Federalists believe that only a common effort of European citizens working towards this goal could create a peaceful and democratic Europe guaranteeing freedom and the protection of human rights.
During his 16 year's imprisonment on the island of Ventotene by Mussolini’s fascists, Altiero Spinelli and his fellow prisoner Ernesto Rossi wrote a federalist manifesto entitled "Toward a free and united Europe". The Ventotene Manifesto is considered as a founding document for today’s Europe.
A first ‘Conference on European Federation’ was held in Paris with Albert Camus as its opening speaker. The aim was to build a new inter-state system (namely a European federation) in order to preserve the peace after the World War II.
An international group of militant federalists from 14 European countries met in Hertenstein (Switzerland) and worked on the creation of a federalist model for our continent’s future. / in Hertenstein [Switzerland], federalist militants from fourteen European countries, met on the initiative of the Swiss Europa-Union (founded in 1934). The federalist meeting in Hertenstein was held from the 15th to the 22nd of September 1946. Its participants, often originating from the Resistance, had a precise objective: to form a true movement.
Speaking at the University of Zurich, Winston Churchill proclaimed that ‘the safety of the world requires a new unity in Europe’ and he proposed “a kind of United States of Europe”. It is considered one of the firsts steps to the european integration.
On December 15 and 16 in Paris, 1946 UEF was officially brought into life with its function being to co-ordinate and intensify the activities of the different movements and to organize them into a federal structure. The first motto of the organisation: "A united Europe in a united world". The UEF immediately set about coordinating the activities of some 50 national federalist movements already in existence: Europeesche Actie, Europa Union, Federal Union, Movimento federalista europeo, etc. Among the most prominent figures were Henry Frenay, Eugen Kogon, Henri Brugmans, Alexandre Marc and Altiero Spinelli. The UEF quickly attracted almost 100 000 members.
On 27-30 August 1947, federalist ideas, which sought to reduce State sovereignty, were debated at the first Union of European Federalists (UEF) Congress, held in Montreux, Switzerland. The participation of eminent persons and numerous delegations demonstrated the interest in federalist ideas. 16 countries were represented in Montreux, together with some 40 activist groups. The Montreux Congress also served to reaffirm the principle of regional federalism in contrast to the internationalist arguments very fashionable at that time. The general policy motion adopted by the Congress called for the creation of a European federal government. The participants also urged the convening of a mass event involving all the forces active in Europe. Less than a year later, this took the form of The Hague Congress.
At the Congress of Europe, held in The Hague in 1948 and chaired by Winston Churchill, federalists struggled to put over their vision of Europe’s future.
In the Congress of Europe, held in The Hague and chaired by Winston Churchill, federalists struggled to put over their vision of Europe’s future. They agreed to set up the Council of Europe and the European Convention on Human Rights.
II UEF Congress in Rome
After being released, Altiero Spinelli established the Movimento Federalista Europeo (MFE) in Milan.
The proposal for a campaign for the federal union of Europe Pact was forwarded by the Italian MFE and accepted by the UEF the 31st October 1949, at its Extraordinary General Meeting in Paris, where (UEF) decided to launch a public campaign in support of the Federal Pact which it intended to submit to the Council of Europe. This approved the outline of a federal union pact, which was a schematic plan of a federal constitution.
At the Salon de l’Horloge, Paris, Robert Schuman launched the Coal and Steel Community (designed by Jean Monnet) inspired by federalists principles and aiming to lead, in the long run, to a ‘European Federation’.
While Winston Churchill joins Robert Schuman and Paul Reynoud at the second session of the Council of Europe's Consultative Assembly, a group of French and German students, together with other European friends, meet up at Weiler and Zollamt, after having broken off the barriers separating their countries! Watch the video!
In 1951, during a session of Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Schuman proposes the institution of a cabinet of ministers, while Belgian minister Van Zeeland suggests as priorities the institution of a Coal and Steel Community, the unificati on of European defence and the empowerment of Council of Europe. In Rome a group of European federalists received De Gasperi, who agreed on Prime Minister's positions on European integration.
