Reclaim Europe!

The statement 'Reclaim Europe!' argues that the European Union has become a 'project of the elites' that has failed young people, citing high youth unemployment and the dismantling of the welfare state. The authors propose a 'Plan B' for Europe based on degrowth, a Fiscal Union with a Financial Transaction Tax, and the democratization of EU institutions. They advocate for free, inclusive education, a guaranteed basic income, and an open-border policy that welcomes asylum seekers and migrants, while calling for the European Parliament to be granted the right of initiative.

• Young people in Europe perceive the EU as a cause of current crises rather than a solution, noting that the 'prosperity project' has failed and that youth unemployment is higher than the overall average.
• The authors argue that the EU's neoliberal agenda and the design of the Euro-zone—specifically the lack of a shared treasury and a focus on inflation control—have prevented the implementation of countercyclical policies to create green jobs.
• To address financial instability and fund social projects, the document proposes a Fiscal Union with common taxes and a Financial Transaction Tax, alongside the democratic control or 'Europeanisation' of bankrupt financial institutions.
• The statement advocates for an economic shift toward 'degrowth,' abandoning GDP as a measure of success to move toward a debt-free society that prioritizes small-scale investments and the protection of common goods like water, soil, and air.
• The authors demand the radical democratization of the EU, specifically requesting that the European Parliament be given the right of initiative and that its representation of people under 30 reflects their share of the population (approximately 30%).
• The document calls for a fundamental change in education, arguing it should be a free right for all, free from 'marketisation,' and based on gender equality and global solidarity rather than patriarchal values.
• The authors oppose the creation of a 'fortress' Europe and call for a 'culture of welcoming' for asylum seekers and migrants, while urging the protection of internal freedom of movement for all, including Roma and new EU citizens.

APA

EU, Y. I. C. (2012). Reclaim Europe! Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/550-2/

Chicago

EU, Youth in Crisis. Reclaim Europe! Green European Journal, 2012. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/550-2/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=EU |first1=Youth in Crisis |title=Reclaim Europe! |publisher=Green European Journal |date=13 November 2012 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/550-2/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{eu2012reclaim, author = {EU, Youth in Crisis}, title = {{Reclaim Europe!}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2012}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/550-2/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }