The European Foundation is a campaigning organisation and leading Eurosceptic think tank based in the United Kingdom. It is chaired by Bill Cash, a British Conservative MP. The organisation produces the European Journal.
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The Great College Street Group was formed in October 1992 in order to oppose the Maastricht 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 European Commission/European Union 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 openly advocate withdrawal from the European Union but 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 the then leader of the British Referendum Party. 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, who has since become the European Foundation's Patron.