The European Foundation is a respected and leading Eurosceptic

EuroSceptic

EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...

 think tank

Think tank

A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...

 based in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. It is chaired by Bill Cash, a British Conservative

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 MP. The organisation produces the European Journal

European Journal

European Journal is a weekly Deutsche Welle news program produced in English. It is broadcast from Brussels, Belgium and primarily covers political and economic developments across the European Union and the rest of Europe, as well as issues of particular concern to Germany...

.

The Great College Street Group was formed in October 1992 in order to oppose the Maastricht Treaty

Maastricht Treaty

The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. On 9–10 December 1991, the same city hosted the European Council which drafted the treaty...

. The Group, consisting of politicians, academics, businessmen, lawyers, and economists, provided comprehensive briefs in the campaign to win the arguments both in Parliament and in the country. The European Foundation was created out of Great College Street by Bill Cash after the Maastricht debates. It exists to conduct a vigorous campaign in the UK and across Europe to reform the EC

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

/EU

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 into a community of free-trading, sovereign states. The Foundation continues to establish links with like-minded organisations across Europe and the world.

The Foundation believes that greater democracy can only be achieved among the various peoples of Europe by the fundamental renegotiation of the treaties of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice. The Foundation does not advocate withdrawal from the European Union, rather its thorough reform. It advocates "yes to European trade, no to European government".

It was revealed in 1996 that the European Foundation was being funded by Sir James Goldsmith

James Goldsmith

Sir James Michael "Jimmy" Goldsmith was an Anglo-French billionaire financier and tycoon. Towards the end of his life, he became a magazine publisher and a politician. In 1994, he was elected to represent France as a Member of the European Parliament and he subsequently founded the short-lived...

 the then leader of the British Referendum Party

Referendum Party

The Referendum Party was a Euro-sceptic, single issue party in the United Kingdom formed by Sir James Goldsmith to fight the 1997 General Election. The party called for a referendum on aspects of the UK's relationship with the European Union.-Policy:...

. Because there was an approaching election at which Conservative and Referendum candidates would be contesting the same seats, Cash was forced to sever the link. The shortfall in funding was plugged by Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Thatcher

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...

, who has since become the European Foundation's Patron.

Office Holders

• Patron: The Rt Hon the Baroness Thatcher
  Margaret Thatcher
  Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
  
   LG OM FRS PC
• Chairman: Bill Cash MP
• International Director: Andrew Rosindell
  Andrew Rosindell
  Andrew Richard Rosindell is an English Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament for the Romford constituency in Greater London...
  
   MP
• European Director: Dr John Laughland
  John Laughland
  John Laughland is a British eurosceptic conservative journalist, academic and author who writes on international affairs and political philosophy.-Career:...
  
  
• Editor of the European Journal: James McConalogue
• Head of Research: Margarida Vasconcelos

UK Advisory Board

• John Bercow
  John Bercow
  John Simon Bercow is a British politician who has been the Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom since June 2009. Prior to his election to Speaker he was a member of the Conservative party....
  
   MP
• Robin Birley
  Robin Birley (businessman)
  Robin Birley is an English businessman and political activist. He is the son of Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart and nightclub owner Mark Birley...
  
  
• Angela Browning
  Angela Browning
  Angela Frances Browning, Baroness Browning is a British Conservative Party politician. She was the Member of Parliament for Tiverton and Honiton from 1997 to 2010, having previously been MP for Tiverton from 1992 to 1997....
  
   MP
• David Caldow
• The Rt Hon David Davis
  David Davis (British politician)
  David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
  
   MP
• Jessica Douglas-Home
• The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith
  Iain Duncan Smith
  George Iain Duncan Smith is a British Conservative politician. He is currently the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and was previously leader of the Conservative Party from September 2001 to October 2003...
  
   MP
• Howard Flight
  Howard Flight
  Howard Emerson Flight, Baron Flight is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom and a member of the House of Lords. He was Member of Parliament for Arundel and South Downs from 1997 to 2005...
  
  
• Frederick Forsyth
  Frederick Forsyth
  Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
  
   CBE
• Zac Goldsmith
  Zac Goldsmith
  Frank Zacharias Robin "Zac" Goldsmith, MP is an English environmental journalist, entrepreneur and Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Richmond Park since winning the seat at the 2010 general election.Goldsmith is the middle child of the late financier Sir...
  
  
• John Grimley
• Robin Harris
  Robin Harris
  Robin Hughes Harris was an American comedian and actor, known for his recurring comic sketch about Bébé's Kids.-Childhood:...
  
  
• The Rt Hon David Heathcoat-Amory
  David Heathcoat-Amory
  David Philip Heathcoat-Amory is a British politician, accountant and farmer. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Wells from 1983 until he lost his seat in the 2010 general election.-Education and professional life:...
  
   MP
• Roger Helmer
  Roger Helmer
  Roger Helmer is a British politician and a Conservative Party Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands region. He has described himself as a eurosceptic and is a supporter of the Better Off Out campaign. He was first elected to the European Parliament in 1999 as a Conservative Party...
  
   MEP
• Martin Howe QC
• The Hon Bernard Jenkin
  Bernard Jenkin
  Bernard Christison Jenkin is a politician in the United Kingdom, and the current Member of Parliament for Harwich and North Essex...
  
   MP
• The Rt Hon Lord Kilclooney
  John Taylor, Baron Kilclooney
  John David Taylor, Baron Kilclooney, PC , is a former Ulster Unionist Party MP and a life peer. He was deputy leader of the UUP from 1995 to 2001, and a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.-Career and family:...
  
