ALDE Party Liberal Bulletin 03 2015

For Freedom A stronger, smarter and more supranational ALDE Party Interview with Sir Graham Watson A matter of humanity and of human dignity Commissioner Jourová on fundamental rights for EU citizens The essence of «Europeanness» Bas Verkerk on cross-border cooperation by cities and regions

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The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party is the party representing liberal democrat values across Europe.

Contents

In conjunction with our liberal member parties throughout the European continent, we are translating the principle of freedom into politics, economics and across all other areas of our societies. The ALDE Party provides an increasingly vital link between citizens and the EU institutions and is continuously growing in size and significance.

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3

The ALDE Party is made up of more than 50 member parties from across Europe. Liberal Democrats created their European political family in 1976, ahead of the first European elections. ALDE was established as a truly transnational political party in 1993.

Liberal Bulletin is a publication of the ALDE Party. It is published three times a year.

Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party

Interview with: Sir Graham Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 4 Interview with: Věra Jourová . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 8 Cross-border cooperation by cities and regions: the essence of «Europeanness» . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 11 Interview with: Catherine Bearder MEP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 13 Interview with: Tamara van Ark MP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 16 Individual members: Interview with delegates Chris Pyak and Katerina Polyzou . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 18

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Editors: Daniel Tanahatoe, Andrew Burgess, Adriana Díaz, ALDE Party

Liberal movers and shakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 22

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Publisher: Didrik de Schaetzen (ALDE Party) Layout: Trinome.be Printing: Hayez.be With the support of the European Parliament

Calendar / 19-21 November 2015 Budapest, Hungary ALDE Party Congress / 20-22 November 2015 Stockholm, Sweden Folkpartiet Liberalerna Congress / 27-29 November 2015 Brussels, Belgium Open Vld Congress / 28 November 2015 Rotterdam, Netherlands VVD Congress / 28 November 2015 Tramsschapp um Lampertsbierg, Luxembourg Demokratesch Partei Congress / 17 December 2015 Brussels, Belgium ALDE Party Pre-summit meeting

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In this regard, with Hungary being the Congress’ host country and its Prime Minister Viktor Orbán constantly threatening Europe’s fundamental freedoms, Budapest appears as a suitable venue for liberals to discuss on the EU’s struggle for freedom.

In this Bulletin we look at freedom from four angles. Commissioner Věra Jourová shares her current ambitions on fighting discrimination and guaranteeing justice, rule of law and gender equality. Dutch MP Tamara van Ark explains the main challenges of pledging to fight for LGBT rights.

Liberal Democrats MEP Catherine Bearder offers her insight on the freedom of British citizens to choose to remain in the EU or to leave. And the ALDE individual members Congress delegates talk about individuals’ freedom to think and act in cross-border terms and become politically active at the European level.

Editorial The European Union was established to promote peace, the Union’s values and the well-being of its peoples. Among the core European values, the EU guarantees the famous “four freedoms” to its citizens, free movement of people, goods, services and capital and strictly prohibits any discrimination on grounds of nationality.

While the European Union has been a great example to the world in providing fundamental freedoms to its citizens, it is currently struggling with the on-going challenges of migration, data protection or consumers’ rights to cite some examples. Given the importance of preserving fundamental freedoms in the EU, this year’s ALDE Congress in Budapest and the present Liberal Bulletin focus on fighting #ForFreedom.

In this sense, considering that freedom is a core European value, we interview Bas Verkerk, the President of the ALDE Group in the Committee of the Regions, who believes that cross-border cooperation is necessary to enhance “Europeanness”.

Last but not least, this edition of the Liberal Bulletin features a special interview with ALDE Party President Sir Graham Watson, who will not seek re-election at the coming Congress. This decision means we will elect a new President for ALDE Party and I am certain that we will have a great discussion at our Congress about who will now take on the mantle of leadership and come with a further presidential vision for developing the ALDE Party.

I am convinced that in these times, liberals around Europe are gaining strength. We will come out of our upcoming Congress as a stronger and energised ALDE Party with full speed ahead for new successes for liberals and liberal values across Europe. And what better place to start than with a good debate #ForFreedom at our Congress.

Jacob Moroza-Rasmussen Secretary General of the ALDE Party

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I have had the honour to lead the Party at a time when a number of things could be achieved and I am proud to have played my part in their achievement - 4 -

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Interview with: ALDE Party President Sir Graham Watson Four years ago you were elected as President of ALDE Party. Could you share with us what have been the main achievements of your presidency?

Achievements in politics are rarely individual, normally collective; and they depend at least as much on opportunity – ‘’time and chance’’, as a former UK Prime Minister put it - as on talent. I have had the honour to lead the Party at a time when a number of things could be achieved and I am proud to have played my part in their achievement.

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I set out to make the Party stronger, smarter and more supranational. I have not achieved

the first goal in the measure I sought. We are stronger, numerically and in many other ways, but we have failed to merge the two wings of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament (which I created together with Romano Prodi and Francois Bayrou when I was Group leader in 2004) into one party. I believe that under my leadership we have achieved the second and third goals.

