Manifesto

Europe is far more than its 27 member states. It is all the diversity within those states: stateless nations that have not yet achieved their independence; linguistic, historical and cultural minorities living alongside the majority populations; historical regions with strong and unique identities, and much more.

It is also all the different people who make up our societies, of all ethnicities, genders, sexualities, ages and social origins. If European politics does not include all these different voices, it is not truly democratic or truly reflective of the communities in which we live. EFA stands for the human rights of all Europeans, regardless of who they are.

Europe’s geography is diverse too. It includes densely populated urban areas, and rapidly emptying countryside where depopulation is a real problem. Each place is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to any challenge. The EU legislative process must be more transparent and foster greater participation from the bottom up. Reliable impact assessments must take due account of the impact at national and regional level. It is fundamental for EFA that all EU policy must recognise the specific needs of each territory in its implementation.

This goes especially for locations which face particular challenges due to their geography. EFA has a special concern for the unique needs of Europe’s island communities. Islands face logistical and infrastructure challenges unknown to mainland communities, and must not be left behind or disadvantaged. EFA calls for a special status for islands to be introduced into EU law, unlocking extra support, funding and exceptions to help those who live on islands. Other areas that require special attention include remote, peripheral and mountainous regions, where infrastructure and agriculture also face unique challenges. Cross-border regions also have specific needs: EFA believes in building a strong cross border cooperation mechanism in the EU and with neighbouring countries.

The EU institutions currently recognise 24 official languages. But the reality is that there are hundreds of languages and dialects spoken across the territory of the EU – several of which have more speakers than some of the recognised EU official languages. The list of EU official languages therefore reflects the interests and identities of the states, not the true linguistic diversity of Europe. EFA stands for the right to use many more languages in the European Parliament, and for the right for EU citizens to write to the EU institutions in their mother tongue. This is not impractical nor unduly expensive: the European Committee of the Regions already has a system allowing members to speak in Catalan, Galician, and Basque so long as appropriate notice is given.

The EU also needs to respect and protect the rights of historical national minorities. Currently minority rights are left almost entirely to the member states, which frequently violate them or refuse to recognise minorities at all. EFA proposes to establish a European Ombudsman for Minority Rights, who would be empowered to investigate member states’ compliance with the Charter for Regional and Minority Languages and the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and to issue recommendations.

The refugee and migration flows into Europe have placed the Union before unprecedented challenges. None of the Member States is capable of dealing with these challenges by itself. Working together will enable us to put forward a common European response. This response should be based on humanitarian principles and international law, and seek to develop safe and legal pathways.

In recent years, steps towards gender equality have been made in the EU. But there is still a long way until we reach full equality. Further legislation regarding women’s empowerment and protection has to be developed. To achieve it, women need to be heard. In 2022, the global share of women in national parliaments reached 26.2% – up from 22.4% in 2015. At that pace, it will take another 40 years for women and men to be represented equally in national parliaments. In the European Parliament during the 2019-2024 term, just over 40% of MEPs were women – still well below parity. Addressing this situation would increase the legitimacy of European institutions while bridging the democratic gap between them and the citizens. It would also improve the efficiency and responsiveness of EU policies, better fitting women’s needs.

However, we must recognise that the underrepresentation of women is not only a legal matter, but also a result of cultural and social norms that create and maintain gender stereotypes. The EU, its member states and the media must take more action to change mentalities regarding the role of women and take action against cultural stereotypes.

LGBT rights are another cornerstone of human rights. The persecution and demonising of LGBTQIA+ people in many parts of Europe goes beyond legal discrimination. We condemn hate speech on this ground and we consider that no discrimination or persecution should be allowed.