Brussels, 26/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - During its congress on 21-23 March in Florence, the European Federalist Movement of Italy adopted a motion on the future six month session of the Italian Presidency of the EU Council and on "Italy's responsibilities". It pointed out that in the past, Italian presidencies often coincided with the fundamental progress of European integration and the democratic strengthening of the "Community institutions". The motion stresses that the next presidency would be "decisive", in an allusion to the ongoing work of the European Convention. The federalists regret that the action by representatives of the Italian government at the Convention went "in the direction that was clearly inter-governmental, with proposals that can be identified on the model of a Europe of Nations, sought by all parties belonging to the UEN - including the Alleanza nazionale and Lega Nord, as well as eminent Ministers from Forza Italia, rather than with the proposals supported by most of the Convention and the EPP". The federalists claim that the current Italian government was distancing itself from the European political line of Italy. In these conditions the Federalist Movement: Considers that it is unthinkable that Italy proposes "Ambitious European political, institutional and social reforms by following the line of the President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi and supports the common initiative if the six founding countries at the Convention"; Decides to set up a "vigilance committee" on the work of the Italian Presidency, which will also help to coordinate a "series of actions for exerting federalist pressure during the second half of this year; Requests a debate and a vote at the Chamber and Senate before the final phase of the Convention's work on the line to follow by the Italian government on the subject of a European constitution.