What examples would you give of having made the Party “smarter and more supranational’’?

The Party is now much smarter in the way it uses its resources. Instead of being essentially

And much as I enjoy my job as ALDE Party President I feel I have to devote all my free time to helping convince my compatriots to remain in the EU - 5 -

a co-ordinating body for its member parties it now identifies the needs of the member parties and takes the initiative in trying to help them to meet those needs. Our assistance in campaign training, for example, has helped member parties to greater electoral success. Our ‘’Reclaiming Liberalism’’ initiative has brought us closer together in policy terms.

We are more genuinely supranational for having campaigned behind a joint ticket of two “Spitzenkandidaten” - Guy Verhofstadt and Olli Rehn - in the 2014 European Parliament elections and for having set up a category of individual membership which allows individuals to join the ALDE Party directly rather than (or in addition to) being members of a national political party. We have established a new gender balance task force and given more support than in the past to our youth organisation LYMEC. Under your leadership, you have supported the expansion of individual membership, a unique feature of the ALDE Party compared to other European political forces. In what ways do you think that individual membership can contribute to the further development of democracy at European level?

Liberal Democratic parties have no monopoly on Liberal ideas. Allowing the option of individual membership allows us to engage

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in our work individual Liberals who do not necessarily associate with our member party in their country; and those from countries which have no Liberal party. More and more citizens think and act in cross-border terms. We can encourage this.

In 2014 European elections were held. These were the first ones where European political parties, including the ALDE Party, proposed “Spitzenkandidaten” for the presidency of the European Commission. In your view, can more be done to bring these elections closer to the citizens?

I believe that the process of running “Spitzenkandidaten” under which Jean-Claude Juncker, as the candidate of the party which fared best in the EP elections, became President of the European Commission, is here to stay. I think our next campaigns should be to make sure that EU-level parties have their logos on the ballot paper in every country; and should be to elect a certain percentage of Members of the European Parliament from transnational lists of candidates.

When you started your presidency Europe was in the midst of the financial and economic crisis. Do you believe that the European Union learnt its lesson in how to deal with such a fundamental crisis, particularly in view of the more recent refugee crisis and instability in our near neighbouring countries?

The development of a banking union in the EU was a good response to the financial crisis caused by the collapse of Lehman Brothers.

Steps towards greater fiscal harmonisation are also now being made. As ever, Europe shows it has the measure of every challenge. The current challenges of world population growth and migration will be no different.

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The Party is now much smarter in the way it uses its resources.

Instead of being essentially a co-ordinating body for its member parties it now identifies the needs of the member parties and takes the initiative in trying to help them to meet those needs

President I feel I have to devote all my free time to helping convince my compatriots to remain in the EU. Being ALDE Party President is now a substantial job; and I never take on a job unless I am prepared to do it justice.

Lastly, what advice would you give to your successor?

I will play no role in the choice of my successor; and the advice that each candidate needs may vary. But my first piece of general advice would

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be to appreciate how much time is required to do the job well. My second would be to have faith in Liberal Democrats to come up with the right answers if properly informed; i.e. trust those you lead. And my third would be about leadership style: if the crew is well briefed and the sails well set, a light touch on the tiller is generally all that is needed to guide and amplify the forces of nature.

When you announced not to seek reelection in the ALDE Party Council in Oslo in May, you said that you felt the duty to fully engage with those in Great Britain that want your country to remain a full and committed EU member state. How do you see the upcoming months in British politics?

The day before the ALDE Party Council the UK Conservative Party emerged as victors in the national election and Prime Minister Cameron called a referendum on UK membership of the EU. I believe this was a very foolish act. I think he neither appreciates the extent of public dissatisfaction with the political class nor the resulting inability of the London political elite to change public opinion. This referendum could well result in the UK voting to leave the EU. And much as I enjoy my job as ALDE Party

The ALDE Party President hosts a Pre-Summit.

Top left to right: Karel De Gucht, Alexander De Croo, Miro Cerar, Guy Verhofstadt, Charles Michel, Taavi Rõivas Bottom left to right: Věra Jourová, Mark Rutte, Sir Graham Watson, Xavier Bettel, Neelie Kroes - 6 -

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The ALDE Party Presidency of Sir Graham Watson: 2011-2015

In 2015, Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas hosts a European Liberals in Government meeting in Tallinn.

in 2012, Sir Graham publishes his “Letters from Europe”.

The summer of 2015 is one full of crises. Ahead of a European Council, Liberal leaders role up their sleeves.

Sir Graham accompanies European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes to the Pre-Summit meeting.

Sir Graham addresses the ALDE Party Congress in London (2013).

The ALDE Party President visits Sofia and meets Simeon Saxe Coburg and Solomon Passy.

Andrew Burgess advises Sir Graham on press matters.

Sir Graham addresses the ALDE Party Congress in Lisbon (2014).

