What is LYMEC ?

The European Liberal Youth (abbreviated as LYMEC) was founded in 1976 and represents a combined total of more than 170,000 young liberals and radicals in Europe. The movement is a platform to discuss the future of the European Union. As a youth organisation, LYMEC supports the development of political and educational understanding of young people throughout Europe. LYMEC strives to play a political role within Europe by cooperating with other liberal organisations - like the ELDR-Party and Group in the European Parliament - and to represent liberal interests in European youth movements.

LYMEC is the only liberal youth organisation on a European level. You can apply to be an individual member of LYMEC, and you can also check if your organisation is already in, either as a full member, observer member or applicant member.

Common interests

• A clean environment is one of the biggest challenges for us. As young people, we know that future generations have the right to inherit a healthy planet. It is our responsibility to work on achieving sustainable development;
• A market economy will help to develop the people and regions of the world;
• An adequate social policy has to provide a fair minimum level of social security to all citizens;
• The right of education has to be absolutely ensured as the only way to enable the individual to maximise the use of his resources and potentials.

European Union

LYMEC works for a liberal concept of the European Union and believes that:

• The European Union should be reformed in a more supranational way;
• In the end a constitutionalised federal structure with a two chamber system should be established with strong powers to the directly elected European Parliament with among others the right of initiative and being co-legislator;
• The European Commission, elected and controlled by the European Parliament, should become the European "government";
• The Council of Ministers should be reformed into a second "Chambre de Rèflexion";
• The Council of Ministers should work in public.

Enlargement

All European countries who fulfil the criteria about democracy, human rights and legal state should be able to become member of the European Union.

Europe for the citizens

The European Union should be more democratic, efficient and transparent and thus more open to the citizens. Following the principle of subsidiarity, decisions should always be taken at the most approporiate level, close to the citizens.

Organisation

LYMEC has member organisations and individual members. The member organisations decide on the political and organisational policy, among others in resolutions and the Manifesto, LYMEC´s ideological program. Representatives of these organisations meet at the Congress, the supreme decision-making body of LYMEC, and, in between, at the Executive Committee. The Bureau is elected by the Congress responsible for the day-to-day management of LYMEC.

Cooperation

For its work, LYMEC cooperates with the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR-Party), the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party in the European Parliament (ELDR-Group), the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY). LYMEC is also full member of the European Youth Forum (YFJ).

LYMEC is the youth organisation of ELDR and participates in all ELDR activities as a full member. The LYMEC president is member of the ELDR Party Bureau. The European Youth Forum consists of national youth councils and international non-governmental youth organisations, such as LYMEC.