What is the ECR?
The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group was created in 2009 to campaign for urgent reform of the European Union. The ECR believes it is time to make Europe work again: both economically and for its people. Bringing together over 60 MEPs from 15 EU countries, it is now a well-established Group and significant political force in the European Parliament.
Other political groups in the European Parliament either stand for 'More Europe', or 'No Europe'. We believe that it is possible to have a 'better Europe'.
More information about the ECR Group can be found here.
What does the ECR stand for?
The ECR was created in 2009 to bring about major reform of the EU based on Eurorealism, a decentralisation of powers, more openness and a focus on supporting Europe’s economic growth.
It promotes principles like open markets, lower tax, the transatlantic alliance and the family.
As the third largest group in the European Parliament it believes the right future for Europe is neither break-up nor a superstate. The ECR has an alternative agenda for the EU and brings together all MEPs who believe the EU cannot go on as it is and needs to change.
Further details of the ECR's reform agenda can be found here.
Eurorealism
The ECR believes in Eurorealism which distinguishes our agenda from the other political groups in the European Parliament. It does not look at each issue asking whether it will further EU integration, or breakup the EU. The ECR asks whether it will help people that we represent in a practical everyday manner.
Their ideals are not based on dogma but common sense, which is why it wants an EU that is more flexible, that listens more to people and respects the wishes of its Member States.
The ECR believes in a new direction for the EU.