In Vienna, Sir Graham launches the campaign for the European elections 2014. In this picture, Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Guy Verhofstadt, Angelika Mlinar, Matthias Strolz, Olli Rehn, Sir Graham.

Jointly hosted with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Brussels, Sir Graham’s last Liberal Breakfast welcomed Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel. In the picture from left to right: Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck, Xavier Bettel, Hans Stein, Sir Graham.

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Interview with: Věra Jourová Věra Jourová is the European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality as part of the Juncker Commission confirmed in October 2014. Previously, she was the Czech Minister for Regional Development.

Since 2012 she has been a member of the ALDE Party member in the Czech Republic ANO 2011 and since 2013 she has been the party’s deputy chairwoman. In the light of the current refugee crisis and the negotiations around the Safe Harbour Agreement, Jourová shares with us her current ambitions about her responsibilities as Commissioner, such as fighting discrimination or promoting judicial cooperation within the EU, data protection and gender equality.

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third issue - 2015 This month the ALDE Party Congress takes place in Hungary, whose government is said to have implemented controversial policies in regards to civil liberties.

One of your priorities is to ensure that fundamental rights are respected throughout the European Union. How do you intend to do this?

The current migration crisis has set new challenges to ensure fundamental rights are upheld in the European Union. As guardian of the treaties, it is our duty to ensure Member States fully implement EU law, including respect for fundamental rights when managing the migration crisis and including border control. As President Jean-Claude Juncker underlined in his State of the Union address, this is a matter of humanity and of human dignity.

We are undertaking a careful assessment of the new legislative amendments adopted

by Hungary in the area of asylum and border control in July and September 2015.

A preliminary assessment reveals a number of concerns. We have shared these with the Hungarian authorities and we will use the additional information the authorities will provide us with to finalise our assessment.

I expect Hungary, like any other Member State, to respect its obligations under the EU treaties.

In your view, would the EU’s accession to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of the Council of Europe help in this respect?

The accession of the EU to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms remains a top priority.

It is a matter of consistency and coherence.

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We must ensure that the standards of the Convention are upheld not only throughout Europe, but also at EU level. EU accession will not affect the Member States’ position relating to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

It is already a standard recognised in the EU treaties: fundamental rights guaranteed by the Convention constitute general principles of Union law. There is already a close link between the two and, with the accession, the link between Union law and the Convention would be reinforced.

More specifically, you aim to set up an independent European Public Prosecutor’s

National judiciaries lack resources and reach to combat cross-border crime. We need an independent European body working hand-in-hand with national authorities to build a system of mutual trust - 9 -

Office. In what ways will that reinforce judicial cooperation to fight cross-border crime?

Setting up a European Public Prosecutor’s office is a key goal. Fraud against the EU budget costs us an estimated 500 million euros every year. My goal is for the EPPO to be established in 2016.

In order to safeguard European taxpayers’ money, we need to fill gaps in our common area of justice. National judiciaries lack resources and reach to combat cross-border crime. We need an independent European body working hand-in-hand with national authorities to build a system of mutual trust.

The EPPO will create crucial synergies for a more thorough and efficient system of law enforcement.

The EPPO will only be efficient with an independent status. A European problem requires a European solution. With this unified, consistent and systematic approach, the EPPO would enable us to protect our common funds and ensure they are put to the best possible use.

Last year you actively contributed to a conference hosted by the ALDE Party Gender Equality Network in Vienna. What are the next steps to be taken by the European Commission in terms of gender equality and against discrimination?

Gender equality is an “unfinished business”.

Although we have made progress in recent years, now we must step up our action to ensure that Europe remains a “good address”

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third issue - 2015 for women. Gender equality is not only a fundamental right, but essential for our economy.

In August, we published a roadmap to improve work-life balance for parents and people with caring responsibilities. We envisage a package including both legislative and non-legislative measures. We will not only address parental leave but also improve flexible working rights, rights for careers, childcare and elderly care infrastructure and disincentives to work in tax and benefit systems.

We are taking action to close the gender pay gap: for every euro a man earns in Europe, a woman still earns only 84 cents.

We are working hard with the Member States to ensure equal pay legislation is implemented. Women must also be more present in decision-making positions. I am fully supporting the Presidency’s efforts to finalise Council negotiations on the “Women on Boards” Directive by the end of this year.

Last but not least, I say no to gender-based violence. Currently, one in three women in the EU say they have been victims of violence.

This is unacceptable and has to stop. We are reserving 3.7 million euros to fund national awareness campaigns and 9.5 million euros for transnational projects to assist victims and restore their dignity.

Your aim is to make it easier for European consumers to enjoy content and products from across the European Union, as too often they are unjustly blocked from doing so. How will you make sure that digital consumers can benefit from Europe’s internal market?

It is essential that we fully use the opportunities offered by the Digital Single Market. Doing so could deliver 11 billion euros of annual savings for consumers. Yet 61% of customers prefer not to buy online from other EU countries. We need more harmonised rules in order to give consumers and traders confidence to buy and sell crossborder.

