The 2^nd edition of ‘The ViewPoints’, our digital magazine, is dedicated to the Conference on the Future of Europe.

We gathered the views of some of the most senior figures involved in the debate, like Commission VP Šuica and Ambassador Clauss, Germany’s Permanent Representative to the EU, to explore where next for the “Conference”.

Enjoy reading and don’t hesitate to join the debate on Twitter using the hashtag #TheViewPoints.

EMI: EDITORS’ NOTE

The coronavirus outbreak confronted the EU with a challenge of Herculean proportions. It has shown the virtues of European cooperation but also exposed its shortcomings.

In this context, the Conference on the Future of Europe is an opportunity to take stock of the state of our Union and to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. 

The European Movement believes that the Conference  can help broaden the debate and function as an open, democratic exercise by giving a platform from which citizens and stakeholders can have their voice heard, while strengthening parliamentarianism and representative democracy in Europe.

Europeans want to shape the decisions that affect them; over 200 million of our fellow citizens cast their votes in the latest European elections in 2019. But our Listen to Europe opinion poll found that European citizens feel disempowered and alienated, they fear that their voice does not count. So the EU must engage with citizens directly and frequently, not just during the EP elections every five years. The Conference on the Future of Europe is the ideal opportunity to do so. 

Furthermore, the Conference should have buy-in and feature strong representation from all European institutions, as well as national governments, local authorities, and civil society networks that are able to represent a  broad spectrum of society.

The Conference is also an opportunity to debate important issues, such as the EU health policy competences, the creation of an effective system for the defence of human rights and the rule of law in the EU; the environmental challenges and climate crisis; the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights; migration; the development of a fully-fledged European Defence Union (EDU); the enlargement process; the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).

Moreover, the Conference is an opportunity to tackle European electoral law reform, and discuss the “Spitzenkandidaten” process and the establishment of transnational lists in view of the European elections in 2024. 

While the future of the Conference remains uncertain and the EU institutions are locked in negotiations about its exact shape and mission, we have gathered the views from senior policy-makers from the Commission, the Council and the European Parliament, to put forward their ideas and recommendations for the Conference on the Future of Europe.

To join the debate, please share your views on Twitter using the hashtag #TheViewPoints.

Read The View Points here.