based on the principle of subsidiarity – a democratic, transparent and efficient Europe. Our vision is one of mutual respect, of inclusion of all free citizens, encompassing all European countries and regions, no matter how diverse – a Europe for all. The EPP wants a Europe that upholds a prosperous and peaceful future for all its citizens.

005 was a year of expansion for the EPP. New member-parties joined us and we successfully implemented the new statute for European political parties that guarantees the steady development of our party. A range of activities-Summits, Bureau and Working Group meetings, seminars, conferences, etc. – significantly improved our political and public profile in Europe. 2006 will be a pivotal Congress year in which the party will formulate a roadmap for a dynamic political debate on the future of Europe. The EPP will seek solutions for the major challenges ahead: economic development, the fight against terrorism, promotion of democracy, global stability, our aging populations and energy depletion.

We in the EPP are proud to play a role in the Europe we believe in

The EPP in the European Council EPP SUMMITS

t the Summits the EPP heads of government, party leaders in coalition governments and opposition, the EPP Presidency and EPP Presidents of the Commission and Parliament, meet regularly prior to the European Council Summits. These important sessions offer EPP leaders an informal and confidential setting to air differences and seek consensus within the EPP family in an effort to develop common positions at the European Council. The EPP Summit is customarily held at the Castle of Bouchout, in Meise, a suburb of Brussels.

During 2005, four Summit meetings were held. The discussions focused on the EU Constitutional referenda, on efforts to boost European economic growth, to approve the EU Budget and the support Croatia´s accession negotiations.

1| Extraordinary Summit of Ministers for Foreign Affairs, Brussels, 15 March 2005 This Summit discussed the accession negotiations with Croatia, EU enlargement and neighbourhood policy. The EPP leaders were convinced that Croatian authorities had cooperated fully and without reservation with ICTY and had taken exhaustive measures in their effort to arrest war-indicted criminal General Ante Gotovina. These efforts needed to be fully recognized and a strategy was worked out on how to proceed further.

2| Statutory Summit, Meise, 22 March 2005 In spring 2005 Europe was debating its economic future and the unsatisfactory results of the Lisbon Strategy launched in March 2000, which aimed to make Europe the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world. Thus the Summit approved the Commission guidelines “For more growth, prosperity and jobs in Europe”, aimed at bringing new dynamism in the European economy. Whilst reconfirming our unanimous support to Prime Minister Ivo Sanader for his continued efforts to fulfil the demands of the ICTY it was decided to request from the Council the creation of a monitoring team that would assess the preconditions put by ICTY’s chief prosecutor. The EPP leaders also supported the candidature of José Ignacio Salafranca for the post of Director of the UNDP.

Meise, Brussels 2

3| Statutory Summit, Meise, 16 June 2005 After in-depth debate on one of the biggest challenges in the history of the EU, following the negative referenda on the Constitution in the Netherlands and France, the suspension of the ratification process for a limited period (1 year) was favoured.

The leaders decided that the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy should be given priority and that the reflection period should be an active phase of cooperation and awareness-raising. They showed solidarity for a campaign to promote the relevance of the Constitution, the European Union and its institutions, and to instil new enthusiasm in the European project. It was decided that the Manifesto of the EPP Congress (Rome, 30 and 31 March 2006) would offer the guidelines and strategy for a roadmap debate during the Austrian Presidency and the re-launch of the Constitutional Treaty in 2007 with new enthusiasm and solidarity. Regarding Wolfgang Schüssel’s report on the EU monitoring team for Croatia and the positive ICTY report, it was decided that they would act with force at the Council to get the accession negotiations started. In pacta sunt servanda the leaders agreed to support the start of negotiations with Turkey and decided these should be an open-ended process while they would engage in open dialogue with the AK party colleagues in the EPP organs.

4| Statutory Summit, Meise, 15 December 2005 While Angela Merkel was warmly welcomed as the new Chancellor of Germany it was unanimously agreed that a decision at the Council meeting on the EU budget for 2007-2013 was vital but that the British Presidency’s proposal was unsatisfactory and that the budget of the European Union should reflect the Union’s ambitions of integration as well as enlargement. The leaders agreed on more solidarity for equal treatment to all member-states and more consideration for rural development and Erasmus. A cut in the British rebate, a clause for a review in 2008 and in view of the European parliament’s co-decision more flexibility in the rules/mechanism for implementation was required. The Summit noted that with the arrest of General Gotovina the EPP was vindicated in its support for Prime Minister Ivo Sanader.

An intense dialogue followed on the financial perspectives 2007-2013 in order to reach consensus. The 1st edition of the EPP academic publication ‘European View ‘ was presented.

he EPP-ED Group, led by Chairman Hans-Gert Poettring, is the largest political group in the European Parliament with a relative majority among all other political groups. This strength is reflected in the fact that, since 1999, the EPP-ED Group has been on the winning side in more votes than any other group in monthly plenary sessions.

The new parliamentary term was inaugurated with the approval of the new Commission and its President, José Manuel Barroso, who was nominated by EPP. The result of the election (449 in favor, with 149 against and 82 abstentions) was quite an accomplishment for the President of the Commission, the EPP, and the EPPED Group, which favored a strong Commission led by Barroso. The EPPED Group looks to the Commission, above all, to promote the competitiveness of the European Union, as an essential condition for creating new jobs, combating crime and securing the external borders of the Union as well as reducing bureaucracy. In December 2004, the European Council took the important political decision of starting accession negotiations with Turkey. The EPPED Group measured this question continuously and in-depth during the course of 2005. The Group agreed that the negotiating process must be entirely open and that the outcome must not be looked upon as a foregone conclusion. Negotiations with Turkey must be open-minded, they can lead to membership, but not inevitably.