Our Digital Contracts Proposal will achieve this, through harmonised rules for the purchasing of digital content and tangible goods in domestic and cross-border cases.

Combined with the launch of the Online Dispute Resolution Platform next year, this will protect consumers’ rights regarding faulty products and reinforce their trust in EU-wide online purchasing.

Indeed, trust is a prerequisite for completing the digital revolution. Trust requires robust data protection. This is why we must complete the Data Protection reform by the end of

Personal data protection is currently one of my top priorities.

It is not only a fundamental right for EU citizens but also an economic enabler for businesses who will benefit from consumers’ renewed confidence.

2015. This will put individuals in control of their data, including through a clarified “right to be forgotten” and the right to know if their data has been hacked. The reform promotes “data protection by design”, ensuring that consumers get the most out of the Digital Single Market without compromising on their data security.

It is exactly one year ago that you took office as European Commissioner. From your responsibilities in Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, what will be your key priority in these fields for the coming months?

Personal data protection is currently one of my top priorities. It is not only a fundamental right for EU citizens but also an economic enabler for businesses who will benefit from consumers’ renewed confidence. That’s why we must reach our common target of final agreement this December on the reform. As you know, I am also working hard to ensure a safer Safe Harbour Agreement, especially in light of the European Court of Justice (ECJ)’s ruling on the Schrems case. I am meeting with Commerce Secretary Pritzker on 12 November in Washington to discuss how to rebuild trust in EU-US data flows and reestablish legal certainty. Transatlantic data transfers are essential for our digital economy.

The December Justice Council will also discuss two other important topics: the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and hate speech online. The European Parliament has already expressed its firm support for the EPPO and we need agreement on the core articles at the next Council meeting. On hate speech online, we will discuss following progress at the Fundamental Rights Colloquium and my - 10 -

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work with leading internet companies. This is a key concern we must address, especially in light of the current migration crisis.

Lastly, considering your leadership experience in your national party ANO 2011, what are the prospects of the party in the Czech Republic in the future?

Two years after the elections, the support for the ANO movement remains very high, so it is a viable project. More importantly it has proven to be useful: liberal policy being part of the government has brought results and fresh wind to the Czech Republic. If it continues to focus on results and people, ANO certainly has a future long beyond the 2011 in its title. The refugee crisis, loss of competitiveness, barriers to investment, ageing population - all these issues require a decisive response at European level. A reaction that should be modern, in line with fundamental rights, and one that treats every citizen as a human being. These are the values underpinning both the ALDE and ANO 2011. I am convinced that the movement can play an important positive role in the Czech Republic and at European level.

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Cross-border cooperation by cities and regions: the essence of “Europeanness�

When facing many of the geographic, economic and societal challenges of this century, national borders lose their relevance and common cross-border solutions need to be identified.

And when two thirds of public investment and one third of public expenditure in the EU is carried out by local and regional government, it is clear that no effective solution is possible without creating a partnership between the different levels of government and between

cities and regions across the whole Union. This has become particularly evident in the current refugee crisis. Indeed, it is at the local level that integration succeeds or fails, and if effective responses to the developing humanitarian crisis are to be found, Europe must put in place a fully-fledged migration policy that establishes and facilitates these required partnerships.

The ALDE Group in the Committee of the Regions (ALDE CoR) recently organised a fact- 11 -

finding mission to Calais, a city with very high unemployment which has to spend millions of euros managing the camps that migrants have built and where public order is at risk of being destabilised. During the visit it became evident that the accommodation and management of migrants and refugees on French territory has an impact not only on the local economy, health and social system of Calais and the wider French region, but that the effects are also acutely felt

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third issue - 2015 in the UK and Belgium. When asylum seekers are found in the Channel Tunnel, the results are disruptions in the traffic between Paris, Brussels and London, which leads to passengers unable to travel, undelivered goods or increased security costs, among other difficulties. What’s more, people smuggling is increasingly becoming a concern. Smugglers are becoming more organised and more powerful and acting with total impunity across many Member States.

If the matter is at the top of the agenda for the heads of government, it is no less so for many city mayors and regional presidents throughout the whole European Union. In this sense, the solution requires very practical cooperation at all levels of government.

One of the most interesting instruments for cross-border cooperation in the EU is the European Grouping for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), which is still in its infancy. Some local and regional authorities have used the EGTC to share scarce resources, such as hospital beds across a common border or even to share the costs of facilities for a population that has ties with two regions even where there is no common border between them. Such an instrument must offer possibilities for collaboration in the area of migration and this needs to be further explored.

Cross-border challenges in the area of refugees and migration are not the only priorities for Europe’s cities and regions. Borders create also other challenges which regional and local actors are trying to address. Border cities and regions account for about 37.5% of the EU’s population and face particular disadvantages compared to the rest of Europe, especially where serious disparities in economic prosperity exist between them.

Liberals have always been at the forefront in the fight for the single market and for low regulatory burdens for citizens and businesses.

