Open Letter to the European Leaders

We are pleased to publish the "Open Letter to the European Leaders" promoted by the European Movement Italy

WE NEED MORE EU LEADERSHIP AND RESOURCES TO OVERCOME THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 CRISIS

OPEN LETTER TO THE EU LEADERS

The agreement in the Eurogroup the 9^th of April has opened the doors to the European Commission and its decision to restart the negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) between the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament.

These negotiations were deadlocked in the European Council the 26th of February because of the exacerbated conflict between the so-called “frugal countries” and the “Friends of Cohesion” after quite two years of useless intergovernmental dialogue of the deaf.

After the health emergency the Europeans will face not only an economic emergency, which should be tackled, but mainly the need of a multiannual social and sustainable development deal for the whole European Union.

The EU urgently needs debt instruments to effectively promote European public and private investments and a better balance among national economies; the symmetry of the epidemic will indeed be replaced by an unsustainable asymmetry between States, between regions and between social classes.

These instruments must be issued by the European institutions so as to raise funds on the market on the same basis and for the benefit of all Member States.

These instruments should not come from a group of States, because this kind of limited initiative could create a deep and dangerous split in the Eurozone paving the way for an intervention of the markets against the stability of the Euro.

Investors will purchase even more the European common debt instruments only if the means to repay them do not come from the voluntary contributions of the member countries but from a strong European budget financed by regular flows, that is, by European own resources giving adequate credibility to this extraordinary measure of sustainable growth.

The four instruments put in place at European level at this stage (ESM facility with the specific conditionalities established by the Eurogroup, ECB, EIB, SURE) will be insufficient because they are to cover the European’s needs for the short term and since they will increase the national debts.

An additional Recovery Fund is then needed to support European common policies in the fields of welfare, sustainable development and energy transition, agro-food transformation and distribution industry, common research, planned interventions in the internal areas, small and medium-sized enterprises, the Services of General Interest and the Non-Profit Sector.

A European recovery plan will be necessary in a medium term in the framework of the MFF covering a quinquennial (and not septennial) planning so as to be consistent with the EU political and democratic cycle.

The new MFF should reach a total amount of 2000 billion Euro so that they can guarantee the production of common goods to the European citizens on the basis of created true own resources instead of national contributions.

In this perspective the new MFF should create a guarantee for a European public debt, whose design could be inspired from the European Financial Stabilization Mechanism (EFSM) one, under the name of a “European Financial Recovery Fund (EFRF)”, able to issue hundreds of billions of common debt.

We appeal the European Council of the 23^rd of April - acting if necessary by majority and in its capacity to give the necessary impulses - and the European Parliament as a branch of the budgetary authority to give a clear political mandate to the European Commission asking it to propose a new MFF responding to the following principles:

- allow the EU to guarantee common goods that cannot be ensured by single States,

- increase revenue with fresh resources, necessary to implement the new European political agenda and meet the priorities related to the European Green Deal, the employment and the social rights, the digital transformation, the productive system and the economic and social crisis that will derive from the health emergency.

- overcome the tax avoidance of multinational companies that subtract hundreds of billions a year using the opportunities offered by disharmonious tax regimes including the seized assets under the anti-mafia legislations,

- introduce European levies on web profit making activities and carbon producing activities including through a border carbon adjustment,

We believe that doing so the Europeans will overcome the COVID-19 crisis much more efficiently and rapidly, while taking a major step in the European integration process.