The EPP in the European Parliament EPP-ED Group

The EPP-ED Group will be following the negotiations closely, with particular attention to Turkey’s complete and permanent commitment to meeting all the political criteria. The Group welcomed the opening of accession negotiations with Croatia. The EPP-ED Group upholds the principle that all European countries should be offered the prospect of membership in the long term, provided they meet the Copenhagen criteria without reservation. Following the crisis from the negative results of the referenda in France and the Netherlands, the question of how the European Union will move forward with the Constitution will be a significant political issue. It is necessary to persuade the citizens of the Union of the value of the European Union and of the need for reform - only in this way can changes be carried through and the Union’s power to act, in accordance with the Constitution. Most members of the Group are in agreement with this process and consider the introduction of the European Constitution an important political task for the future.

For more information on EPP-ED Group, please visit: www.epp-ed.org

Greens/EFA UEN IND/DEM NI EUL/NGL

EPP-ED ALDE PES EPP-ED PES ALDE Greens/EFA EUL/NGL IND/DEM UEN NI 264 200 90 42 41 33 30 32 TOTAL: 732

The EPP in the European Commission

he European People's Party has always been engaged in the work of the European Commission, the main European institution that implements European Union policies. In the most recent Commission, the EPP played a catalytic role in the appointment of Jose Manuel Barroso - a leading figure of the EPP family - as President of the Commission. The current Commission has a total of 9 Commissioners, that originate from the EPP family:

President Jose Manuel BARROSO Portugal, PSD “My promise is to actively work to build a Europe that is much more than just a simple market place. I want a Europe with a social and cultural dimension; a Europe where everyone can find their place.”

Transport Jacques BARROT France, UMP

Justice, Freedom & Security Franco FRATTINI Italy, FI

“I want to put in place a transport policy that will both improve the competitiveness of Europe’s businesses and respond to the concerns of all Europeans who want better environmental protection, higher levels of safety and stronger rights as consumers.”

“At the centre of many debates in Europe are issues such as security, the fight against terrorism, integration within our countries of people who come from outside the European Union and immigration/asylum. What we discuss and eventually decide in the EU on these issues will have a direct impact on your daily life.”

Fisheries & Maritime Affairs Joe BORG Malta, PN

Energy Andris PIEBALGS Latvia, TP

“I am committed to sustainable EU fisheries management in environ-mental, social and economic terms and the vision that will guide my actions is of a competitive, prosperous and responsible fisheries sector.”

“Securing Europe with a stable energy supply at the same time giving consumers a chance to buy electricity and gas at affordable price – this is a core task that I have undertaken on November 2004, when I became the European commissioner for Energy.”

Education & Culture Jan FIGEL Slovakia, KDH

Information Society & Media Vivianne REDING Luxembourg, CSV

“Education and training are crucial for the future of the European Union. European-level actions on Culture are indispensable for promoting a sense of European citizenship and to support an evolving European identity. I will strive to bring about a better understanding of others' cultures and wider recognition of a common heritage, while fully respecting cultural diversity.”

“The Information Society is crucial to achieving the Lisbon Goals of creating a competitive, sustainable and socially inclusive Europe where everyone, regardless of their health, wealth or location, can fulfil their potential.”

Environment Stavros DIMAS Greece, ND

External Relations & ENP Benita FERRERO WALDNER Austria, ÖVP

“We have made important progress towards putting into place modern, streamlined and cost-effective policies that will achieve a cleaner and healthier environment for our citizens while also stimulating innovation.”

“Enlargement must not create a new dividing line across our continent, and we have offered those who are geographically close to us the prospect of a privileged partnership, the chance to participate in some of our policy activities, and ultimately a stake in our single market”

The EPP in the Council of Europe

The EPP in the Committee Of The Regions

he Committee of Regions (CoR) is the political assembly that provides local and regional authorities with a voice at the heart of the European Union. The EPP Group is a major political pillar in the Committee of the Regions, making it the driving force for strengthening and increasing the role and influence of local and regional authorities in the EU decision-making process. In 2005, the EPP Group in the Committee of the Regions, led by President Isidoro Gottardo, was a key initiator of political resolutions to support the campaign for a Constitutional Treaty for Europe and to reach an agreement on an ambitious financial perspective for the EU between 2007 and 2013. In addition to its ordinary meetings, the EPP Group in the CoR held during 2005 two meetings outside Brussels: “Euroregions: bringing citizens together” (Dubrovnik, Croatia) and on “Cities and Regions for More Growth and Jobs in Europe” ( Bratislava, Slovakia). The EPP Group in the CoR also issued a declaration supporting the opening of accession negotiations with Croatia and encouraging regional cooperation amongst countries of South East Europe as a prerequisite for political and economic development and stabilization in the region. The EPP in the CoR strengthened its cooperation with the European Parliament for the promotion of local and regional interests within the European Union. For more information on the EPP Group in the Committee of Regions, please visit: www.cor.eu.int/presentation/down/epp/

