The centrepiece of the XIVth ELDR Congress was a review of progress made in the Intergovernmental Conferences on European Political Union and Economic and Monetary Union.

The ELDR has always called for a "European Union with a free democratic constitution based on the principles of division of powers, majority voting and protection of minorities". The Congress expressed the opinion that little progress had been made in this respect, especially concerning the establishment of a European citizenship and a uniform electoral procedure.

The ELDR also expressed the need for the European Union to have a genuine common foreign security and defence policy. This would imply a revision of the present arrangements and a positive response to the dramatic changes of the = security situation in Central and Eastern Europe.

The congress expressed its support for Economic and Monetary Union and the implementation of a single European currency.

During the congress, an important resolution on the Environment was adopted. It promotes the principle that every use of nature has to be reflected in the cost of production of goods. Liberals strive for an "ecological" market economy.

The third important item on the agenda in Poitiers was the modification of the statutes of the ELDR Federation, more specifically articles 17 and 24 concerning the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee was changed into a Council, which was given a more flexible structure

Preparations for the 1994 election campaign

The Programme Committee, which was charged with drafting the "ELDR Election Manifesto 1994" was created on 9th January 1992 under the chairmanship of Florus Wijsenbeek, MEP. In April 1993, the draft programme was finalized and communicated to the member parties. The final vote took place at the electoral congress in Torquay on 9/10 December 1993.

New Member Parties

On the 4 February 1992, the ELDR Council unanimously welcomed the application of the Danish party, Det Radikale Venstre, to become members of the ELDR Federation. Det Radikale Venstre was a member of the Federation at its beginning but had to withdraw its membership later for internal reasons. The other Danish party Venstre welcomed the decision of the Council.

On 15 April 1993, the Flemish Liberal Party "P.V.V." changed its name and structure to become "Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten - Partij van de Burger" and reapplied for membership of the ELDR. The Council warmly endorsed their reapplication.

On 8 December 1993, the ELDR Council welcomed into its midst the newly created Spanish party FORO, led by Eduardo Punset I Casals, MEP.

The change of Statutes decided by the ELDR Congress in Poitiers in June 1991, allowed the ELDR Federation to welcome affiliate (from European countries having applied for EC membership) and observer (from European countries which did not apply) member parties. The Congress in Torquay in December 1993 changed the Statutes so as to merge these two categories into one: affiliate member parties. Applications are adopted by the ELDR Council by a majority of the members present and voting.

We now have 14 Affiliate Member Parties

Liberal Party of Andorra ((8/3/96)

Liberal Party of Bosnia-Hercegovina (3/3/94)

Democratic Party of Cyprus ((13/9/96)

Free Democrats Movement of Cyprus (6/12/96)

Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) (3/3/94)

Free Democrats - Liberal National Social Party of the Czech Republic - SD(OH) (15/12/94)

Estonian Reform Party - Liberals (4/12/95)

FIDESZ-MPP (Hungary) (4/2/92)

Liberal Party of Kosova (10/7/96)

Liberal Party of Macedonia-LP (15/4/93)

Coexistence Movement (Slovakia) (4/4/97)

Democratic Union of Slovakia (10/3/95)

Liberal Democracy of Slovenia (LDS) (1/7/92)

Radical Democratic Party of Switzerland (FDP-PRD) (15/4/93)