In Barcelona, 5 years ago the European Free Alliance (EFA) was founded as a European Political party with 32 parties. Europe has drastically changed in the last 5 years. In the General Assembly of the 27^th of March 2009, where EFA adopted a European election program, EFA will count 40 members from close to 20 EU member states but our aim is not only to enlarge our activities and representation in more Member States. EFA also is adapting itself to a rapidly changing Europe.

Europe was in an institutional crisis in the last 10 years, Europe now suffers from an economic and social crisis and the European Institutions and the centralists in the European Capitals like Madrid continue to totally disregard stateless nations and regions in Europe. As pro European parties, EFA partners can no longer accept that.

Since 2004 two new independent States emerged in Europe. EFA welcomed Montenegro and Kosova as two new states and two new candidates to join the EU. EFA is convinced of the fact that in the future more new States will emerge as players on Europe’s political top table. Therefore EFA explicitly reviewed its ideological view, not only representing minorities and stateless nations and regions but also emerging new states like Paisos Catalans, Scotland, Wales.

EFA has put this year pivotal General Assembly under the slogan Fent créixer Europa since we believe Europe should grow and should also grow up, should become more green and more social. EFA means that we want a more supranational Europe instead of a watered down free trade Europe. We want European solidarity to grow. That is why we as EFA also want to embrace small states. From the point of view of democracy it is important that EFA represents minorities within member states AND supports emerging new states at the same time AND also small states who are a minority within the enlarged EU-27 context.

Quote of Nelly Maes

“Many people feel, like in Cataluña, Wales and Scotland, the change, the growing self-esteem, the confidence, the will to do something, the right to decide, the determination to provide citizens with change, the opportunity to prepare the world for the future. You can feel the buzz when you visit Cataluña. That’s why I like Cataluña, Wales and Scotland so much. You can feel that change is in the air.”

In a Ministerial summit ministers and representative from emerging nations signed a declaration on innovation as a source of economic renewal and empowerment of the own distinct identity.

New full members in EFA are Die Friesen (East Frysian minority in Germany), SRS : Strana Regiónov Slovenska (treansentnic regional party in Slovak Republic) and Sud Tiroler Freiheit (German speaking minority in Nord Italy) New observors in EFA are: Südschleswigschen Wählerverbandes (SSW); Lista per Fiume- Lista za Rijeku; Hungarian Roma party (MMRÖP); Movimento per l’Indipendenza della Sicilia (MIS); Wendische Volkspartei (SLS);ProDG (Die unabhänginge Kraft für Ostbelgien)