Building tomorrow’s Europe: EU paves way for Conference on the Future of Europe
The presidents of the European Parliament, Commission and Council of the EU signed a joint declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Parliament President David Sassoli; Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, on behalf of the Council of the EU; and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signed the declaration in a ceremony on 10 March in Parliament’s Brussels plenary chamber.
The Conference on the Future of Europe aims to give people a greater role in shaping the EU’s future policies and ambitions. People can take part in many events and debates across the EU, as well as have a say through a multilingual digital platform.
“The expectations of EU citizens are stronger than ever," sais Sassoli. "It is essential to continue to give Europe the right tools to respond to these expectations, these demands for solidarity. This is an opportunity to rediscover the soul of the European project. We invite all European citizens to get involved in the conference and to build the Europe of tomorrow, so that it can become 'their Europe'."
“We are aware that we don't all have the same vision for the future of Europe,” said Costa. “That's exactly why the Conference on the Future of Europe will be a decisive point in time so that we can discuss this without any taboos, bringing together our different visions. Only in this way we can overcome differences and strengthen what brings us together.”
“It is exactly in times of crisis that we see where Europe works for people, and where we have to get better," said von der Leyen. “This conference has to go beyond Brussels, beyond national capitals. We want to hear from European citizens in their full diversity - from young and old, city dwellers and rural residents, from Erasmus students to those who took to the streets to demonstrate as well as from those who have their doubts if creating an ever closer union is the right road to take.”
A survey, carried out at the end of 2020, shows three quarters of Europeans think the conference would have a positive impact on democracy in the EU. Half of the respondents say they want to get involved themselves.
