European Elections 22 - 25 MAY 2014
The Common FYEG manifesto was developed through an inclusive process, gathering demands from young activists all over Europe. The Manifesto contains the demands in five different sub-sections: Social Europe, Democratic Europe, Gender and LGBTQ+, Energy, Climate Change and Agriculture, and Migration and Free Movement. Our demands are the expression of the common ground and common ideas uniting all young greens all over Europe.
Marriage is a right as any other and should be recognized as such, establishing the rights and obligations between the couple and their children.
We demand marriage equality throughout the European Union, starting with total recognition of same-sex marriages in all EU member states.
Facing a conservative backlash on sexual rights, we demand that reproductive rights are guaranteed for all people in Europe such as effective access to means of contraception and safe and free abortion.
More than half of the EU’s population is female, yet only 5 out of 28 heads of government and 34% of MEPs are women, and similar inequalities exist in all other spheres of society. We demand concrete measures to combat the under-representation of women in decision-making processes in politics, the economy and other spheres of society.
Hate crimes and violence based on sex, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity must be recognised as such and must never be tolerated. We demand clear legislation against hate crimes throughout Europe and effective protection measures for those at risk.
“Patriarchy is often seen as simply sexist attitudes towards women, but it’s a deeper set of systemic attitudes, thoughts and actions that lead to discrimination against women, LGBTQ+ people and even men who do not conform to a specific definition of “masculine”. We demand anti-discrimination laws, with concrete measures and educational programs to ensure that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity ends.
Free movement and youth exchanges in general are the best tools to strengthen European awareness and solidarity, and support intercultural learning and understanding. We demand the development of youth workers mobility programs and mobility partnerships and the removal of administrative barriers. We support the right to move but also the right to stay, with people having the ability to live a dignified life without being forced to migrate.
Exclusively economic considerations should not govern migration policy. We demand basic rights to be equally enforced for all people living in the EU, be it migrants or nationals of member states.
Today the asylum seekers in Europe are often treated in an inhumane way and are at high risk of being returned to their country of origin, facing possible persecution and oppression. We demand the EU to have a responsible and common asylum policy, providing dignified living conditions for asylum seekers and to guarantee political asylum.
We challenge the concept of man-made borders which mean some people are given higher value than others. We refuse to be accomplices of the deaths of thousands of people on our doorstep just because they were born on the wrong side of a border. We demand the human right of freedom of movement to be respected within Europe, across its borders and beyond.
Thousands of migrants are being imprisoned in detention centres all over Europe for the only “crime” of crossing a border looking for a better life. We demand the total closure of detention centres for migrants and the ban of detention for just for migration-related reasons.
With the process of unification we achieved peace on European ground. When is the EU going to stop feeding armed conflicts beyond its borders, in the name of national profit? We demand the end of arms export and weapon production, total nuclear disarmament, strong action against international weapon trade and external policy based on diplomacy and conflict prevention.
We demand the Internet to be free and accessible for everybody: it should become a basic human right. No data should be processed, profiled and sold without our consent. We demand privacy by design and an open, neutral and safe Web.
With the European Citizens’ Initiative, for first time in history people have the right to directly participate in the decision-making process on European level. We demand better promotion and further simplification of the European Citizens’ Initiative.
16-year olds in Europe are considered mature enough to have sex, drink, work, pay taxes and make their own health decisions… but they cannot vote*. We demand a lowering of the voting age, starting with a voting age 16 for EU elections everywhere in Europe. (*except in Austria!)
The decision making processes should be open, transparent and participatory.
Bank bailouts, the appointment of EU institution leaders and the long term EU direction have all been decided behind closed doors. We demand that decision making in the EU is opened up to citizens – and this includes the structure of the EU itself. We demand a new, citizen-centered European Convention to reform the undemocratic institutional basis of the European union, and decide upon its future.
Nowadays, more and more restrictions are being held to the free culture of seeds, endangering ecosystem diversity and regeneration, and public health – in favour of monoculture and GMOs. We demand that seeds are declared a common good, the ban of GMOs on European soil and the protection of consumers’ rights within a transparent food industry.
The current European Agricultural Subsidy System is dysfunctional. It subsidises unsustainable industrial farming, overfishing, and perpetuates poverty in the Global South. Therefore we demand the reduction and the complete reform of the agricultural subsidy system, and the general transition to local, biological and socially just and environmentally friendly farming.
Love biodiversity! We demand the protection and rehabilitation of biodiversity and natural habitats.
The EU has a strong responsibility for today’s global warming – and is already feeling its effects – but also the capacity to lead the change. We demand a binding EU climate change treaty by 2015 including compulsory emission reduction targets, a carbon tax and a progressive stance in international climate negotiations.
To combat climate change, to ensure energy independence and self-sufficiency as part of the relocalisation of the economy, we demand a transition towards a 100% renewable electricity model by 2030.
Federation Of Young European Greens
31 Rue Wiertz, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 62 60 72 7
Email: campaign.coordinator@fyeg.org
www.fyeg.org
Social Europe
“You have NO future.”
We refuse to be the “lost generation”, with no access to employment or housing despite high levels of preparation. We demand that fighting youth unemployment is made a priority at the European level both in the short and long term.
A Real choice a real chance
A European-wide basic income is a tool for more economic independence. We need to rethink our economic system to value human beings as an important part of society, and more than mere workforce. We demand the implementation of a European-wide unconditional basic income.
The common good – priceless
Fundamental public services should be run for the common good and especially protection of the most vulnerable, and not for the private profit of a few. Any profits should be reinvested into better services and not paid into the accounts of shareholders. We demand the protection of essential public services such as access to water, electricity, education, health-care, etc.
You’ve been robbed
Why should the 1% and the multinationals pay less tax than you? Large corporations pay tiny amounts of tax compared to the revenue they make. Additionally, companies are not compensating the damage to the environment and the negative impact of tax evasion and fiscal dumping on public finances. Thus, we demand a fair and environmentally-protective fiscal system.
Fuck Austerity
Austerity hits those in most vulnerable positions the hardest, damages the economy, increases inequalities and forces citizens to suffer the consequences of corporate greed and irresponsibility. We demand the immediate end of austerity policies. The failings of private enterprise should not be covered by the whole of society !