A cross-party group of European parliamentarians named after Altiero Spinelli, one of the originators of the idea of European integration, started its activities anew this week.  It will proceed

to promote the concept of federalization and the development of a network of NGOs in Europe. Brando Benifei, a head of the S&D Group’s Italian delegation to the European Parliament, was elected to be its leader.    

"The Spinelli Group wants to play a central role in this delicate institutional phase, on the eve of the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe and in view of negotiations of crucial importance, such as those on the multi-annual budget, the rule of law, the own resources of the Recovery Plan. The pandemic has increasingly shown that the Union is not yet equipped with adequate tools to tackle a challenge of this magnitude. We have begun to build them up, but we can no longer wait for new dramatic emergencies to start questioning ourselves on the much needed reforms" said Brando Benifei.

''Today more than ever we have the duty to make courageous choices: the push for a profound reform of the Union must start from the European Parliament. We must enable the EU to govern today’s challenges and to be competitive on a global scale, while preserving and relaunching its unique social model, overcoming veto powers and remaining open to the world. In the upcoming weeks we are organising meetings with national Parliamentarians and with the civil society: we are committed to a free and united Europe, as stated in the title of the Ventotene Manifesto”, - he added.

Katrin Goodman

Photo by EmDee, Wikimedia commons.