Much has been achieved in this area in European legislation, but it is at the local level in border regions where the benefits of the single market are really put to the test. The picture that emerges is that it is really not as simple and as natural to work in a town just across the border as some might think.

Transport links across borders are still problematic. Whilst the road network is nowadays quite dense and not much affected by borders within the Schengen area, this is different for rail transport and public transport in general. Across the EU, there are many cases of trains terminating at the border. At best, one can change for a connecting train. In many cases though, a gap remains: trains are not operated at all despite existing tracks. The two main problems are technical and financial.

The latter is a vicious circle: many regional and national authorities do not finance an attractive

When two thirds of public investment and one third of public expenditure in the EU is carried out by local and regional government, it is clear that no effective solution is possible without creating a partnership between the different levels of government and between cities and regions across the whole Union

cross-border offer of public transport due to low demand, but demand can only pick up once the offer is attractive. European funding is needed to finance the initial starting costs of such reactive cross-border rail links. However, European investment needs to be based on a long-term vision, to avoid that the links are abolished again once the European funding ends.

In order to solve technical and administrative problems, the current Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU has launched an interesting new proposal for a so-called “European Cross-Border Convention on specific provisions in cross-border regions”.

For example, short sections of a cross-border railway line (i.e. until the next main connection point in the neighbouring country) could be managed jointly and be subject to the technical rules of the first country. This could significantly reduce operating costs of crossborder rail links. In line with our objective to promote environmentally-friendly transport, the ALDE CoR supports this new idea and hopes that concrete solutions can be developed on that basis.

Europe is characterised as a diverse yet unified cultural and historical space with a multitude of borders. After years of deepening integration and dismantling these many borders, the - 12 -

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European Union is still struggling with economic and societal cohesion, as has been illustrated by recent events. Political will coming from national governments is not the only decisive prerequisite for the success of the European project, the support of local and regional authorities is also necessary. Consequently, cross-border cooperation demonstrates the very essence of “Europeanness”, whereby national borders no longer represent division but become spaces where people and businesses meet.

Bas Verkerk President of the ALDE Group in the Committee of the Regions Mayor of Delft, the Netherlands

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Interview with: Catherine Bearder MEP Catherine Bearder is the only MEP of the Liberal Democrats in the ALDE Group in the European Parliament. In view of the referendum on whether the United Kingdom should stay in or leave the European Union scheduled for 2017, she has recently launched together with the LibDems’ leader Tim Farron the party’s campaign for staying in. Bearder gives her arguments for why should the UK remain in the EU and emphasises the importance of involving liberals across Europe in the stay in campaign.

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third issue - 2015 At the end of September at your party’s conference in Bournemouth, you launched the Say Yes Campaign of the Liberal Democrats for the UK to ‘lead not leave’ the European Union. Could you tell us more about the campaign?

Liberal Democrats will run a positive campaign based on our core liberal values. We have always been proud to be an internationalist party that believes Britain should stand tall in Europe and the world and not hide from it. While the other parties tend to be deeply divided on the issue of Europe, we are united in our belief that being in the EU makes the UK stronger, safer and more prosperous. Our central message will be that now is not the time to leave Europe, it is the time to play a leading role in the EU. No-one can deny that the EU is facing unprecedented challenges, not least the ongoing refugee crisis. But that means it is more important than ever that the UK puts itself at the heart of our continent’s future. Together we can build a stronger and more liberal Europe, and reaffirm our place as a beacon of freedom, tolerance and prosperity in the world.

How do you think the UK benefits as a member of the European Union? Do you believe the EU also benefits from having the UK as a member?

There are so many ways in which the UK benefits from being in the EU. The most obvious benefits are economic. Our membership of the EU’s single market is worth £3000 to the average household each year and has helped make the UK the biggest recipient of foreign investment in Europe and a world leader in financial services. In a rapidly globalising world, being part of the world’s largest trading bloc also gives Britain far more clout when negotiating trade deals with economic giants such as the US or China.

But there is so much more to EU membership than trade and business. It is also about embracing our common, liberal values of peace, human rights and international cooperation. Freedom of movement in the EU has given us the opportunity to study, work or retire in any other EU country, a right which is currently being taken advantage by over 2 million UK citizens. Access to EU cross-border research programmes is of huge importance to the success of UK universities and scientists.

The EU has the strongest conservation laws in the world, protecting threatened species and habitats across Europe. And thanks to the EU we have cleaner beaches and rivers; cheaper flights and mobile roaming charges; access to European health services; cross-border policing to combat human trafficking, the list goes on.

In recent years, too often the UK has become an awkward partner, holding others back instead of leading the way. I hope the referendum will be an opportunity to have a sensible debate about the EU, turn around public opinion and allow Britain to engage more positively in Europe once again

I also believe the UK has made important contributions to the rest of the EU. However, in the past we championed the creation of the single market and the accession of Eastern European countries, and British MEPs and officials have brought expertise in areas such as overseas development, trade and finance. In recent years, too often the UK has become an awkward partner, holding others back instead of leading the way. I hope the referendum will be an opportunity to have a sensible debate about the EU, turn around public opinion and allow Britain to engage more positively in Europe once again.

