15 March 2007 - The European Union needs a new Big Idea at its heart in order to reconnect with its half a billion citizens – and meet the real security threats of the 21st century – according to Green Party Euro-MP Caroline Lucas.

The EU celebrates its 50th birthday next week, and the occasion will be marked with the publication of an official declaration of the EU’s values and aspirations to be signed by the leaders of all 27 EU countries at a ‘birthday summit’ in Berlin on March 25th .

In an ‘Alternative Berlin Declaration’ to be published on the same day, Dr Lucas is calling for radical reform of the EU, replacing its aim of ever-more free trade and competition with the objective of sustainability, and making its work more democratic and accountable to voters.

“The EU is remote from Europe ’s citizens, who are rightly mistrustful of its lack of democracy, links with big business and obsession with enhancing free trade and competitiveness,” said Dr Lucas.

“ Europe needs a new big idea at its heart – and radical reform of its opaque and dated institutions if it to deliver an EU in tune with people’s wishes and aspirations for the 21 st Century.”

This Alternative Berlin Declaration looks at the record of the first 50 years of the European Union, and sets out why it is impossible for the EU to genuinely promote greater social justice and environmental sustainability whilst simultaneously prioritising international competitiveness and maximum economic growth. It then explores why a new direction for Europe needs to be based on a new goal of maximising self-reliance through strengthening democratic structures at all levels, and through a process of economic localisation. Finally it illustrates how the Treaty of Rome could be rewritten to further such an approach.

She added: “The EU has enormous potential to spread peace, freedom and security in and around Europe , and to promote and protect democracy and human rights at home and throughout the world. It has the potential to be a pioneer in the transition to low carbon economies, and in living more lightly on the planet.

“But to fully achieve this potential, it has to change direction, and to put democracy and sustainability - rather than trade liberalisation and the single market - at the heart of its objectives.

"We need a strong EU  - but one that is democratically accountable and focused on tackling the challenges that Europe’s citizens care most about: climate change, social injustice, conflict, resource depletion and fractured local communities."

ENDS