Organisation for European Interstate Cooperation
The Organisation for European Interstate Cooperation (OEIC) is a European think-tank, formally a Political foundation at European level associated with the EUDemocrats, an alliance of national parties, movements, and parliamentarians across Europe that believe decisions must be made as close to the respective citizens as possible
The OEIC is committed to European cross-border cooperation and believes that the current European Union must be reformed due to the erosion of European democracy in two ways. First, the ever-increasing transfer of power to Brussels widens the gap between citizens and elites. This transfer makes it more difficult for citizens to control their governments. Second, the treaties of the European Union are written to expand the power of Brussels and big corporations at the expense of decision making in democratically elected bodies. President of the OEIC is Swedish PR consultant Philip Lerulf.
Main objectives
To safeguard and strengthen fundamental democratic principles and accountable representation across Europe. And in regard to the structures of the European Union, OEIC therefore commits itself to the following objectives:[1]
- Campaigning for a transparent and democratically controlled EU that is less centralised and more flexible, bringing it closer to the citizens of Europe
- Working towards establishing effective structures for devolving powers within the European Union
- Sustaining diversity and cooperation at a European level among free peoples, able to regulate themselves in accordance with mutually agreed common standards
- Upholding freedom of political expression and association across Europe, especially within the structures of the EU
- Promoting a political environment in which movements, political parties, and other political organizations are given equal opportunities to voice their concerns and advance their political positions
- Defending civil liberties by ensuring that no characteristics of a totalitarian nature emerge in the continuing political development of the European Union
- Pursuing true subsidiarity and self-rule, ensuring that democracy is preserved on the basis of the people’s parliaments in Member States, over which the citizens exercise democratic control
OEIC promotes issues akin to our member's visions and political objectives through different kinds of education activities.