Berlin, Brussels, Budapest Den Haag, Lisbon, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Wien, Zagreb. 16th April 2020

JOAQUIN ALMUNIA, former EU Commissioner, former Spanish Minister and General Secretary of PSOE
GIULIANO AMATO, former Prime Minister and Vice President European Convention, Member of Italian Constitutional Court
ANTONIO ARGENZIANO, General Secretary GFE, European Movement Italy
GIAMPIERO AULETTA, Vice President European Movement Italy
MARIO BALDASSARRI, Professor, President Economia Reale, former Under-Secretary of State, European Movement Italy
FABRIZIO BARCA, former Minister, President Forum delle Diseguaglianze e Diversità
ENRIQUE BARON CRESPO, fomer President of European Parliament and International European Movement, Professor Jean Monnet, President Fundacion Yehudi Menuhin
FRANCO BASSANINI, President ASTRID, former Minister, Professor
BRANDO BENIFEI MEP, Head Italian Delegation S&D, Vice President International European Movement
GILLES BERHAULT, Comité 21 France, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Délégué Général Fondation des transitions
YVES BERTONCINI, President Mouvement Européen France, Vice President International European Movement
GIORGIO BENVENUTO, President Foundations Bozzi and Nenni, former General Secretary UIL
GABRIELE BISCHOFF MEP, Vice President Constitutional Affairs Committee EP
PETER BOFINGER, German economist, former member of the German Council of Economic Experts
MATTEO BRACCIALI, ACLI and European Movement Italy
SUSANNA CAMUSSO, International and Gender Policies CGIL, former General Secretary
ROCCO CANGELOSI, former Ambassador, Board European Movement Italy
CLAUDIO CAPPELLINI, European Affairs, CNA, European Movement Italy
PIER FERDINANDO CASINI, former President of Italian Chamber, Member of the Senate, European Movement Italy
FABIO MASSIMO CASTALDO, Vice President European Parliament
LEONARDO CESARETTI, ACLI, Treasurer European Movement Italy
INNOCENZO CIPOLLETTA, President ASSONIME, President Associazione Economia della Cultura
DANIEL COHN BENDIT, former MEP and co-president Green Group, co-founder Spinelli Group
MASSIMO D’ALEMA, President Italiani Europei, former Prime Minister
PIER VIRGILIO DASTOLI, President European Movement IT, President COMPA, Professor Unistrada, President Centro Studi Diritti dei Popoli Università Sassari, former assistant of Altiero Spinelli
JAN DE BOCK, former Ambassador and former permanent representative of Belgium
FERRUCCIO DE BORTOLI, President VIDAS, former director Corriere della Sera, Il Sole 24 Ore
ROBERTO DELLA SETA, President Europa Ambiente, European Movement Italy
ROBERTA DE MONTICELLI, Member Accademia dei Lincei
DOMENEC RUIZ DEVESA, MEP Head of the S&D Delegation Constitutional Affairs Committee
CLAUDIO DE VINCENTI, former Minister, Professor
GIJS DE VRIES, former MEP, former European Union Counter Terrorisme Coordinator
LEILA EL-HOUSSI, Professor, President Forum Italo-tunisino, European Movement Italy
PIERO FASSINO, President CESPI, member of Italian Chamber, former Minister
VALERIA FEDELI, former Minister, Member of the Senate
DANIELA FELISINI, President AUSE, Professor Tor Vergata, European Movement Italy
UGO FERRUTA, President MFE Rome, European Movement Italy
CLAUDIA FIASCHI, Speaker Forum del Terzo Settore
JEAN-PAUL FITOUSSI, Sciences Po Paris
MONICA FRASSONI, former MEP and co-president Green Party, President of the Council of Ixelles
EMILIO GABAGLIO, former General Secretary ETUC, European Movement Italy
MICHAEL ZICHY GABOR, Professor of Philosophy Salzburg, Europe Now
FRANCO GALLO, former President Constitutional Court, Treccani
ADRIANO GIANNOLA, President SVIMEZ, Professor