In your view, what could be the defining issue for British citizens for them to be convinced to vote to stay in the European Union?

The British are by nature a conservative people that don’t like to risk stability or security. I don’t believe they will opt for a leap into the unknown. So the defining issue for me will be about influence. Those who call for EU exit say the UK will regain sovereignty. But the truth is leaving the EU would mean losing control over our future and letting others decide it for us. We would lose influence over the rules of the single market and be left out of the room when important decisions are taken. Staying in means we will continue to have a major say - 14 -

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in the rules that affect the British economy and to shape a collective response to the big challenges facing the UK and Europe.

You said recently that if Prime Minister David Cameron really cares about British prosperity and influence, he must face down his eurosceptics and make case for staying in the EU. What advice would you give him and what would you like to hear him say to make the case for EU membership?

For far too long, David Cameron has tried to placate the eurosceptics in his party. When he became leader one of his first moves was to take his MEPs out of the European People’s Party, side-lining the UK from Europe’s largest political grouping. Then in 2011 he vetoed the fiscal compact, to the delight of his antiEU wing but the growing frustration of our European partners. But every time he has thrown a piece of red meat to his right-wing nationalists, he just emboldens them and they demand more. The truth is that whatever Cameron brings back from his renegotiation, a large rump of his party will never be satisfied by anything other than full-blown EU exit.

I think now David Cameron has finally begun to realise that he has to start making the case for Britain’s EU membership and confronting Eurosceptic arguments head

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on. He has highlighted the flaws in the “all pay and no say” Norwegian model, and heaped praise on the EU’s new global trade and single market strategies. I now want him to start emphasising how the UK can wield influence within the EU, and isn’t just a passive recipient of EU laws. He needs to change the narrative from “them and us” into “we.” He could start by highlighting the work of his own Commissioner, Jonathan Hill, who

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is working on opening up capital markets and promoting cross-border investment.

What are the next steps in the campaign and how can other liberals across Europe be involved in your campaign?

The first step is to recruit activists and new members and get them involved in the campaign. I’m encouraging people up and down the country to set up street stalls, house

Those who call for EU exit say the UK will regain sovereignty.

But the truth is leaving the EU would mean losing control over our future and letting others decide it for us - 15 -

parties and speak to friends and family about why this is such an important issue. We’re also going to be equipping people with the facts about the benefits of EU membership, rebuttals to common anti-EU arguments and our core message that Britain must lead not leave in Europe. We need to build an army of people on the ground, and in the process recruit new members to the party who share our internationalist values.

I believe our Liberal family across Europe can all play an important role in the campaign.

A common misconception in the UK is that people in the rest of Europe don’t like us all that much. Having someone coming all the way from a different country and saying “actually, we want you to stay,” could be a very powerful emotional message. Just as in the Scottish referendum, it will be important not to be seen to be interfering in the UK’s domestic affairs and stressing it is the choice of the British people. But there is an important emotional argument to make about the values we share as a strong community of nations.

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Interview with: Tamara van Ark Tamara van Ark is a Dutch politician and member of the Dutch Parliament since 2010 for the Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD). She is deputy chair of the VVD in the Dutch Parliament and spokesperson on gender equality, health care and quality of life. She is also a Vice President of Liberal International and was one of the main movers behind the initiative for a European liberal LGBTI network, a platform to join forces by pledging to fight for LGBT rights and make sure LGBT equality issues are on the top of the EU agenda. Given her expertise, in this interview, she explains the main challenges of the LGBTI community as well as the next steps to take the Liberals 4 Equality network to the next level.

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third issue - 2015 What do you think are the main issues facing LGBTI people across Europe? Where are the remaining problems?

Parliament and outside of it to comment about good and bad examples of acceptance of LGBTI people in our society.

You have different problems depending on the country. In some EU countries safety and security issues are the main challenges while having rights on a legislative level is another problem for LGBTI people in other European countries. It is important to keep in mind that equality does not stop with your legal position, it is also about how people in society accept who you are so that you can be who you want to be in the country that you live in. It is all about acceptance and equal rights.

Secondly, it is also important to check if the laws in national Parliaments are fair to the rights of LGBTI people, for instance regarding education or public administration. This is also one of our tasks as liberals.

What’s your view on the proposed horizontal Equal Treatment Directive, which European Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová (ALDE) would like to see adopted before the end of this year?

This is a topic that has been discussed in the European Commission since 2008. In this sense, it is crucial that there is an on-going discussion on equal rights. It is important that the legislative framework allows people to be who they want to be, but at the same time modern politics should also work for social acceptance. As a liberal, I would never consent a society where people are not accepted for being who they are. Discrimination is forbidden and should always be forbidden from a legislative point of view, but in addition acceptance towards LGBTI people should be kept alive in societies.

