European Foundation - Definition and Overview

The European Foundation[1] (http://www.e-f.org.uk) is one of the leading Eurosceptic think tanks.

It is chaired by Bill Cash, a leading Conservative Party (UK) MP. It produces the European Journal, and has 17 branches across Europe. It was founded in September 1992 as the Democratic Association for Nation States in Europe. It was relaunched under the name The European Foundation in October 1993.

The former head of the EF's Rome office was Emiliano Carlucci, vice-president of Azione Giovani, the youth wing of the hardline conservative and formerly fascist Alleanza Nazionale (AN). Cash addressed a European Young Conservatives meeting in 1998 in Italy hosted by Azione Giovani. Gianfranco Fini, the AN leader, was allegedly involved in private talks with Cash in 1998.

It was revealed in 1996 that the European Foundation was in the pay of Sir James Goldsmith the then leader of the Referendum Party. Because there was an approaching election at which Conservative and Referendum candidates would be fighting one another, Cash was forced to sever the link. The shortfall in funding was plugged by Margaret Thatcher.

The EF's international director is Andrew Rosindell, a former national chairman of the Young Conservatives and Conservative MP for Romford. The editor of the Foundation's publication, The European Journal, is Annunziata Rees-Mogg. Among those on the UK advisory board are John Bercow MP, a former Federation of Conservative Students chairman, the Shadow Home Secretary David Davis, the ex Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith and Shadow Cabinet members Bernard Jenkin and Oliver Letwin.