ENRICO GIOVANNINI, Speaker ASVIS, fomer Minister, Professor, Member of the task force on the Post-COVID-19
SANDRO GOZI, Member of EP, President UEF, European Movement Italy
VINCENZO GRASSI, Ambassador, General Secretary European University Institute
ULRIKE GUEROT, European Democracy Lab
ELISABETH GUIGOU, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, President Ann Lindt Foundation
LUCA JAHIER, President ECOSOC
HERVE JOUEANJEAN, former General Director DG Budget EC Commission
ALFONSO IOZZO, President Centro Studi sul Federalismo
FRANCO IPPOLITO, President Fondazione Basso
GIUSEPPE IULIANO, Head of International Department CISL
ALAIN LAMASSOURE, former MEP and President Budget Committee
PASCAL LAMY, Honorary President Delors Institute, former EC Commissioner and General Secretary WTO
JO LEINEN, former MEP, President UEF and International European Movement
CLAUDIO LEONE, Agiter, European Movement Italy
ENRICO LETTA, former Prime Minister, President Sciences Po Paris
MARINA LILLI VENTURINI, Presidente ANDE, European Movement Italy
PAUL MAGNETTE, Minister President of Wallonie Region, Major of Charleroi
SEBASTIEN MAILLARD, Director Delors Institute
ALBRTO MAJOCCHI, Professor Emeritus Pavia, Vice President CSF. European Movement Italy
FILIP CESAR VILARINO MARQUES, President Magistrats Européens pour la démocratie et la liberté (MEDEL)
SILVANO MARSEGLIA, President AEDE, European Movement Italy
FABIO MASINI, Professor Roma-II, CESUE, European Movement Italy
GIAMPIERO MASSOLO, President ISPI and Fincantieri, former ambassador,
VINCENZO MATTINA, President QUANTA, former MEP, European Movement Italy
MAURIZIO MELANI, former Ambassador, Link University, European Movement Italy
YVES MENY, former President EUI, President Scuola Sant’Anna Pisa
MARCELLO MESSORI, President SEP, LUISS
STEFANO MICOSSI, General Secretary ASSONIME
STEFANO MILIA, Deputy General Secretary, European Movemnt Italy
MARIO MONTI, former Prime Minister, former EC Commissioner, Professor, Senator for life
ROSSELLA MURONI, Member of the Italian Chamber, former President Legambiente, European Movement Italy
FERDINANDO NELLI FEROCI, President IAI, former Ambassador and EC Commissioner
VALERIO ONIDA, former President Constitutional Court, Professor
LEOLUCA ORLANDO, Mayor of Palermo
ELENA PACIOTTI, former MEP, Fondazione Basso
PIERCARLO PADOAN, former Minister, Professor, member of Italian Chamber
ALESSANDRO PAJNO, former President Consiglio di Stato
GABRIELE PANIZZI, Vice President Istituto Altiero Spinelli, former President Regione Lazio, European Movement Italy
CARLO PARIETTI, former President Eurocadres, European Movement Italy
GIANNI PITTELLA, former President of S&D Group and Vice President of EP, member of the Senate
SERGIO PISTONE, Professor University of Turin, European Movement
PAOLO PONZANO, General Secretary European Movement, Italy Professor European College of Parma
ROMANO PRODI former Prime Minister and President EU Commission, President Fondazione per la collaborazione fra i popoli
LIA QUARTAPELLE PROCOPIO, member of Italian Chamber, European Movement Italy
LUCREZIA REICHLIN, member British Academy and Academia Europaea, Professor London Business School
VALERIA RONZITTI, Board International European Movement and Board Movimenta
ANDRE SAPIR, Senior Fellow Bruegel
GIANCARLO SANTALMASSI, Journalist
GESINE SCHWAN, President of Vladrina European University
DASA SASIC SILOVIC, Chair International Board CEE Network for Gender
ROBERTO SOMMELLA, President La Nuova Europa, Condirettore Milano Finanza, European Movement Italy
NICOLETTA TEODOSI, CILAP, European Movement Italy
GIOVANNI TRIA, former Minister, Professor
