Initiative for a Free and Prospering Europe

The Initiative for a Free and Prospering Europe (IFPE) is an informal and non-political group of European think tanks and other non-governmental organizations, personalities from economic and other sectors, and citizens, whose main aims are reflected below:

1. to raise awareness about the real threats and negative consequences of a deepening political and economic centralization in the European Union (EU), at the expense of individual liberty and responsibility, and the prosperity of people,
2. to call on main political leaders of the EU member states, representatives of the European Commission, ECB, and other key players to stop trying to solve all European economic problems through centralization, including of the creation of a European fiscal union and a European economic government,
3. to propose alternative solutions to the European debt crisis that include the elimination of the causes (not just symptoms) of the debt crisis, based on sources of freedom, responsibility and prosperity (e.g. free markets, property rights, competition, hard backed honest money, and small and responsible administrative governments);,
4. to initiate a discussion about alternative solutions to the European debt crisis and the political and economic conditions necessary to transform the EU in a community of free citizens living in prosperous countries.

The Initiative urges responsible actors to put an end to such counterproductive measures and to stop the inexorable march towards the political and economic centralization of Europe. It is in this context that the Initiative proposes alternative solutions for the debt crisis. They are reflected in the proposal for the financing of sovereign debts through massive programmes of privatization and an administered process of state bankruptcy for those countries with the most severe financial problems. As part of a set of alternative debt crisis solutions, public finances should be reformed for the purpose of maintaining balanced budgets or budgets in surplus (without increasing taxes). There should also be monetary and banking reform (in order to have free and sound money), marked by the introduction of a commodity-backed currency.

The representatives of the IFPE believe in starting a constructive debate about such practicable debt crisis solutions. For they are convinced that a more open debate will help to create the conditions in which a positive agenda for European freedom and prosperity will thrive.

The Initiative is supported by think tanks and other non-governmental organizations:
- Adam Smith Institute, United Kingdom
- Cobden Centre, London, United Kingdom
- Conservative Institute of M.R. Štefánik, Slovakia
- F. A. Hayek Foundation Bratislava, Slovakia
- Globalization Institute, Poland
- Hayek Institut, Austria
- Institute for Economic Studies (IES)-Europe, France
- Institute for Market Economics (IME), Bulgaria
- Institute of Economic Affairs, United Kingdom
- Institute of Leo XIII., Slovakia
- Liberální Institut, Czech Republic
- New Direction - The Foundation for European Reform, Brussels, Belgium
- Pastor bonus, Slovakia

The Initiative is supported by individuals:
- Philipp Bagus, Professor of Economics at the King Juan Carlos University of Madrid, Spain
- Steve Baker MP, Wycombe, United Kingdom
- Philip Booth, Professor of insurance and risk management, Editorial and Progamme Director at the Institute of Economic Affairs, United Kingdom
- Hardy Bouillon, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Trier (Germany), Deputy Director of the New Direction, Belgium
- Eamonn Butler, MA PhD, Director of the Adam Smith Instiute, United Kindom
- Kevin Dowd, Professor of Economics, Cobden Partners, United Kingdom
- Dr. Tim Evans, Chief Director of the Cobden Centre, United Kingdom
- Jozef Filko, Member of Ladislav Hanus fellowship, Slovakia
- Shane Frith, Director of the New Direction, Belgium
- Pierre Garello, Professor of economics at Aix-Marseille University and Director of IES-Europe, France
- Imrich Gazda, PhD, Catolic University in Ružomberok, Slovakia
- Peter Gonda, PhD, Director of the Conservatie Institute M. R. Štefánik, Slovakia
- Gregor Hochreiter, economist, Vienna, Austria
- Gordon Kerr, Cobden Partners, United Kingdom
- Dr. Barbara Kolm, Secretary General of the F. A. v. Hayek Institut, Austria
- Svetla Kostadinova, Executive Director of the Institute for Market Economics (IME), Bulgaria
- Mark Littlewood, Director General, Institute of Economic Affairs, United Kingdom
- Richard Mátéffy, Institute of Leo XIII., Slovakia
- Robert Mátéffy, President of the Institute of Leo XIII., Slovakia
- Marek Nikolov, President of the Pastor bonus, Slovakia
- Michal Novota, Fellow Analyst, Conservative Institute of M. R. Štefánik, Slovakia
- Dr. Ján Oravec, President of the F.A. Hayek Foundation Bratislava, Slovakia
- Marcel Podolinský, Vice-president of Pastor bonus, Slovakia
- Matúš Pošvanc, Director of the F.A. Hayek Foundation Bratislava, Slovakia
- Dr. Rudolf Požgay, Slovakia
- Pascal Salin, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University Paris-Dauphine, former president of the Mont Pèlerin Society, France
- Jesús Huerta de Soto, Professor of Political Economy at the King Juan Carlos University of Madrid, Spain
- Jacek Spendel, Director, Globalization Institute, Poland
- Krassen Stanchev, PhD, CEO of KC2 Ltd., Bulgaria
- Josef Šíma, Professor of Economics, President of the CEVRO Institut College, Czech Republic
- Dr. Marian L. Tupy, Political Analyst, Washington, D.C.
- Roland Vaubel, Professor of Economics at the University of Mannheim, Germany
- Erich Weede, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Bonn, Germany