[Brussels, 20 March 2014] Since 35 years, European citizens are entitled to directly elect their representatives in the European Parliament. From May 22 to May 25 2014, European Citizen will go to the polls again to choose the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) for the next five years.

On 18 March 2014, the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), together with several other European-wide organisations, presented its Manifesto for the European elections. The event “Mobilising EU citizens” was hosted by MEP Claude Moraes (UK, S&D) in the European Parliament. European civil society organisations AGE, COFACE, AEGEE, ILGA Europe, ENAR, EDF and EAPN presented their manifestos and explained how they will mobilise their members at European and national level.

In times of elections, it is more important than ever for civil society organisations to make the link between the civil society and the EU. “MEPs should meet on a regular basis with civil society organizations to get closer to citizens” Anne-Sophie Parent, AGE Secretary General, underlined.

Below you can find different manifestos from European civil society organisations.

Association des États Généraux des Étudiants de l’Europe – Y Vote 2014

• The Y Vote 2014 project aims to reverse this trend by encouraging young people to get involved and to turn them into important actors of the upcoming European Parliament Elections.The project consists of many different parts, such as youth conventions, bus tours, training events and local activities throughout Europe. Furthermore, a special Voting Guide for young people is being developed that will be accessible online. For more information about each of these topics, please visit the relevant pages on the site and make sure you visit the site regularly to follow all updates.

Age Platform Europe – Create an Age-Friendly European Union

• Achieving a society for all ages will require decision makers and all relevant stakeholders to take collective responsibility for designing new ways of organising our societies to ensure a fairer and more sustainable future for all generations and to tackle the ongoing economic and social crisis. Civil society’s involvement in policy making at all levels should underpin European integration based on democracy, transparency and the participation of all citizens in shaping our societies.

Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Europe – Families vote 2014

• This publication brings concrete information of the big political groups to the attention of voters to boost citizens’ knowledge and understanding on what the EU can and will do for families’ wellbeing. It compares the various family policies of the Political Groups in the Parliament concerning seven social policy areas: Jobs, Work-Life Balance, Family Careers, Disability or long-term illness in the Family, Housing, Energy, Migrant and Transnational Families and Financial Inclusion and the impact on families.

Cooperatives Europe – A Cooperative Manifesto

• This document is the result of an extensive consultation process by the members of Cooperatives Europe. In the next five years the European Parliament will have to work to relaunch the European economy and to create jobs. We will support the work of the European Parliament to build up a resilient and innovative economy which serves people’s needs and aspirations. The cooperatives manifesto shows our policy priorities. We would like to work with MEPs to develop concrete measures in order to achieve three main goals: a more resilient economy, youth employment and business start-ups and growth.

Culture Action Europe – Culture Action Europe’s appeal for the European Elections 2014

• The elections are a unique opportunity to advocate for sustainable, just and democratic models of development, rooted in Europe’s cultural assets. On 23 January, CAE’s political manifesto for the European elections, presenting CAE’s vision for the European project and its demands for the future European Parliament, was sent to European political parties, political groups in the EP and all MEPs.

European Anti Poverty Network – Electing Champions for a social Europe

• EAPN’s campaign manifesto on the 2014 European Elections calls on candidates to show their commitment and sign up to the following pledge: “If elected, I commit to make the fight against poverty, social exclusion and inequality a priority item on the Parliament and EU agenda by defending the development of an explicit European anti-poverty strategy and an annual hearing of people experiencing poverty to monitor its implementation and progress.”

European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities – Social Services Europe

• The Manifesto calls on prospective members of the European Parliament to commit to support the provision of social and health care services, in particular the not for profit social and health care sectors, if elected to the European Parliament. It is based on the right to high quality, accessible, sustainable and affordable social and health care and is articulated around 10 recommendations. One of the key-proposals concerns the establishment of an Intergroup on Social Services and Social Innovation in the European Parliament. The Intergroup would work in close consultation and partnership with Social Services Europe to address the role of social services in social cohesion, social protection and solidarity.

European Civil Society Platform on Lifelong Learning – Building together the future of learning

• EUCIS-LLL believes that a sustainable investment should be made in learning as essential for our social model, in line with their prioritization at EU level. Poor access to lifelong learning limits people’s ability to access quality jobs and participate fully in society. We need a vision to ensure our education and training systems deliver better for economic development, social and civic participation, personal fulfilment and well-being. EUCIS-LLL calls MEPs to consider three top priorities and a set of 12 policy recommendations for lifelong learning.

European Disability Forum – “Accessible European elections, Inclusive European Societies”

• Persons with disabilities amount for 80 million people in the European Union (16% of the population). One in four families in the EU includes a person with a disability. The European elections campaign is a unique opportunity for candidates MEPs to make strong commitments to concrete changes aiming to ensure that European citizens with disabilities fully enjoy their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. EDF calls on candidates MEPs and political parties to include the key priorities of the disability movement into their electoral programmes for the European elections 2014.

European Network Against Racism – Vote for Diversity

• The next European Parliament to be elected in May 2014 has a crucial role to play when it comes to reducing the entrenched inequalities faced by its citizens and residents. Among these are ethnic minorities and migrants who often face discrimination on multiple grounds: ethnic origin, nationality, religion, social status, income, gender or age. The European Network Against Racism (ENAR) therefore puts forward 7 key demands for more equality in Europe to upcoming Members of the European Parliament.