   MLA
• Richard King
  Richard King
  Richard King may refer to:*Richard King , founder of the King Ranch in South Texas*Sir Richard King, 1st Baronet , British admiral, Commodore Governor for Newfoundland and Labrador...
  
  
• Barry Legg
  Barry Legg
  Barry Charles Legg was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South West from 1992 until the 1997 general election when he was defeated by Labour's Phyllis Starkey. He was one of the Maastricht Rebels. He is the chairman of the Bruges GroupHe was controversially selected by Iain...
  
  
• The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin
  Oliver Letwin
  Oliver Letwin MP FRSA is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he is currently the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, and a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of West Dorset...
  
   MP
• Russell Lewis
• Lord McAlpine of West Green Bt
• Professor Kenneth Minogue
  Kenneth Minogue
  Kenneth Robert Minogue is an Australian political theorist who is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics.-Biography:...
  
  
• Austin Mitchell
  Austin Mitchell
  Austin Vernon Mitchell is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby since a 1977 by-election.-Education and early life:...
  
   MP
• Jeremy Nieboer
• Owen Paterson
  Owen Paterson
  Owen William Paterson is a British Conservative Party politician and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. He is the Member of Parliament for North Shropshire.-Early life and career:Paterson was born in Whitchurch, Shropshire...
  
   MP
• Lord Pearson of Rannoch
• Richard Shepherd
  Richard Shepherd
  Richard Charles Scrimgeour Shepherd is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom. He is currently a Member of Parliament, having represented the constituency of Aldridge-Brownhills since 1979....
  
   MP
• Richard Smith
  Richard Smith
  Richard Smith may refer to:* Richard Smyth , also written Richard Smith, English Catholic scholar* Richard Smith , English Catholic Bishop, titular of Chalcedon in Asia Minor...
  
  
• Professor Norman Stone
  Norman Stone
  Norman Stone is a British academic, historian, author and is currently a Professor in the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University, Ankara...
  
  
• Sir Peter Tapsell MP
• John Tate
  John Tate (disambiguation)
  John Tate may refer to:In real people:* John Tate , American mathematician* John Tate , Australian politician* John Stuart Tate, Mayor of the city of Newcastle, Australia...
  
  
• The Hon. W Denis Walker
  Denis Walker
  Wilfrid Denis Walker is a former Rhodesian cabinet minister resident in the United Kingdom. He is known for his monarchist activities and anti-communism and is also the Company Secretary, Director and Treasurer of the International Monarchist League and its UK subsidiary, the Constitutional...
  
  
• John Whittingdale
  John Whittingdale
  John Flasby Lawrance Whittingdale OBE, , is a Conservative politician in the United Kingdom. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1992.-Education:...
  
   OBE MP
• Sir Oliver Wright
  Oliver Wright
  Sir John Oliver Wright, GCMG, GCVO, DSC was a British diplomat.- Early life :Wright was born on 6 March 1921. He was educated at Solihull School and later Christ's College, Cambridge although his studies were interrupted by World War II. He served in the Royal Naval Reserve and was awarded the...
  
   GCMG GCVO DSC

International Advisory Board

• Georges Berthu (France)
• Jens-Peter Bonde
  Jens-Peter Bonde
  Jens-Peter Rossen Bonde is a former Member of the European Parliament with the June Movement. He resigned as an MEP in May 2008. Bonde was elected to the European Parliament in the first election in 1979 with the People's Movement against the EU. He has been re-elected 6 times consecutively...
  
   MEP (Denmark)
• Claus Bunk Pedersen (Denmark)
• Clement Brown (USA)
• Anthony Coughlan
  Anthony Coughlan
  Anthony Coughlan is a left-wing academic, retired Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Social Policy at Trinity College and Secretary of the The National Platform for EU Research and Information Centre....
  
   (Ireland)
• Frank Dahlgaard MP (Denmark)
• Margit Gennser (Sweden)
• Wilhelm Hankel (Germany)
• Ulla Klotzer (Finland)
• Keith Marsden (Switzerland)
• Professor Roberto de Mattei
  Roberto de Mattei
  Roberto de Mattei is an Italian Roman Catholic historian and author.- Biography :Former student and assistant to the philosopher of politics Augusto del Noce and to the historian Armando Saitta at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the Sapienza University of Rome, he has extensively studied...
  
   (Italy)
• Paulo Portas
  Paulo Portas
  Paulo de Sacadura Cabral Portas , commonly known just by Paulo Portas , is a Portuguese politician, party leader of the Democratic and Social Centre – People's Party , a member of the Portuguese Parliament and former Portuguese minister of State, National Defense and Sea Affairs.In 2011, after he...
  
   (Portugal)
• Professor Ivar Raig (Estonia)
• Viscount Philippe de Villiers
  Philippe de Villiers
  Viscount Philippe Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers, born on 25 March 1949, is a French politician. He was the Mouvement pour la France nominee for the French presidential election of 2007. He received 2.23% of the vote, putting him in sixth place. As only the top...
  
   MP MEP (France)
• Jan Zahradil
  Jan Zahradil
  Jan Zahradil is a Czech politician and Member of the European Parliament with the Civic Democratic Party . He is the Chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the European Parliament, a position that he's held since 8 March 2011.A scientific researcher by profession, Zahradil...
  
  MP (Czech Republic)

External links

• Official web site