Молодые европейские федералисты: организация и цели

Political youth organization

Young European Federalists (, JEF) is a political youth organisation. Active in most European countries, it seeks to promote European integration through the strengthening and democratisation of the European Union (EU). JEF has close ties to the European Movement and the Union of European Federalists and is a full member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ). Former activists of JEF can join the alumni association, Friends of JEF.

According to its statutes, JEF is a non partisan and non denominational European NGO. It advocates for a united Europe with a federal structure. At the centre of JEF's political program is the demand for a federal constitution for Europe, whose core element is a two chamber Parliament (consisting of a directly elected chamber and a chamber of states). Hereby, JEF insists on the subsidiarity principle as a form of decentralized distribution of powers. Another key element is the demand for a unified foreign and security policy of the European Union. JEF is committed to comprehensive reform of the EU towards more democracy, participation, transparency, efficiency and sustainability. In addition to the policy objectives, the organisation tries in particular to promote European awareness among young people and encourage civic activism.

JEF has about 15,000 members in 31 widely autonomous national sections, which are coordinated by a European umbrella organisation, JEF Europe.

JEF Europe is an International association without lucrative purpose (IVZW/AISBL) under Belgian law. The European Secretariat is based in Brussels.

The Federal Committee (FC) meets twice a year and is composed by the President, the two Vice Presidents, the four executive board members and 16 members directly elected by the Congress, and a number of national representatives corresponding appointed by each of the national member sections. The Secretary General participates in the meeting without a voting right. The Federal Committee is chaired by a presidium of three members and adopts the political and strategical guidelines and oversees the activity of the executive board.

The executive board (EB) is chaired by the President and includes the two Vice Presidents, the Secretary General, the Treasurer, and four board members. It is responsible for the implementation of the external and internal policy resolutions adopted by the Congress and the Federal Committee and the management of the organisation. It meets at least four times every year.

Several current and former influential members of the European Parliament (MEPs), including Richard Corbett and Jo Leinen (PES), Tom Spencer (Conservative) and Monica Frassoni (Greens), and its former Secretary General Sir Julian Priestley served as JEF officers in their teens and twenties. The former Swedish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Carl Bildt was a vice president.