NADIA URBINATI, member Accademia dei Lincei
RAYMOND VAN ERMEN, Director EPE, Alliance Europe Ambition 2030
LUCA VISENTINI, General Secretary ETUC
MARIANO VOTTA, Director Active Citizenship Network, European Movement Italy
LUIGI ABETE, President FEBAF and BNL
UMBERTO ALLEGRETTI, Professor, Centro Riforma dello Stato, University of Florence
MICHELE BAGELLA, Professor Tor Vergata, European Movement Italy
ENZO BALBONI, Professor Università Cattolica Milano
GLORIA BARTOLI, LUISS, Fondazione Economia Tor Vergata
FABIO BASSAN, Professor Tor Vergata
ENZO BIANCO, former Minister and Mayor of Catania, Member of the Committee of Regions
ROBERTO BIN, Professor University Ferrara
JORGE BINAGHI, Professor University Barcelona
ANDREA BOITANI, Professor Università Cattolica Milano
MARIO BOVA, former Ambassador
SALVATORE BRAGANTINI, President Pro MAC
FLAVIO BRUGNOLI, Director Centro Studi sul Federalismo
GIUSEPPE BUSIA, General Secretary Autority Privacy
GIOVANNI CAFEO, Member of the Sicilian Regional Assembly, President of the Regional Federalist Intergroup
VINCENZO CAMPORINI, Vice President IAI, European Movement Italy
MARCO CECCHINI, Journalist, Huffington Post
ENZO CHELI, President Comitato Scientifico ASTRID, Professor, former President Il Mulino
GIUSEPPE COCO, Professor University Milano
PAOLO COSTA, MEP
GIANFRANCO D’ALESSIO, Professor Tor Vergata
GAETANO D’AURIA, Corte dei Conti
GIOVANNA DE MINICO, Professor Università Napoli
BRUNO OSCAR DENTE, Professor Polimi
MARIO DI CIOMMO, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti
CARLO FREDIANI, former officer of the Council of the Union
GIAMPAOLO GALLI, Professor Università Cattolica, former MP
PAOLO GARONNA, General Secretary FEBAF, LUISS
EMANUELE GATTI, President German Italian Chamber of Trade, Professor
CARLO GIANNONE, Professor Università del Sannio
FILIP GOEMANS, Foundation Sint Gummaruskerk, Lawyer
PAOLO GUERRIERI PALEOTTI, Professor Sapienza, former member of the Senate
PIERO IGNAZI, Professor Emeritus Bologna
RAFFAELE LENER, Professor Tor Vergata
AMEDEO LEPORE, Professor University Vanvitelli
ALFREDO MACCHIATI, CONSOB
ALBERTO MARITATI, European Movement Italy, former General Attorney, former member of the Senate and Under-Secretary of State
MARIO ROSARIO MAZZOLA, Professor University Palermo
FEDERICO MEROLA, LUISS
LAURA MIRACHIAN, former Ambassador
ALESSANDRO NATALINI, Professor University Parthenope
FABRIZIO ONIDA, Professor Emeritus, Bocconi
GIANFRANCO PASQUINO, Professor Emeritus
RICCARDO PATERNO’, Professor University Naples
FABIO PELLEGRINI, former General Secretary AICCRE
GIUSEPPE PENNISI, Professor Università degli Studi Europea
COSTANZA PERA, DG Condizione Abitativa
RICCARDO PERISSICH, Vice President CONSIUSA, writer
CESARE PINELLI, Professor Sapienza,
FRANCO PIZZETTI, Professor University of Turin
STEFANO POZZOLI, Professor University Parthenope
GIOVANNI PUGLISI, Dean University Kore
BENIAMINO QUINTIERI, Professor, Tor Vergata
ALFREDO RECANATESI, Journalist, Club dell’Economia
GIAMPAOLO ROSSI, Professor Roma III
VINCENZO RUSSO, Professor Emeritus, European Movement Italy
DOMENICO SORACE, Professor University Florence
GUIDO TABELLINI, Professor, CDA CIR and Enrico Mattei Foundation
VITO LEONARDO TELESCA, President CILAP
LUISA TORCHIA, Professor Tor Vergata
SALVATORE TORIELLO, Ugo La Malfa Foundation
GIANLUIGI TOSATO, LUISS
MARIANO VOTTA, Director Active Citizenship Network, European Movement Italy
VINCENZO VISCO, President NENS
GINELLA VOCCA, Director MED FILM FESTIVAL
SALVATORE ZECCHINI, Chair Working Party on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises, OECD

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