Representatives of the democratic parties (centre) from eighteen Member States unanimously adopted the EDP election manifesto entitled "Europe standing up" on Friday 12 April in Ljubljana.
This manifesto details the Bilbao Declaration, adopted on 12 February last (see EUROPE 12191/2).
The proposals of the EDP are based on three pillars: "what makes us live together", "sustainable and shared economic growth" and "what Europe has to say to the world, Europe as power", for which the party makes proposals.
The first pillar focuses on common values, such as responsibility, human dignity, the rule of law, equality and solidarity. It also calls for essential institutional reforms, with the creation of transnational lists, the strengthening of participatory democracy and the sanctioning of authoritarian abuses in the Member States. According to the EDP, the "keys to the future" can be summed up in two words: education and exchanges.
The manifesto also focuses on sustainable and shared economic growth. This includes the relaunch of a strong and democratically governed euro area, investment in research and innovation and a real industrial policy. For the EDP, it is also necessary to develop the European social pillar. The fight against climate change, a new model for fisheries and sustainable agriculture, an integrated European mobility system are other areas of action.
Finally, the third pillar focuses on the EU's role in the world, with a "coherent and active foreign policy", a security and defence policy and the fight against terrorist threats. According to the EDP, the EU must also have a comprehensive and pragmatic approach to migration, with common management of external borders, greater cooperation with countries of origin and transit, the fight against illegal trafficking in immigrants, the promotion of return, readmission and reintegration policies and finally, harmonisation of asylum law. The party believes that it is also necessary to reinvent the EU's trade policy, for "greater efficiency and acceptability".
See the manifesto (in French): https://bit.ly/2P8tM4G. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)