What can we as liberals do to help?

First of all, I think as politicians we can have a huge impact through words. That is why it is important that we talk about what goes right and what goes wrong in society. Therefore, I use a great amount of my time in the Dutch

“

LGBTI campaigns have often been limited to support from the communities themselves. How can we build a broader alliance of LGBTI rights as human rights?

This is a very important question because we can only be strong in society if we put our heads together and if we combine all these initiatives that come from the LGBTI community as well as from other communities.

For example, some time ago I visited a football club that is experienced in fighting discrimination towards gay people since this is a quite controversial topic. I find this is a very good example to show how society can take action towards anti-discrimination. I moved this case to the political arena and used it as an example of what organisations can do to bring acceptance in everybody’s mind.

Consequently, I asked the Dutch Minister of Gender Equality if she could organise a roundtable with trade unions, municipal organisations, sports clubs and companies in order to discuss LGBTI rights. These kind of initiatives are important because they can bring inspiration to other organisations so that fighting discrimination does not only come from within LGBTI communities but from all the sectors of the society. In the end, this is all about how we live in a society, how we look at each other and how we accept each other.

It is important to keep in mind that equality does not stop with your legal position, it is also about how people in society accept who you are so that you can be who you want to be in the country that you live in - 17 -

I have heard a lot of stories from LGBTI people who claim to face problems when walking holding hands in the streets whereas a few years ago it was totally acceptable. This is a dangerous development and that is why it is very important that organisations combine efforts and inspire each other on how to work together on this issue. This is not only about LGBTI communities, it is about all of us.

You were one of the main movers behind the initiative for a European liberal LGBTI network, Liberals 4 Equality. What’s the added value of getting together at a European level?

As liberals across Europe we should work together because we are a strong force in the European Parliament to change situations from within. This is our pledge to join forces.

In this sense, I think a very positive aspect of the European liberal LGBTI network is that we can lead across countries, inspire and support each other and make political proposals at the same time, such as how our governments cope with questions on LGBTI rights.

LGBTI face different challenges across EU countries, ranging from safety to legislative problems. That is why it is essential to work together and join forces to fight discrimination. As liberals, we should always try to make a step forward and never a step back. While it is hard to reach the same standards regarding LGBTI rights in all European countries, at least we can support each other to guarantee that LGBTI rights’ topics are on top of the political agenda and on top of the society’s minds. That is the core benefit of this European network.

What are the next steps and how can we take the network to the next level?

I think it would great if we would have an agenda of stepping stones for where we want to go. On the top level of the LGBTI agenda there should be acceptance in society and on the baseline we should safeguard gay communities from a safety perspective. These are two key steps we can take and we should support each other to make sure that all EU countries can reach that level. As liberals we see LGBTI rights as human right and we should help each other out.

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Interview: individual members’ delegates Chris Pyak and Katerina Polyzou Chris and Katerina: you are the two elected delegates representing the ALDE Party individual members at the Congress. How will you make sure that their ideas are best reflected in debates?

Chris Pyak: I believe in cooperation. In Germany I build the ALDE individual members as a bridge between Europeans who move to Germany from other European Union member states and German cosmopolitans in the FDP. This way we create an additional value for expatriates, ALDE Party and the German FDP as well as for society in general.

As a delegate I will focus on building “winwin” situations for the delegates from all national parties.

Katerina Polyzou: As delegates we are entrusted with the task of representing the IMs’ views on the resolutions which will be discussed. For me it is very important to listen

to the members’ points of view prior to the Congress. For that reason, I seek to meet as many of them in person as I can, with the example of the Balkan regional meeting that took place in Sofia in October. Athena Drakou’s initiative was a very good starting point and I believe we should expand the dialogue beyond social media. Of course meeting everyone in person is not possible, so I try to be as much active as I can on Slack and Facebook groups so that I can read as much feedback as possible. All these ideas will become my preparation and arguments when standing up to speak at the Congress so that every voice matters.

Katerina: you emphasised that as liberals we must continue the fight to keep Europe a place of freedom and respect for all. With the Congress being held in Budapest, how can you as an individual member delegate make the difference?

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KP: I am part of the lucky generation which grew up with all the privileges the EU has to offer to its citizens. For my first trip abroad I used my ID card, I have participated in student exchange programmes like Comenius and when applying for my Master’s degree in Sweden my application was considered the same as if I would be a Swedish student, even though I am Greek. The current economic and refugee crises have greatly shaken up the trust of the public in the EU as an institution, pushing them to far-left and far-right parties.

As a liberal, I feel I cannot stay inactive in front of this challenge. We are interconnected parts of the European family and we should stand up for what we have accomplished so far.

Freedom and human dignity should never be in question within Europe no matter the crisis.

Chris: in your nomination to become an individual member Congress delegate you quoted Ralf Dahrendorf and wrote that

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ALDE Party’s individual members meeting at the ALDE Party Congress 2014 in Lisbon, Portugal

you would be honoured to improve “life chances” for Europeans. How will you put that into practice at the Congress?