he Council of Europe is the continent's oldest political organisation, founded in 1949. It groups together 46 countries, including 21 countries from Central and Eastern Europe. It is distinct from the 25-nation European Union, but no country has ever joined the Union without first belonging to the Council of Europe. The Group of the European People’s Party in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is promoting co-operation in Europe in a democratic and social framework, based on individual freedom, linked to the concept of Christian responsibility and according to the principles and the values of morality. During 2005, the members of the EPP Group in the Council of Europe participated as observers in the elections which took place in Moldova, Albania, Palestinian Authority, Azerbaijan and Chechenia (Russia), as well as at the Constitutional Referendum in Armenia. The working group “Christianity – Islam” held a roundtable discussion in April to which all Group members of the Council were invited. The title of this meeting was “Christianity and Islam: Cohabitation in the Europe of the 21st Century”. The EPP Group accepted the membership applications of three new members from the Union for the Principality of Monaco (UPM). The Group also welcomed twelve members of the Turkish AKP, four members of the Romanian Democratic Party and two members of the Patriotic Union of Liechtenstein. Luc Van den Brande was elected by acclamation as President of the EPP Group in January. He underlined that the Council of Europe is the “Cathedral of Values” and must adhere to its core objectives while also reaching out to the colleagues in the European Parliament and the OSCE. The outgoing President of the EPP Group, René van der Linden, was elected as the new President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 24 January 2005. For more information on the Group of the European People’s Party/Christian Democrats in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, please visit: http://assembly.coe.int/ppe/index_e.htm

EPP‘s Global Political Activity GLOBAL CO-OPERATION

he EPP is acknowledged as an important political player in the global political arena. The mere fact that the EPP has 71 member-parties in 36 countries is proof of EPP’s international profile. The EPP has used its experience and influence to promote democracy in transition countries and to cooperate, on this basis, with important international players. The ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine is a recent example of EPP’s proactive involvement in assisting the forces of change. It is not surprising, therefore, that President Victor Yushchenko and his ‘Nasha Ukraina’ bloc opted to join the ranks of the EPP (January 2005) and to represent EPP’s political values in Ukraine. Countries like Moldova and Belarus are high on EPP’s agenda for democracy-building and - together with its member-parties, parliamentary groups, associations, and thinktanks - we are committed to help bring about change. In recent years, the EPP has been expanding its interest and involvement in regions beyond the continent – Middle East, North Africa, Latin America & Southeast Asia - in order to offer its experience and expertise to common international efforts of democracy promotion. In doing so, the EPP began to widen its bilateral and multilateral contacts with like-minded political parties and organizations that are dedicated to similar goals.

Specifically, the EPP is developing, on a bilateral level, international partnerships with influential political parties and organizations that are active in the area of democracypromotion. For example, in the United States the EPP had, historically, contacts with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and collaborated from time to time on issues related to the Balkans. In 2005, the EPP began its cooperation with the International Republican Institute (IRI) and has already proven to be very fruitful on a variety of related issues. In 2005, we also established contacts with important like-minded parties such as the Conservative Party of Canada, led by recently-elected Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Liberal Party of Australia, led by Prime Minister John Howard, the Liberal Party of Japan, led by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a.o. Our longstanding affiliation with the Christian/Centrist Democrat International (CDI) has offered the EPP an influential multilateral platform to offer its input in regions such as Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, in which the CDI is particularly active. In 2005, the EPP started to develop a tangible relationship with the International Democrat Union (IDU), with a view to strengthening the transatlantic dimension of EPP’s international activities. In fact, because of our emphasis on democracy-building – a goal shared by both the CDI and the IDU – the EPP aspires to eventually act as a bridge for the two organisations to improve global synergy and cooperation.

For more information on EPP’s international activities, please contact: Kostas Sasmatzoglou, Secretary for External Relations (ksasma@epp-eu.org) For more information on CDI activities, please contact: Jose-Luis Fontalba, CDI General Coordinator (jlfontalba@epp-eu.org)

The Political Bureau and the Congress

he EPP has three levels of decision-making: Presidency, Political Bureau and Congress. EPP heads of government in EPP Summits can give policy recommendations, whereas EPP Working Groups perform the preparatory political work. The EPP Presidency decides on the general political guidelines and presides over the Political Bureau. The Presidency is composed of the President, 10 VicePresidents, the Secretary General and the Treasurer. The Chairman of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament is also ex officio Vice President. The EPP Congress is the highest decision-making body of the Party. It is composed of the delegates of EPP Member Parties and Associate Member Parties and of EPP recognized Associations. The number of participants reflects the number of delegates for the Political Bureau. The EPP Congress meets once every three years. It elects the EPP Presidency and decides on the main policy documents, electoral programmes and provides a platform for the EPP Heads of Government and Party leaders.

The EPP Political Bureau defines the political positions of the party between Congresses, deciding on membership applications and final political guidelines. The Political Bureau also decides on the budget and safeguards the political presence of the EPP between the EPP Congresses. EPP Political Bureau is composed of the designated members of the EPP Member Parties, Associated Member Parties and of the EPP recognized Associations. The number of delegates for each party is linked to the election result in the last European elections so that parties are weighted according to their strength. This allows taking decisions by majority. The Political Bureau meets three to four times a year. The Political Bureau defines the mandate of the Working Groups which prepare the Partyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy documents. All Member Parties and Associated Member Parties and members of the EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament have the possibility of participating in the Working Groups.

EPP Political Bureau highlights 27 & 28 January 2005

27 & 28 June 2005

The Presidency of the EU was taken over by Luxembourg and EPP Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker and respectively, the Presidency agenda dominated the debate in the Political Bureau.

