Context
An increasing number of Flemish are interested in the Netherlands, an increasing number of Dutch are interested in Flanders. We have known each others culture for a while now, but at present day we are also discovering each others political landscape and sensitivities, each others cities and regions, each others economies. Our political systems are getting closer, our laws and institutions are being synchronised, our economies are getting interlocked.
The current political evolutions, local and also geopolitical, are starting to reverse this interest in a desire to come closer politically too.
- The European integration is not going smoothly and is progressing in a direction making a lot of civilians feel uncomfortable;
- The global threat of terror makes many of us longing for a competitive state;
- The globalising economy and the threat of a European decline, forces us to larger entities, able to adapt flexible at changes;
- The Dutch language is under siege;
- Co-existence of Flemish and French speaking Belgians is getting difficult, and the future of the state of Belgium is doubtfull.
Meeting Group
Under these circumstances more and more Flemish and Dutch are drawing the conclusion that their fate is bound and that the best development opportunities are embedded in a shared state entity.
This view is growing fast, but is mostly still under the surface. Many politicians in North en South favour a state integration of Flanders and the Netherlands, but are in hesitation to speak out due to pragmatic and power/political reasons.
As a political interested civilian we don't have these kind of limitations. Only our concern for fate, wealth and our democracy pushes us forward.
Under these circumstances a number of Flemish and Dutch members of the internetforum www.politics.be met on the 28th of april, 2007 in the symbolic town of Baarle, with the purpose to found a meeting group for Flemish and Dutch civilians.
Goals of the Meeting group
Goal of the Meeting group is to get to know each other and to determine what we can do to come to a further integration of Flanders and the Netherlands:
- To determine the by the workgroup desired political goals;
- To determine the instruments we would like to use;
- To organise meetings on a regular basis for Flemish and Dutch supporters of a Flemish-Dutch integration;
- To change the meeting group in a Greatnetherlands think tank;
- To start-up contacts with supporting politicians in North and South;
- To develop ideas regarding cooperation and integration of Flanders and the Netherlands;
- To exercise promotion-actions to speed-up the integration.