The European Movement International (EMI)

 

The European Movement in Belgium is a member of the European Movement International (EMI), an international organization that has advocated a united, federal Europe since 1948. A Europe based on respect for human rights, peace and democratic principles such as freedom, solidarity and citizen participation. The EMI serves as a think tank, provides a wide audience with information and exerts influence on European and national institutions.

 

The EMI was officially founded in 1948 by a number of European pioneers, such as Winston Churchill, Paul-Henry Spaak, Alcide de Gasperi and Konrad Adenauer. Their aim was to prevent a new armed international conflict.

 

The history of the EMI began in July 1947, when the cause of a united Europe was warmly advocated in several movements that sprang up simultaneously. Winston Churchill and Duncan Sandys, for example, pushed for an Anglo-French United European Movement. This UEM subsequently became a platform for all kinds of like-minded organizations that arose shortly after the Second World War. This led to a 'Committee for the Co-ordination of the European Movements' that, at a renowned congress in Paris on 17 July 1947, in addition to the Anglo-French United European Movement, also included "La Ligue Européenne de Coopération Economique” (LECE)", "l'Union européenne des Fédéralistes" (UEF), and "l'Union parlementaire européenne" (UPE). All these associations met again in November 1947 and during that meeting changed their name to: The Joint International Committee for European Unity. This name eventually became 'The European Movement International' during the 1948 Congress of The Hague.

 

Since its inception, the EMI has played an important role in the European integration process. Its first successes included the creation of the Council of Europe in May 1949. The organization subsequently campaigned for direct elections to the European Parliament, for the Treaty of the European Union and also for the European Constitutional Treaty.

 

In 2015, the EMI consisted of 33 affiliated international organisations, 39 national councils (including the EMiB) and 3 support members.

 

See the EMI website: http://europeanmovement.eu