The French and Dutch referenda on the European Constitution were negative, and the debate focused on the future of the Constitution. The EPP President called the heads of State and government to evaluate the results. The EPP European Policy Working Group was given the mandate to prepare the draft Congress document for the Congress in Rome (3031 March, 2006).

The implementation of the Statutes of European Political Parties was to be concluded in 2005. The Turkish AK Party and Victor Yushchenko’s political movement “Our Ukraine” of the Ukraine were accepted as EPP Observers. A resolution to support the PPCD of Moldova was adopted. The new EPP corporate identity was presented to the Political Bureau.

A resolution on the 65th Anniversary of the occupation of the Baltic States was adopted. Observer Parties, the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) and G17Plus were upgraded to Associated Members by unanimity.

3 & 4 March 2005

19 & 20 September 2005

The positive result in the referendum on the European Constitution in Spain was welcomed with great satisfaction. The Croatian accession negotiations were thoroughly debated in the Political Bureau, and a draft resolution to support Croatia was approved.The new EPP Statutes passed the second reading. The PPCD of Moldova was granted EPP Observer status.

The Luxembourg Referendum on the Constitution gave a positive result. The Political Bureau discussed terrorism in Europe, after bombing of the London Underground. A strategy on how to proceed with the Constitution was thoroughly discussed. The EPP continued to expand; more than 25 political parties applied for EPP Membership.

The decision to enhance cooperation between the EPP and the IRI (International Republican Institute) was approved. The Democratic Party (DP) of Romania was accepted as an EPP Observer. EU-Russia relations were discussed. 7 November 2005 Angela Merkel, Chairperson of the CDU in Germany, won the German elections and became Chancellor. The EU was facing serious challenges, after the two negative referenda and the difficulties in EU budget negotiations. The EPP 2006 Congress preparations occupied the workings of the EPP Political Bureau. The EPP draft budget was presented to the Bureau and Membership fees were approved. The Bureau approved a draft resolution on EU-Russia relations. Following its previous decisions in 2005, the EPP was working on many level in order to guarantee the success of the EPP Congress to be held on the 30-31 March 2006.

EPP Working Groups and Committees Working Groups are the backbone of EPP´s political work, where high-profile representatives from the EPP member-parties develop common positions and strategies on major policy areas and submit specific recommendations to the Political Bureau for final approval. A Working Group can be given a specific mandate for preparative work for EPP Summits and the EPP Congress. Working Groups are also responsible for organizing Conferences, Roundtable discussions and other important events.

European Policy

PP President Wilfried Martens together with EPP Vice President Peter Hintze had the task of preparing the EPP’s most vital policy papers and Congress documents on European issues. In past years, the Working Group has prepared the Congress documents for Berlin (2001), Estoril (2002) and Brussels (2004). Thus, the European Policy Working Group prepared the most important decisions of the EPP in the last years. Throughout the year 2005, the group had five meetings to prepare the Draft Document “Citizens and Europe – Priorities for a Better Future” to be presented at the EPP Congress in March 2006 in Rome. The document outlined the EPP position on a more values-based Europe, better priorities in legislation and more transparent and democratic institutions.

For more information: Christian Kremer, Deputy Secretary General (ckremer@epp-eu.org)

Economic and Social Policy

haired by Bartho Pronk and Peter Jungen in 2005, the working group on Economic and Social policy focused on the fundamental developments regarding Economic and Social policy at the European level. Particular emphasis was placed on the Lisbon Process, demographic issues and research and development. In 2005 the working group continued its efforts to enhance its contacts with the main European economic institutions. The Working Group started its active year by organising a high level seminar with the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), where essential issues of European and global growth were debated. As a result of a working group visit to the OECD and various initiatives from working group members, the working group began to draft a larger Policy document “EU and World Economy – Enforcing EU’s Global Role”, to be presented at the EPP Congress in Rome 2006. The goal of this document was to search for a new kind of approach in positioning Europe in the global economy, emphasizing that the only way for Europe to continue to ensure European economic well-being is for Europe to contribute actively to the development of the global economy. The Working Group followed closely the debate on the Services directive, which was considered a cornerstone for the success of the Lisbon Process. In its policypreparation the working group interacted with various policy experts: from researchers and specialists to high-level politicians. For more information: Tomi Huhtanen, Senior Political Adviser (thuhtanen@epp-eu.org)

Enlargement and EPP Membership’s

Foreign & Security Policy

haired by Wim van Velzen, EPP Vice President, this Working Group is dedicated to the political monitoring of EU Enlargement policy, candidate countries, the Western Balkans and European Neighbourhood Policy countries that are members of the Council of Europe. In 2005, the Working Group placed particular emphasis on the EU candidature of Croatia, in view of the difficulties that caused the temporary postponement of the start of accession negotiations.

haired by Jan Petersen, Norwegian Foreign Minister and Nadezhda Mihailova, EPP Vice President, the EPP Working Group was mandated to deal with CFSP, ESDP, and the promotion of comprehensive European foreign and defence policies, also focusing on transatlantic relations and multilateral co-operation. In 2005, emphasis was given to the EU-Russia relations. This work was concluded with a policy recommendation, which was presented and approved by the EPP Political Bureau.

