The ELDR Party wholeheartedly welcomes the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the EU. ELDR Party President Annemie Neyts sent a message of support to the liberal party of Romania (PNL) in view of the party’s extraordinary Congress on 12-13 January. She congratulates PNL for having achieved important reforms which secured Romania’s accession to the EU. “As President of the European Liberals and Democrats, I am extremely happy to welcome you into the Union, and I am particularly proud because this was achieved thanks to the dynamism and the perseverance of the PNL, the Liberal party of Romania. (…) You have indeed demonstrated that Liberalism is compatible with the difficult transition from an authoritarian political system to a democratic one, and from a closely controlled state economy to a functioning market economy, while effectively reducing poverty. The textbooks said so, but you have demonstrated for us all to see that Liberalism WORKS. And so you taught us a invaluable lesson,” she stated. Read more ...

 The ELDR Party wishes a happy, successful and fulfilling New Year to all readers. We hope that the celebrations of the EU’s 50th Anniversary will bring feelings of optimism to Europe and its citizens and lead to a renewed consensus on the need for an efficient and strong EU. Read more ...

 ELDR has compiled a booklet which details the work and achievements of the party in strengthening European liberalism and the European project over the course of the last seven years. Specifically, the report covers the period from April 1999 up to the most recent ELDR congress in Romania in October 2006.The document contains, among other things, information on ELDR congresses, council meetings, missions and political and information activities. Additionally, through presenting reports of the ELDR Leaders and Ministers meetings and the make-up of ELDR representation in the Union’s institutions, the document also conveys how liberalism and liberal ideals have spread across Europe during this period.  Read more ...

 European Liberals and Democrats re-stated in a hearing in the European Parliament on 8th January their commitment to a genuine European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) as an integral part of an effective EU, with the goal of establishing a fully-fledged European army.  Faced with an unstable world, the EU must be in a position to defend itself alone or with allies, promote peace and stability in its neighborhood and the wider world, and carry out humanitarian missions. ELDR Party President and MEP Annemie NEYTS (VLD, Belgium) opened the hearing by calling for a proper format for EU defence actions and by asking fundamental questions: “Where does defence fit in the EU institutional framework? How does the EU defence relate to NATO? How do the EU and the USA view the relationship with one another? And are we really willing and able to intervene in crisis all over the world?”. Read more ...