From the 28 to the 30 April 1999 the ELDR Party Congress was in session in Berlin, bringing together almost 200 delegates from approximately 30 liberal parties.The Congress concerned itself, among other issues, with the adoption of the electoral manifesto for the June 1999 European elections. The theme 'Making the Difference', was in reference to ELDR's unique position in being able to 'swing the vote' in the Parliament, as well as its aim to encourage 'Unity in Freedom' via the process of Enlargement, which was well underway. The first session, subsequently, discussed the draft manifesto.

The Congress took place during the Kosovo war, an event that was debated within the second session 'CFSP: Enlargement and the war in Kosovo'. Reflecting ELDR's commitment to encouraging dialogue by providing a platform for its liberal partners from Central and Eastern Europe, speakers included Valdis Birkavs: Foreign Minister of Latvia, and Eduard Kukan, Foreign Minister of Slovakia. The ELDR Group brochure on Kosovo was presented, and an Emergency resolution on Kosovo was adopted.

Consultative sessions were arranged around the topics:

- "Clean Water: The impact of EU legislation on local and regional level'

- "The future of regions in Europe"

The theme of the third session was 'Completing the EMU' and included speakers from states who had joined and those who were yet to join the EMU.

The session was followed by a vote on the Amendments submitted, followed by a final vote on the ELDR Electoral Programme.

The final session involved discussions around the theme of 'Fighting Crime at Home and Abroad', dealing with salient issues of the future of Europol and the effects of the Schengen agreement.

Frits Bolkestein, President of Liberal International, provided the final speech, entitled 'Facing a New Millennium'.

Fifth direct elections, June 1999

In these elections, the ELDR Parties obtained 51 seats (11.16% of the overall vote) on an increased total of 626.

The German FDP failed to reach the 5%, and thus did not obtain any representative in the Parliament. The Italian party I Democratici decided to join ELDR with 6 Members.

The ELDR Group consists of:

BELGIUM 3 Vlaams Liberalen en Democraten (VLD)
Parti Réformateur Libéral (PRL)

DENMARK 5 Venstre, Danmarks Liberale Parti (V)
Det Radikale Venstre (RV)

FINLAND 4 Suomen Keskusta (KESK)
Svenska Folkpartiet (SFP)

IRELAND 1 Independent

ITALY 1 Partito Repubblicano Italiano (PRI)
I Democratici (Centre)

LUXEMBOURG 1 Parti Démocratique (DP)

NETHERLANDS 7 Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD)
Democraten 66 (D66)

SPAIN (CATALUNYA) 2 Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya (CDC)

SPAIN 1 Coalición Canaria

SWEDEN 1 Centern (C)
3 Folkpartiet Liberalerna (FP)

UNITED KINGDOM 10 Liberal Democrats (LibDem)