Moreover, this Working Group is mandated under Article 5 ‘Membership Admission’ of the EPP Internal Regulations, to review, facilitate and incorporate perspective members, associate members, and observer member parties throughout the continent. In 2005, the Working Group reviewed dozens of applications, including the recommendation and ultimate incorporation of the following member-parties: AKP (Turkey), NU (Ukraine), PPCD (Moldova), PD (Romania), DSS (Serbia – upgrade), G17 (Serbia –upgrade).

Major emphasis was given to the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Middle-East peace process and its future and, in relation to this, the working group interacted with respective cabinets of the Commission and policy experts. The Working Group started the preparations for a major event on EU foreign and Security policy, which will take place in 2006.

For more information: Kostas Sasmatzoglou, Secretary of External Relations (ksasma@epp-eu.org)

For more information: Michèle Cimenti, Political Adviser (mcimenti@epp-eu.org)

Campaign Management

he coordination of the persons responsible for campaigning from the headquarters of member-parties is the main task of this Committee. The exchange of experiences in recent election campaigns as well as the long-term preparation of European issues and the campaign for the European Parliament election brought added value to the Member Parties and to the EPP. During the last meeting of the Committee, which took place on November 21-22, 2005 in Lisbon, Portugal, 25 participants exchanged their experiences in recent campaigns. Several ideas for campaigns were proposed which found a lot of interest among the participants. Numerous presentations were made which can be found online in the EPP Intranet. The Irish Fine Gael had started a campaign in Ireland against “anti-social behaviour” (www.safestreets.ie) whereas the concept of the German CDU to involve non-party members in the recent campaign for the elections to the Federal Parliament (www.team-zukunft.net) attracted particular interest. The next meeting of the Campaign Management Committee is scheduled for May 2006 in Rhodes, Greece. This meeting will focus on the exchange of views on how to deal with European issues in national campaigns and the possibilities for increasing the interest of the citizens in European issues – an important task after the low turnout in the EP elections of 2004.

For more information: Christian Kremer, Deputy Secretary General (ckremer@epp-eu.org)

The EPP Brussels Forum Member Parties uniting forces in Brussels

n 2005 the EPP launched the initiative ‘Brussels Forum for Regional Party Organisations’, to help EPP supporters build contacts within the EPP family, benefit from the opportunities local Brussels political life has to offer, and unite voices in Brussels. Numerous EPP member-parties have active local organizations in Brussels, gathering party supporters expatriated to Brussels. These networks are valuable assets for EPP parties back home, facilitating communications between the member-parties and their supporters in the Commission, in the Council and in the European Parliament.

The Brussels Forum for Regional Party Organisations had its first event on 23 November 2005. This first meeting was immediately crowned with success more than 350 members from EPP Political parties, MEP’s and local authorities attended the event in the beautiful Brussels venue Tour & Taxis, hosted by EPP President Wilfried Martens and the State Secretary of the Region of Brussels Capital, Brigitte Grouwels, Jo Vandeurzen, CD&V President and Joëlle Milquet, CDH (Belgium) President. Following the success and enthusiasm the initiative received, many suggestions were made by EPP member-party local organisations about the future activities and role of the Brussels Forum. The future planning and ideas will pave the way. Nevertheless, it was clear that the first event will be the start of a permanent and flexible network, which will be further developed in 2006. The next meeting of the Brussels Forum is scheduled for spring 2006 and will focus, among other issues, on the participation of the European voters in the Brussels local elections, due in October 2006, and the strengthening of the EPP family in Europe’s capital.

EPP Publications Launching the European View

s a part of EPP´s new communication strategy and expanded activities, a new EPP Journal ‘European View’ was first published in spring 2005, in cooperation with the Forum for European Studies, with the lead of EPP President Wilfried Martens. The European View is a biannual publication tackling the entire spectrum of Europe’s political, economic, social and cultural developments. The European View is an open forum for academics, experts and decision-makers across Europe to debate and exchange views and ideas. With its high profile editorial board and Forum for European Studies, the European View rapidly gained an independent standing and managed to attract European decision makers and European top political strategists as prominent authors for the publication. In a relatively short period of time, the European View became a prestigious publication, available in all major Parliamentary libraries, Universities and thinktanks.

The first spring volume 2005 of the European View focused on “European Economy and the Challenge of Growth”, featuring among others Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The second, autumn volume, focused on “Europe, its Borders and Role in the world” featuring various heads of State – this second volume established the European View as one of the most relevant political journals in Europe. In order to better serve a wider European public and its member parties, the EPP decided to make the publication freely available and downloadable from the EPP website. Together with the creation of the European View web-page, an information campaign was launched in the late autumn of 2005 with the support of EPP Youth and Student Organisations, YEPP and EDS, aimed at promoting the free European View web-version. For more information about European View: Tomi Huhtanen, European View Editor-In-Chief (thuhtanen@epp-eu.org)

EPP´s recognized Associations have a long tradition in Publications. A large variety of Annual Reports, thematic Publications and regular journals are published, with high standards and creative enthusiasm.

EPP Associations

he EPP is firmly committed to civil society. The Party's Associations, which continue to expand throughout Europe, are vital mediums between the EPP and European societies. The EPP also cooperates with the Robert Schuman Institute (www.rschuman.hu) and several like-minded think-tanks, affiliated to our national member-parties. Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Union (SME Union) The SME UNION of the EPP is the network of pro-business Christian-Democrat, Conservative and Liberal politicians and political organizations. Its main objective is to help in shaping EU policy in a more SME friendly way. The importance of the work of the SME UNION can be seen in the fact that SMEs are considered as the key for sustainable jobs, growth and prosperity. Its top priority is to reform the legal framework for SMEs all over Europe and to promote and support the interests of small and mediumsized enterprises which - due to their willingness to take risks and responsibility are the engine of the European economy. In June 2005, President of Eurochambres and President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, Christoph Leitl, was elected President of the SME UNION.

