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Movement for European Reform
Bewegung für europäische Reform Mouvement pour la réforme européenne Movimento per la riforma europea Movimiento para la reforma europea
no logo released
President	none appointed
Founded	July 13 2006
Headquarters	unknown
Political Ideology	Conservatism, Euroscepticism, Atlanticism
International Affiliation	none
European Parliament Group	none established, all members presently within EPP-ED
Colours	dark blue
Website	www.europeanreform.eu
See also	Politics of the EU Political parties Elections

The Movement for European Reform is a pan-European alliance of national political parties founded on 13 July, 2006, intended to group forces of the centre-right in favour of free market policies and critical of further European integration. The founding members are the British Conservative Party and the Czech Civic Democratic Party (ODS).

As of its launch, it is unclear as to whether the MER will function akin to (and/or qualify for EU funding like) other European-level political movements such as the European People's Party and Party of European Socialists. The body's founding statement does expressly offer membership to parties from non-EU member states, a characteristic in common with other pan-European political parties, and its commitment to fight the 2009 election together suggests an appetite for recognition under the Parties Directive.

The MER is to be the basis of a new political group in the European Parliament, which its members have now committed to intitiate after the 2009 European election. Until then, both the Conservatives and ODS will continue as members of the ED subgroup within the broader EPP-ED group.

Sir Reg Empey, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, has also publicly indicated support for the new group, and suggested that the UUP may also move from the ED to an MER group after the 2009 election (Belfast Newsletter, 14 July 2006). It is unclear whether the UUP will formalise a relationship with MER before then.

[edit] See also

• Alliance for an Open Europe

[edit] External links

• Notes from the Conservative Party on the MER (PDF)
• Speech by David Cameron on founding of MER
• EUObserver article

Pan-European political organisations	Image:European flag.svg
Recognized by the EU as "political parties at European level":
European Democratic Party | EUDemocrats | European Free Alliance | European Green Party | Alliance of Independent Democrats in Europe | Party of the European Left | European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party | Alliance for Europe of the Nations | European People's Party | Party of European Socialists
Other pan-European confederations of national political parties:
European Anticapitalist Left | European Christian Political Movement | European Democrat Union | Euronat | European National Front | Nordic Green Left Alliance | Movement for European Reform
Dedicated European-level-only parties:
Europe — Democracy — Esperanto | Europe United | Newropeans
Groups in the European Parliament	Image:European Parliament 6th term.svg
EPP–ED (264) | PES (201) | ALDE (90) | Greens–EFA (42) | EUL–NGL (41) | UEN (34) | IND/DEM (28) | N/A (32)
Related articles: table of political parties in Europe by pancontinental organisation, elections in the European Union, party composition of the council