+++ EMI Board calls for the implementation of the Fiscal and Federal Union: At its meeting, the Board of European Movement International (EMI) decided to make a plea to the European Parliament together with YEF and UEF. Furthermore, the Board accepted EUROMIL as a full member organisation and scheduled the next Federal Assembly and the Members Council. (Full text in English) +++ Taking place one week before, the Board meeting of EM Germany set the cornerstones for the German network until its General Assembly in July. Special guest was Cristof-Sebastian Klitz, Vice-President of EMI. (Full text in German) +++

+++ Growth meets Consolidation: EM Germany and Federal Government "de-briefed" on informal European Council: Never before has an EU-De-Briefing of EM Germany taken place in such temporal proximity to the actual summits: Only nine hours after the informal European Council had closed its session in Brussels, more than 100 representatives from public administration and interest groups were briefed on the events by the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Consolidation and growth were the hot topics on the agenda. (Full text in English) +++

+++ Better European Elections in 2014: EMI President Leinen calls for transnational lists: With two votes for each European citizen – one for a national candidate and one for a transnational European list – the upcoming EP Elections would be more democratic, claims EMI President Jo Leinen. (Full text in English) +++ In an interview with EurActiv, Leinen speaks about the objectives and challenges of his presidency. For reaching his goals, he considers European Movement Germany to be a best practice model. (Full text in English) +++

+++ ‘Europe at Work’: EU-Briefing on the Danish Council Presidency 2012: The bigger the challenge, the greater the interest: In cooperation with the Danish embassy, the European Commission Representation, and the German Federal Government, EM Germany looked ahead to the work programme of the Danish EU Council Presidency. More than 150 representatives of interest groups and public administration, who attended the event in Berlin, agreed on one point: ‘Europe at work’ is a spot on slogan for the six upcoming months – and Denmark is a lucky strike for the challenges ahead. (Full text in English) +++ EM Germany has published calendar for the Danish EU Presidency: EM Germany’s traditional wall calendar (available in German and English) compiles the most important Council and Working Group sessions and informs about the central dates of EU events in Berlin. (Full text in German) +++

+++ Spöri calls for the ‘end of summiting’ and a European Convention: At a time, when both the euro zone and the European Union itself find themselves in an ‘existential crisis’, the Political Union must be even more decisively ingrained into European Economic, Financial, and Social Policy, EM Germany’s President Dieter Spöri stipulates in an interview with the German broadcasting corporation WDR. To ensure the democratic basis of European integration, a European Convention must be summoned. (Full text in German) +++ The best defence is a good offence: Dieter Spöri on Merkozy’s crisis management: Further delaying key decisions will not ease the financial crisis, but make it even more expensive, Mr Spöri writes in The European with a view to German Chancellor Merkel and French President Sarkozy. The euro zone has to deliver a clear sign that it is not worth playing the stock market against single member states. (Full text in German) +++

+++ EM Germany launches portal on the European community of values: In order to emphasise the value-based core of the EU and to visualise its implementation and compliance inside the EU and its member states, EM Germany from now on reserves a section of its website for the European community of values. The project was initiated by the President of EM Germany, Dieter Spöri, and the Representative for Human Rights and Humanitarian Assistance of the Federal Foreign Government, Markus Löning. (Full text in German) +++ The Community has to pay particular attention to Hungary, writes Mr Spöri in EurActiv. (Full text in German) +++

+++ Who is ‘Woman of Europe 2012’? EM Germany launches call for proposals: Searching female candidates that are distinguished by their voluntary commitment to uniting and strengthening Europe, member associations of EM Germany now have their say. Proposals for laureates can be made until 9 May. The ‘Women of Europe 2012’ will be awarded in Munich on 19 September. (Full text in German) +++

+++ Supranational vs. Intergovernmental: Vice-President of EM Germany calls for strengthened European institutions: German MP and Vice-President of EM Germany, Axel Schäfer, sees the European Commission and the various Parliaments increasingly weakened by an emphasis on EU summits, where national executive authorities make fundamental decisions. During a lunch debate of EM Germany’s member association IEP, Mr Schäfer also proposed the introduction of transnational candidates for the European Elections in 2014 and a Convention for a pro-European Constitution. (Full text in German) +++

+++ New State Secretary for Europe in the Federal Foreign Office: EM Germany congratulates Michael Link: Mr Link will assume the position previously occupied by Werner Hoyer, who is now serving as the President of the European Investment Bank. EM Germany’s President Dieter Spöri is looking forward to co-operating with Michael Link: ‘He is the right man at the right place, in order to re-gain the citizen’s trust in the future of Europe.’ (Full text in German) +++

+++ Pushing forward the CAP reform: EU De-Briefing on Agriculture and Fisheries Council: On the margins of the International Green Week in Berlin, the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection informed stakeholders about the results of the AGRIFISH Council. The first session of the Danish presidency emphasised the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. Further items on the agenda were the work programme of the Danish Council Presidency, the outbreak of the Akabane virus, and the EU Animal Welfare Strategy. (Full text in German) +++

Events to come:
+++ 06.02.: College of Europe Alumni Get Together +++ 07.02.: Panel discussion on the EU Data Protection Regulation +++ 09.02.: EP-Berichterstatter im Dialog: Jürgen Creutzmann +++

Member Organisations’ news
+++ ADAC: Trouble with German ‘Low Emission zones’ +++ KAS: Fiscal discipline and economic growth: two sides of the same coin +++ BDI: The key to solving the debt crisis is competitiveness +++ VKU welcomes the European Commission’s proposal on revising the list of priority substances +++ EUD: ‘Fiscal Treaty only an intermediate stage’, says President Wieland +++ Friedrich Naumann Foundation: Report on the referendum on Croatia’s EU accession +++ and many more +++

EU actors on the move
+++ New President of the European Parliament: Martin Schulz +++ New Head of Deutsche Bank representation to Berlin: Dr. Marisa Doppler +++ New Secretary-General of the FGYO: Markus Ingenlath +++ New German Vice-Presidents of the EP: Alexander Alvaro and Rainer Wieland +++ New Committee Chairmen in the EP: Michael Theurer and Matthias Groote +++ New Secretary-General of the CESI: Klaus Heeger +++ and many more +++

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