EPP Women EPP Women is recognised by the EPP as the official association of women from all likeminded political parties of Europe. EPP Women have over 40 member organisations from countries of the European Union as well as outside of it. All member organisations are women's organisations from political parties which are members of the EPP. EPP Women, led by its President, Doris Pack, MEP, was dedicated in 2005 to the advancement of women's political emancipation throughout Europe and to the promotion of important women-related issues such as equal opportunities between men and women, human trafficking, the fight against prostitution, the Lisbon Strategy "harmful traditional practices" etc. For more information on EPP Women, please visit: www.epp-women.org

For more information on SME-UNION, please visit: www.sme-union.org

European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW)

European Senior Citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Union (ESU)

The EUCDW is the workers' organisation of the EPP with 22 member organisations from 16 different countries. As the officially recognised representative EPP association of the wage-earners, the EUCDW promotes the principle of social cohesion in our societies.

The ESU, founded in Madrid in 1995, is the largest political senior citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; organisation in Europe. The ESU is represented in 21 EPP member states with 34 organisations and about 500.000 members.

The EUCDW, led by its President Elmar Brok, MEP, has the following aims: to press for political unification of a democratic Europe; to promote the development of the EPP on the basis of Christian-social teaching; to represent and defend worker interests in European Policy; to work for the achievement of Christian-social principles and policies in the European workers' movements; to step up co-operation with the workers and their organizations, particularly those based on Christian-social teaching.

The ESU is dedicated to the advancement of rights of European senior citizens and the engagements for the society. The aims of the ESU are the promotion of the role of the elderly in ageing European societies, against the discrimination of the elderly, the European pension systems, seniors and volunteering, intergenerational relationship & participation. In 2005, ESU based its work on three firm principles: 1. the Christian conception of man, 2. the call of mankind to freedom and solidarity, 3. ethnical, economic and social demands which are not in conflict, but in agreement with each other.

Therefore, in the last years and 2005 in particular, the EUCDW has spent a lot of effort on employment policy, social protection, inclusion of values and fundamental rights into the European Constitution, and also the realization of a reasonable and balanced approach of the Internal Market which will not destroy the social cohesion of our societies.

The ESU, led by its President, Bernhard Worms, calls for the active participation of senior citizens in the workplace, in decisions and in the promotion of responsibility in European societies. Senior citizens are the determining group of a society in the 21st century.

For more information on EUCDW, please visit: www.eucdw.org

For more information on ESU, please visit: www.eu-seniorunion.info

European Democrat Students (EDS) EDS is the official student organisation of the EPP. Since its founding in 1961 it brings students and young political leaders from Europe together to enhance a political pro European exchange. Due to its long lasting history EDS has an excellent standing in many of the national centre-right parties which contributes to the aim of being a lobby for students and youth interests. Primary focus is presently given to the Bologna Process, however EDS is also aware of its history connected to the fight for human rights and democracy. EDS, led by its Chairman, Sven Henrik Häseker, has 37 member organisations, representing nearly 500.000 students. Currently, EDS is represented in 36 countries, including countries like Belarus, Georgia and Israel. EDS is not a centralized organisation. As an “organisation of organisations” EDS describes itself as a networking structure. The general aim is to bundle the power of the various organisations in order to give young people and students a strong voice. 2004/2005 was an energetic working year for EDS. EDS organised events in Spain, Cyprus, Poland, Latvia, Sweden, Germany, Malta, Bulgaria and Ukraine counting up to 150 participants per event. Finally, various delegations of EDS attended meetings in several other countries.

Youth of the European People's Party (YEPP) YEPP, the EPP's official youth organisation, has very clear ambitions throughout all its activities. YEPP aspires to influence common European policy-making, to have stronger youth participation in party-politics and transparent democracy in all parts of Europe. YEPP is comprised of young party-political activists that want to take part in the shaping of Europe. YEPP, led by its President, David Hansen, has more than 50 national, political party youth organisations from 35 different European states. In each of these countries, national member organisations pursue YEPP’s goals. Thus, YEPP brings together more than 1 million youngsters with an ambition to take part in the shaping their societies. 2005 was a very active period for YEPP. The first seminar of the year took place in Mediterranean Cyprus. Later on YEPP held its Congress in Paris in the middle of a referendum campaign. After going to the East with a Balkan conference and a study visit to Moscow and aseminar in Georgia, YEPP moved to Denmark to discuss the future of Europe. For more information on YEPP, please visit: www.yepp-online.net

For more information on EDS, please visit: www.edsnet.org

In January 2005, the EPP launched its brand new website www.epp-eu.org . Apart from the new URL name, the website also adopted a new, more user-friendly format with expanded content and with a look that complements the new EPP logo and its colors. Apart from presenting on the home page the most recent news items, the EPP website offers a comprehensive presentation of the Party, details on its 71 member-parties, a review of its horizontal engagement in all major European institutions, a updated listing of current and upcoming events and a virtual library of documents, speeches, photos, etc.

