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The Union of European Federalists
The Union of European Federalists (UEF)
The Union of European Federalists
Statutes of the Union of European Federalists (15 December 1946)
TextOfficially established on 15 and 16 December 1946 in Paris, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) coordinates the activities of some 50 national federalist movements.
The 12 points of the Hertenstein Programme (21 September 1946)
TextFrom 15 to 22 September 1946, militant federalists from 14 European countries met in Hertenstein, Switzerland, with a view to adopting a common declaration laying the foundations for a European organisation of federalists, which became the Union of European Federalists (UEF) on 15 and 16 December 1946.
Circular from the Union of Federalists (25 April 1947)
TextOn 25 April 1947, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) distributes a circular setting out its manifesto and principles of action.
‘Henri Brugmans: The unity of Europe’ from Cahiers du Monde Nouveau (June 1947)
TextIn June 1947, Henri Brugmans, Dutch President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), emphasises the importance of federalism for the economic, political and social reconstruction of Europe.
‘Are you federalist?’ from the Luxemburger Wort (6 January 1948)
TextOn 6 January 1948, the Catholic daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort proposes that Luxembourg become the spokesman of European and global federalism.
Pamphlet of the Union of European Federalists (1948)
TextIn May 1947, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) publishes a pamphlet entitled Building Europe which outlines the movement’s principles and objectives: ‘To unite without unifying, to liberate without disrupting, and to coordinate without restraining.’
Motion adopted by the National Congress of the French Union of Federalists (Paris, 12 and 13 June 1948)
TextThe National Congress of the French Union of Federalists (UFF), held in Paris on 12 and 13 June 1948, adopts a motion calling for the urgent establishment of a European Parliamentary Assembly.
'Do we really want to build a united Europe?' from Fédération (October 1948)
TextIn October 1948, in an article published in the French journal Fédération, Raymond Silva, Secretary-General of the Union of European Federalists, sounds a warning for the unity of the European continent and reviews the British position on the plan for a federal Europe.
'The basic issue remains' from Esprit (November 1948)
TextIn November 1948, the French periodical Esprit publishes an article by Henri Brugmans, President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), in which he explains the reasons that have led him to take the federalist route towards European unity.
Address given by Pope Pius XII to participants at the Congress of the Union of European Federalists (Castelgandolfo, 11 November 1948)
TextOn 11 November 1948, Pope Pius XII expresses his support for the Federalist Movement's actions in support of European unity.
'For the United States of Europe' from the Süddeutsche Zeitung (16 November 1948)
TextOn 16 November 1948, the German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung reports on and takes a critical look at the debates which took place during the Congress of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), held in Rome on 7 November.
‘European federalists’ from the Rheinischer Merkur (20 November 1948)
TextOn 20 November 1948, the German weekly Rheinischer Merkur gives its impressions of the Congress of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) held in Rome and particularly emphasises the various ideological disputes within the federalist movement concerning the establishment of a united Europe.
‘Bernard Voyenne: A new stage of federalism’ from Cahiers du Monde Nouveau (December 1948)
TextIn December 1948, Bernard Voyenne, Editorial Secretary for the French daily newspaper Combat and federalist activist, considers the ideological disputes which took place during the Congress of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) in Rome and emphasises the importance of the federalist doctrine in the building of a united Europe.
The opinions of Henri Frenay and Marcel Hytte on the concept of Europe (December 1948)
TextIn December 1948, Henri Frenay, President of the Central Committee of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), and Marcel Hytte, militant Socialist and independent federalist, respond to the questionnaire on the concept of Europe which was published by the Belgian monthly magazine Les Cahiers Socialistes.
Call for the drafting of a Federal Pact (29–31 October 1949)
TextOn 31 October 1949, at its Extraordinary General Meeting in Paris, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) adopts a draft European Federal Unity Pact which it hopes to have adopted by the Council of Europe.
UEF resolution on the public campaign in support of the Federal Pact (29–31 October 1949)
TextOn 31 October 1949, at its Extraordinary General Meeting in Paris, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) decides to launch a public campaign in support of the Federal Pact which it intends to submit to the Council of Europe.
Resolution of the Executive Committee of 'La Fédération' (15 November 1949)
TextOn 15 November 1949, concerned at the slow progress of the European integration process, the Executive Committee of ‘La Fédération’, a founder member of the Union of European Federalists, sets three major priorities with a view to the constitution of a federal Europe.
‘European federalist prospects’, from Cahiers du Monde Nouveau (December 1949)
TextIn December 1949, the French journal Cahiers du Monde Nouveau publishes the transcript of a lecture given in Strasbourg at the session of the European Assembly by Henri Brugmans, President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), in which he sets out the main thrust of federalist views regarding the future establishment of a united Europe.
Altiero Spinelli, The Union of European Federalists in 1952
TextIn the 1952 issue of La voix fédéraliste, Altiero Spinelli, Secretary-General of the European Federalist Movement, evaluates the work accomplished by the Union of European Federalists (UEF) over the course of the previous year.
Interview with Jean-Pierre Gouzy (Paris, 19 October 2007) — Excerpt: the objectives of the French Union of Federalists
VideoIn this interview, Jean-Pierre Gouzy, former Secretary-General of the French Union of Federalists and former member of the Federal Committee of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), discusses the objectives and activities of the French Union of Federalists, in particular when debates were being held regarding the European Defence Community (EDC).