European Patients Forum – Patients + Participation = Our Vote for a Healthier Europe

• EPF represents the interests of an estimated 150 million patients who are also voters. This campaign is our chance to encourage politicians and policy-makers to commit to a healthier Europe where patients are part of the solution to make health systems more effective and quality-oriented. Supporting this campaign means that, when we will cast our ballot on 22-25 May 2014, we will be confident to vote for patients’ friendly candidates who work towards achieving this ideal healthcare. In other words, working for a healthier Europe.

European Public Health Alliance – Put health at the heart of the European Union’s policy making

• The last five years have been difficult for many people living in Europe. Unemployment, cuts to social support, lack of access to finance and the impacts of austerity have taken their toll on people, their health and their faith in the political processes and even democracy. In its Manifesto for the European Parliament elections, the European Public Health Alliance calls on political parties and individual Members of the European Parliament (MEP) candidates to ensure that health and well-being in Europe are ranked as high as they are valued.

Eurodiaconia – It’s about Europe, it’s about you!

• Eurodiaconia together with three ecumenical partners (APRODEV, CEC and CCME) launched a leaflet and website on the European Parliament elections. For Churches, Christian organisations and Christians living in the EU the elections will be an opportunity to step into the conversation and discuss with candidates our vision of the Union, as a community which promotes a just, participatory and sustainable world in which each person can live in dignity, fulfill his/her potential and live free from poverty.

European Youth Forum – LoveYouthFuture Election Campaign

• Young people are facing common challenges across Europe, including unemployment, social marginalisation and political exclusion. The LoveYouthFuture campaign proposes solutions to implement youth rights through Pledges which MEP candidates are invited to take. The pledges, eleven in total, highlight the importance of Europe as a solution to the problems facing its youth and are divided into three categories: Love, Youth and Future. The pledges include protecting young workers, volunteers and interns, providing all young people with the opportunity to have a quality education, fully implementing the Youth Guarantee scheme, encouraging the free movement of young people and lowering the voting age to 16.

Fair Trade Advocady – VOTE4FT!

• The VOTE4FT – Vote for Fair Trade – campaign brings Fair Trade organisations from around Europe to advocate together for Fair Trade to be included in the policy agenda of the next European Parliament. The campaign aims at engaging EU citizens in supporting Fair Trade principles by the candidates to the European Parliament. That will be achieved through a dialogue between citizens, European decision-makers and the Fair Trade movement representatives. The activities of the campaign will continue after the elections to ensure that elected representatives meet their commitments.

Human Rights & Democracy Network – Stand4HumanRights

• A strengthened approach to human rights is needed if European Parliament activities on human rights and democracy are to become more visible, coherent and consistent, and thus more influential on EU policy and on the world stage. The Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN) therefore calls on all candidates in the 2014 European Elections to adhere to the manifesto below.

ILGA Europe – Come Out Campaign

• ILGA-Europe’s Come Out campaign aims to mobilise support for human rights and LGBTI equality among the candidates for next European Parliament and European Commission, and to energise its member organisations and individuals across Europe to vote. The campaign is twofold: Firstly, thjey want to ensure that the candidates for the next European Parliament and the European Commission express their determination to work for human rights and LGBTI equality in the European Union. Secondly, they will work with the elected candidates to continue those institutions’ commitment to human rights generally and LGBTI equality in particular.

Inclusion Europe – Manifesto for the 2014 Elections to the European Parliament

• As members of Inclusion Europe, the European voice and representation of people with intellectual disabilities and their families, we call on Members of the European Parliament to make equal rights and equal opportunities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families a reality in the European Union.

14 International and European Child Rights organisations – Child Rights Manifesto

• Children make up half the population in developing countries. Around 100 million children live in the European Union. The lives of children the world over are affected daily by EU policies, legislation and actions. All EU Member States are parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and have clear legal obligations to promote, protect and fulfill the rights of every child in their jurisdictions. The Lisbon Treaty makes the promotion of children’s rights an explicit objective of EU internal and external affairs and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights requires that the best interests of the child is a primary consideration in all EU action. It is time to translate these commitments into concrete results for children! The group calls on candidates to the European Parliament to make a commitment & to become a Child Rights Champion.

The Spring Alliance – A better Europe Now

• The Spring Alliance brings together civil society stakeholders from environmental, social and development organizations and trade unions to present a positive vision for a Europe that puts people and planet first. Despite a prevailing sense of crisis, the Spring Alliance believes that there is still an opportunity to adopt a better way towards solving Europe’s problems. This however requires a radical departure by the new European Commission and European Parliament from current policies which have not succeeded in solving the crisis and have led to citizens increasingly losing their trust in their political leaders and in the European project. As a result Europe has gone backwards in a number of crucial areas in the last five years and has failed to make sufficient progress. This Manifesto is our common vision, built on the extensive expertise of each Spring Alliance member in relation to their sector. These strategies are strongly supported by all Spring Alliance members, even if each member might not necessarily have taken a position on all details in areas outside of its mandate. Together we recognise and support that expertise, and each will take the lead in their field to monitor the implementation of this Manifesto.