The website also includes a special section on the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;European Viewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the EPP academic journal, with all electronic editions freely available for downloading. The website also functions as a portal for all EPP-related websites, including our member-parties, parliamentary Groups, associations, think-tanks, etc. After being online for a little over a year, the EPP website has witnessed a steady increase of visitors from Europe and the rest of the world. This fact has reinforced our commitment to systematically enrich the contents of the website and develop it as a vanguard for promoting the EPP and its values.

For more information, please contact: Kostas Sasmatzoglou, Secretary for External Relations (ksasma@epp-eu.org) Guy Volckaert, Infomatics and Internet, (gvolckaert@epp-eu.org)

www.epp-eu.org

EPP Website www.epp-eu.org

The EPP on a solid legal and financial basis Regulation (EC) N° 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of November 2003 provides a framework for the transparent funding of political parties at the European level. This regulation is the result of a long and sustained battle fought by the European People’s Party to give to the European political parties a solid legal and financial basis. Statute of the EPP On 23 May 2005, the Belgian Ministry of Justice granted by Royal Decree the legal status of an International Non-Profit Association (Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif) to the European People's Party and the By-Laws (Statutes) were published in the Moniteur Belge on 9 August 2005. The recognition as an International Non-Profit Association was a necessary prerequisite in view of the new European regulations on party funding. The former Belgian EPP non-profit association was dissolved and liquidated and all the assets and liabilities were transferred to the new International non-profit association. There are now four types of Members of the new International Non-Profit-Making Association : - Ordinary Member Parties - Associate Member Parties - Observer Member Parties - Individual Members : Individual Members are all MEP´s that were elected on a list of a party belonging to the EPP. As a transitional provision, the present Members of the EPP Presidency were elected as the first Members of the new Presidency. The mandate of the Presidency has to be renewed through election at the next the EPP Congress, which will be held on 30 and 31 March 2006 in Rome. Party Funding Eight European parties applied for Party funding in 2005 - European People's Party (EPP) - Party of European Socialists (PES) - European Liberal Democrat and Reform party (ELDR) - European Democrat Party (EDP) - The European Federation of Green Parties (EFGP) - Party of the European Left (GUE) - Alliance for a Europe of the Nations (AEN) - European Free Alliance (EFA) The European Union budget for 2005 set aside 8.4 million EURO for party funding. 15% of the budget is distributed among the parties in equal shares. 85% is distributed on the basis of the number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) accounted for by every Party. EPP accounted for 224 MEP´s. The European funds were allocated as follows (in million EURO):

The European Parliament funds constitute 2/3 of the EPP budget. The remaining income is generated through membership fees. Membership fees of the ordinary Member Parties are calculated on the basis of the political strength of the party and the number of MEPs. The membership fees of the associate and observer member parties is calculated by the Political Bureau on the basis of the votes obtained by these parties during the last national elections. EPP now has a solid legal and financial basis, which allows us to reach-out to our members and the public. For more information: Luc Vandeputte, Deputy Secretary General (lvandeputte@epp-eu.org)

Who Is Who EPP PRESIDENCY

PRESIDENT Wilfried MARTENS Former Prime Minister (Belgium, CD&V)

VICE PRESIDENT Gunilla CARLSSON MP (Sweden, Moderaterna)

VICE PRESIDENT Peter HINTZE MP (Germany, CDU)

VICE PRESIDENT Alberto Joao JARDIM President of Madiera Regional Government (Portugal, PSD)

VICE PRESIDENT Kostas KARAMANLIS Prime Minister (Greece, ND)

VICE PRESIDENT Pierre LEQUILLER MP (France, UMP)

VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT

Nadezhda MIHAILOVA MP (Bulgaria, UDF)

Viktor ORBAN Former Prime Minister (Hungary, FIDESZ)

VICE PRESIDENT Antonio TAJANI MEP (Italy, FI)

VICE PRESIDENT Wim van VELZEN (Netherlands, CDA)

VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER Ingo FRIEDRICH MEP (Germany, CSU)

Hans-Gert POETTERING Chairman EPP-ED Group in the European Parliament (Germany, CDU)

HONORARY PRESIDENT Sauli NIINISTÖ (Finland, KOK)

HONORARY PRESIDENT Leo TINDEMANS (Belgium, CD&V)

EPP SECRETARIAT SECRETARY GENERAL Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ

