Under the title "Putting citizens first", the XVIIth ELDR Congress adopted a major resolution on the 1996 Inter-governmental Conference. In it, the ELDR asks for a comprehensive and democratic reform of the Union's institutions as well as decision-making mechanisms to strengthen its capability for joint action especially in the fields of Common Foreign and Security Policy as well as Internal Justice and Home Affairs. The congress adopted two theme resolutions on creating employment and improving competitiveness and on fighting fraud in the European Union. Furthermore, 4 urgency resolutions were adopted on the search for peace and justice in Northern Ireland, on Kossovo, on nuclear testing and on the ongoing war in Bosnia.

The congress also decided to post-pone the decision of the exclusion of the CDS, the Spanish member party, until the 1996 Congress where it would be reviewed in the light of the fulfillment of the agreed payment of its debt. The CDS having not paid, its membership ended in July 1996.

The congress elected a new Bureau:

President: Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, Vice-Presidents: Werner Hoyer, Heide Schmidt and Antonio Capucho and Treasurer: John Alderdice were elected. It was also decided that the Council and the Bureau co-opted Willy De Clercq as Honorary President of the ELDR Party. The Secretary General and the President of the Group of the ELDR Party as well as the Secretary General of the ELDR Party are members ex-officio of the Bureau of the ELDR Party.

New affiliate members

At the Council meeting of the 4th december 1995, the Reform Party of Estonia was accepted as affiliate member.

At the Council meeting of the 8th March 1996, the Liberal Party of Andorra was accepted as affiliate member.

A Spanish Member leaves the ELDR

In a letter to the Secretary General, the Spanish party FORO explained that they were no longer functionning as a party but as a foundation. Their membership consequently ended.

Another affiliate joins

At the meeting of the 10th July 1996, the application of the Liberal Party of Kosova was accepted by the Council.