01/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - Progressive forces wish to awaken European spirit. Awakening the European spirit: it was with this aim that the FEPS (Foundation for European Progressive Studies) has just held a two-day conference in Brussels, during which progressive forces from throughout Europe presented their new vision of a Union which is political and economic, but also social and strong at international level. Henri Nallet, chairman of the scientific Council of the FEPS, announced, when the work ended on Thursday 30 June, that Call to Europe - the name of the initiative - had marked the start of an energetic project, which would become a reality over the next months. Joseph Daul, leader of the EPP Group of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, leader of the S&D Group and Rebecca Harms, co-leader of the Greens, sent out a unanimous message during the debate: fighting populism and bringing back a positive image of the EU. As Schultz rather wittingly put it: “the only difference between the Congress of Vienna and the Council of Ministers of the EU is that they decided on something in Vienna”. (G.Ba/Gp/transl.fl)