Secretary General, MEP (Spain, PP) · alopez@epp-eu.org

DEPUTIES SECRETARY GENERAL Christian KREMER

Deputy Secretary General (Germany, CDU) · ckremer@epp-eu.org

Luc VANDEPUTTE

Deputy Secretary General (Belgium, CD&V) · lvandeputte@epp-eu.org

EXTERNAL RELATIONS Kostas SASMATZOGLOU

Secretary of External Relations (Greece, ND) · ksasma@epp-eu.org

SENIOR OFFICIALS José Luís FONTALBA

Senior Political Adviser (Spain, PP) · jlfontalba@epp-eu.org

Tomi HUHTANEN

Senior Political Adviser (Finland, KOK) · thuhtanen@epp-eu.org

Javier JIMENEZ

Press Officer (Spain, PP) · jjimenez@epp-eu.org

OFFICIALS Michèle CIMENTI

Political Adviser (Italy, FI) · mcimenti@epp-eu.org

Galina FOMENCHENKO

Political Adviser (Ukraine) · gfomenchenko@epp-eu.org

Pieter RONSIJN

Political Adviser (Belgium, CD&V) · pronsijn@epp-eu.org

CABINET OF THE PRESIDENT Ingrid GOOSSENS

Head of President's cabinet affairs · igoossens@epp-eu.org

ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL Mélanie DURSIN

Assistant to Secretary General Antonio López-Istúriz · mdursin@epp-eu.org

ASSISTANTS TO THE DEPUTIES SECRETARY GENERAL Danièle BUFFELS

Assistant to Deputy Secretary General Luc Vandeputte · dbuffels@epp-eu.org

Susanne CORDS

Assistant to Deputy Secretary General Christian Kremer · scords@epp-eu.org

ASSISTANT OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS Rita TRIEST

Assistant of External Relations, General Administration · rtriest@epp-eu.org

SPECIALIZED PERSONNEL Pavlína HEYMANS-PA˘KOVÁ

Reception, Archives & Logistics · pheymans@epp-eu.org

Yelba TORRES

CDI, Working Groups · ytorres@epp-eu.org

Guy VOLCKAERT

Informatics and Internet · gvolckaert@epp-eu.org

EPP Member Parties and Observers ALBANIA PDR * New Democrat Party PDSH * Democratic Party of Albania www.dpalbania.org AUSTRIA ÖVP Österreichische Volkspartei www.oevp.at BELGIUM CD&V Christen-Demokratisch & Vlaams www.cdenv.be CDH Centre Démocrate Humaniste www.lecdh.be

CDU Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands www.cdu.de CSU Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern www.csu.de GREECE ND Nea Demokratia www.nd.gr HUNGARY FIDESZ Fidesz Magyar Polgári Szövetség www.fidesz.hu MDF Magyar Demokrata Fórum www.mdf.hu

BOSNIA & HERZOGOVINA

IRELAND

HDZBiH * Hrvatska Demokratska Zajednica BiH www.hdzbih.org

FG Fine Gael www.finegael.ie

PDP * Partija Demokratskog Progresa RS www.pdp-rs.org

ITALY

SDA * Stranka Demokratski Akcije www.sda.ba BULGARIA BANU-PU Banu People's Union DP Democratic Party UDF Union of Democratic Forces www.sds.bg CROATIA HDZ Hrvatska Demokratska Zajednica www.hdz.hr DC * Demokratski Centar www.demokratski-centar.hr HSS * Hrvatska Seljacka Stranka www.hss.hr CYPRUS DISY Democratic Rally of Cyprus www.disy.org.cy CZECH REPUBLIC

FI Forza Italia www.forza-italia.it UDC Unione dei Democratici Cristiani www.udc-camera.it UDEUR Popolari UDEUR www.popolariudeur.it SVP * Südtiroler Volkspartei www.svpartei.org LATVIA JL/NE New Era www.jaunaislaiks.lv TP Tautas Partija www.tautaspartija.lv LITHUANIA LKD Lietuvos Krikscionys Demokratai www.lkdp.lt TS-LK . . Tevynes Sajunga www.tslk.lt LUXEMBOURG

KDU-CSL Krestanka a demokraticka unie www.kdu.cz

CSV Chrëschtlech Sozial Vollekspartei www.csv.lu

DENMARK

MALTA

DKF Det Konservative Folkeparti www.konservative.dk KD Kristendemokraterne www.kd.dk

PN Partit Nazzjonalista www.pn.org.mt MOLDOVA

ESTONIA

PPCD Partidul Popular Crestin Democrat www.ppcd.md

PPU Isamaaliit, Pro Patria Union www.isamaaliit.ee

NETHERLANDS

RP Res Publica www.respublica.ee

CDA Christen Democratisch Appèl www.cda.nl

FINLAND

NORWAY

KOK Kansallinen Kokoomus www.kokoomus.fi

HOYRE www.hoyre.no

KD * Suomen Kristillisdemokraatit www.kristillisdemokraatit.fi FRANCE UMP Union pour un Mouvement Populaire www.u-m-p.org

GERMANY

* Observers

KRF * Kristelig Folkeparti www.krf.no POLAND PO Platforma Obywatelska www.platforma.org PSL Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe www.psl.pl

PORTUGAL PSD Partido Social Democrata www.psd.pt ROMANIA PPCD Partidul National Crestin Democrat www.ppcd.ro RMDSZ Romániai Magyar Demokrata Szövetség www.rmdsz.ro PD* Partidul Democrat www.pd.ro SAN MARINO PDCS * Partito Democratico Cristiano Sammarinese www.pdcs.sm SERBIA & MONTENEGRO DSS Democratic Party of Serbia www.dss.org.yu G17PLUS www.g17plus.org.yu DHSS * Christian Democratic Party of Serbia www.dhss.org SLOVAKIA KDH Krestanskodemokraticke Hnutie Slovenska www.kdh.sk MKP Strana Madarskej Koalície www.mkp.sk SDKÚ-DS Slovenská Demokratická a Krest‘anska Únia – Demokratická Strana www.sdkuonline.sk SLOVENIA NSI Nova Slovenija Krscanska Ljudska Stranka www.nsi.si SDS Slovenska Demokratska Stranka www.sds.si SLS Slovenska Ljudska Stranka www.sls.si SPAIN PP Partido Popular www.pp.es UDC Unió Democràtica de Catalunya www.unio.org SWEDEN KD Kristdemokraterna www.kristdemokraterna.se Moderaterna www.moderat.se SWITZERLAND CVP Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei www.cvp.ch EVP Evangelische Volkspartei www.evppev.ch TURKEY AKP * Justice and Development Party www.akparti.org.tr UKRAINE NU * Our Ukraine www.razom.org.ua www.yuschenko.com.ua