In 1952 federalist activists put the European Federalists' flag on top of the main pinnacle of the Milan Dome! - "Watch out!" The guard in the video shootage warns: "Ehi! Ehi! You cannot stay up here, even if you pay!" But it's already too late. The mission is accomplished! The green "E" flag towers above Milan!
In March of 1954, European federalists from France and Germany organised a demonstration in support of Europe without borders. The bar between the customs is raised and German and French protesters exchange greetings and hugs. Unity and solidarity beyond borders!
At Ponte San Luigi (Italian-French border) European federalists from Italy, France and Germany gathered to show their support for a free and united Europe without borders. They showed that unity can be an instrument of peace and democracy. These two events were widely echoed in the national press and radio.
The Congress of the European People: calls for a European constituent assembly to be directly elected by the citizens and mandated to draw up a draft federal constitution which would then be submitted for ratification by means of a European-wide referendum.
The Congress of the European People was a great popular campaign calling for a European constituent assembly to be directly elected by the citizens and mandated to draw up a draft federal constitution which would then be submitted for ratification by means of a European-wide referendum. During the Stresa convention in 1956 a plan was drafted.
The campaign for the European election – conducted by the UEF in close collaboration with the European Movement, whose president between 1968 and 1972 was the former president of the Commission of the EEC Walter Hallstein (1901-1982) – was carried out without interruption with the undertaking of various initiatives aiming to mobilise public opinion. The most notable of which include: the “Frontier” action, promoted by the German federalists; the European Democratic Front, promoted by the French federalists; the proposed bill of popular initiative (signed by 65,000 with authenticated signatures) for the direct election of Italian representatives in the European Parliament, presented to the Senate in 1969 by the Italian MFE led by Mario Alberini (1919-1997); the demonstrations of thousands of people, organised together with the JEF, and called counter summits, in Rome in June 1967, in the Hague in December 1969 and in Paris in October 1972, in conjunction with the conferences of heads of state and the governments of the community countries held in these cities.
In 1969, Professor Carlo Alberto Graziani, protesting against the crisis of European integration, climbs on top of the 40 meters tall Antonine Column in Rome waving the European federalists' flag for 24 hours! Professor Graziani, who is an experienced mountain climber, is no stranger to this kind of actions. In 1965 he put the federalist flag onto the peak of the Mont Blanc - 4810m of untouchable federalist passion!
Étienne Hirsch (24/01/1901 - May 1994) was elected on 3 May in 1964 and was serving the UEF until 20 April 1975.
Mario Albertini (23/02/1919 - 20/02/1997) becomes president of the UEF on 20 April 1975 and serves the organisation until 9 December 1984.
Demonstration in favour of elections based on universal suffrage for the European Parliament and of the single currency during the European Council meeting on 5 and 6 December 1977.
The EP -previously Assembly- originally consisted of selected members of member states’ parliaments and it only exercised ‘supervisory’ powers but pressure from the UEF and other federalist organisations led to MEPs now being directly elected using a common electoral system. Thanks to the popular legitimacy suffrage bestows, the EP kept on gaining influence in the EU system. Meanwhile federalists continue to campaign for a further reform of the European Union’s democratic structures and a more direct link between the EP and its citizens.
John Pinder hold the position until April 1989, when Francesco Rossolillo was appointed the new president.
The European federalists had a decisive influence on the creation and adoption of the Single European Act. Supported by the UEF, Altiero Spinelli persuaded the elected European Parliament to agree its own text for a Draft Treaty for a European Union [signed in Luxembourg and The Hague in 1986], renamed the Single European Act. It became effective the 1th July 1987
The most spectacular demonstration in Milan with 200,000 participants is the biggest popular demonstration in the history of the federalist struggle – in conjunction with the European Council of June 28 and 29 1985, where the majority decided to call an Intergovernmental Conference to review to Community treaties and heads of government to support the Single European Act.
Demonstration by European federalists in favour of the European Union.
Demonstration by European federalists in favour of the European Union and the suppression of Customs. Gathering peacefully at the Franco-German border near Strasbourg they demonstrated their wish to see a united Europe by ceremonially burning the wooden barriers at the frontier post. The Schengen area fulfills the dream which motivated an international group of young federalists back in 1950
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