CP: Every single person in Europe has talent.

The talents may differ but every individual has something to contribute to the society.

Sometimes the best that governments can do is to get out of the way and let citizens do their job.

I work as an international recruiter. Every day I experience how talented, highly motivated people are dragged back by national or even regional labour regulations that often exclude the best qualified professionals. Europe could improve life quality and success of individuals by promoting the mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the EU. We already apply this mindset to goods, so why do we limit the career opportunities of citizens?

Chris and Katerina: if Congress agrees, the delegates of the individual members will gain voting rights. In your view, what would be the benefits of voting rights for individual members?

CP: Europe is already a reality in the life of younger people. They study in other member states and will work in several European countries in the course of their life. Many will start a double nationality family. The individual members make sure that Europeans don’t lose contact with the liberal family once they move to other parts of Europe.

With ALDE individual members you have a circle of European friends wherever you move in Europe. At ALDE individual members meetings you also meet local liberals who will help you get involved in the local parties.

KP: The individual members are growing in number every single day, so it is very - 19 -

important that we have a vote at the end of the debate in the Congress. For me it will be one step closer to the pan-European party we want to create. Some countries lack a strong liberal voice when it comes to national parties, so in these cases the institution of the individual members is a great opportunity to be involved on all matters at a European level. Even in countries with very successful liberal national parties, the IMs can bring out a pluralism and new ideas which will reinforce the liberal movement. After all, we as ALDE are in favour of individual responsibility, a value which the IMs embody to the core.

Voting rights will enhance our determination to work for a stronger united Europe.

Become a member at www.aldeparty.eu/ joinus

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Liberal Breakfast:

Luxembourg’s Presidency priorities On Monday 14 September, the ALDE Party and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Europe hosted the Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, in the Press Club in Brussels for a Liberal Breakfast.

After some welcome words by the Director of FNF Europe, Hans H. Stein, ALDE Party President Sir Graham Watson offered some introductory remarks, praising Luxembourg’s strive to advance European integration.

Luxembourg assumed the Council presidency on 1 July with a distinctively liberal programme, including stimulating investment to boost growth, countering inequalities through social investment and advancing the Digital Single Market, competitiveness and fair competition.

Ahead of the meeting of the extraordinary Justice and Home Affairs Council some days after, convened by the Luxembourg Presidency, Prime Minister Bettel urged Europe to find a permanent mechanism to solve refugee crises: “We should not close our doors”, he stressed, “it is not an opportunity to host refugees, it is an obligation.” He emphasised that: “we now have the chance to show that Europe is not just an economic issue, but also an issue of European solidarity.”

He also offered his views on climate change, the financial transaction tax, the conflictual situation in Ukraine and the possibility of a Brexit: “I cannot imagine the EU without the UK, but I also cannot imagine the UK without the EU. We need to find a win-win situation for both sides.”

On ending the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, the Prime Minister of Luxembourg called for the need of an open door policy: ‘’We need Russia on board to solve the conflicts in Syria and Ukraine’’.

The following Liberal Breakfast took place on 26 October less than 24 hours after the polling stations closed in Poland to analyse the outcome of the Polish parliamentary elections and the possible future political scenarios for the country.

Sign up to the ALDE Party newsletter at www.aldeparty.eu

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A selection of the best from the ALDE Party newsletter Liberal Eyes and our social media

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third issue - 2015

Liberal movers and shakers Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Trade, delivered Liberal International’s 2015 Isaiah Berlin Lecture in New York, in the margin of the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly in September. As one of the key players of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), Malmström spoke about the benefits of free trade and more specifically about TTIP. ‘’International economic integration does not mean lowering standards,’’ she pointed out.

Philipp Müller is the leader of the ALDE Party member FDP/PLR in Switzerland.

FDP/PLR obtained very positive results on Sunday 18 October when in federal elections they saw an increase of the number of votes and thereby cementing its place among the ‘‘big three’’ in Swiss politics, just behind the Swiss’ People’s Party and the Social Democrats. The final election results gave to FDP/PLR a 16.4% share of the vote.

Jasenko Selimovic from ALDE Party member Folkpartiet Liberalerna in Sweden is the new MEP at the ALDE Group in the European Parliament replacing Marit Paulsen, who has retired after many years of hard work in the EP. Currently he is a member of the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) and the Delegation for relations with Switzerland and Norway to the EU-Iceland Joint Parliamentary Committee and the European Economic Area (DEEA). We wish Mr. Selimovic best of luck in his MEP career.

Beate Meinl-Reisinger is the leader of ALDE Party member NEOS in Vienna.

Meinl-Reisinger and her team succeeded in entering the city council of Vienna with 6.2% in the regional parliamentary elections. Against the background of an ever growing right-wing populist movement that benefited from the political paralysis of the ruling socialists for the past years, NEOS is the first new political party in 20 years to enter the regional Parliament.

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