On 9 May, we celebrate an extraordinary Europe Day. Not only does this year mark the 70th anniversary of the Schuman declaration but we also find ourselves in a global crisis that requires our cooperation and solidarity like never before.

The Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950, just like the establishment of the Council of Europe on 5 May the year before, laid the foundations for something many Europeans would not have dared to dream of when Europe was still recovering from the war that had torn the continent apart.

70 years later, the words of Robert Schuman are more relevant than ever, at a time when Europe and the rest of the world are facing together the hardest challenge since the end of World War II.

The Schuman declaration envisioned a project of reconciliation, cooperation, solidarity and European unity across borders, which brought us the longest period of peaceful co-existence in Europe and has resulted in the European Union as we know it today.

Today, we face a new and immense challenge, which knows no borders or nationality, and that has left many of us feeling uncertain about the future. As we are forced to change the way we think about each other and about the world we share, we find ourselves seeking refuge in those fundamental values of democracy, unity, solidarity, the rule of law, human rights, which are the building blocks for the project that started in 1950.

Guided by these fundamental values, and thanks to the common institutions we have built in the past 70 years, the EU has been deploying an unprecedented series of economic and financial measures to address the gravity of the crisis. These joint efforts, supported by the solidarity of the Member States, showcase the value of our Union and can bring citizens closer to the EU. They are an important milestone as we strive to build sustainable economic recovery and joint mechanisms that can enhance our resilience against such challenges.

As we commemorate the historic beginnings of our common, European journey, we are also forced to think about the challenges, and the answers to those challenges, that will shape our future together. We can find these solutions by working together, in the spirit of openness and inclusion, by building instruments for European solidarity and echoing the hopes and concerns of Europeans from all countries and walks of life.

In light of these trying times, the Conference on the Future of Europe represents a timely opportunity to take stock and think further about what kind of Union we need. The sooner the conference starts, the quicker it will be able to bring together the European institutions, the Heads of States and Government, national parliaments, social partners, stakeholders from across Europe and civil society organisations, so they can combine their energy and focus on how to achieve a more effective, united and democratic European Union that delivers for its citizens.

Today’s Europe Day is therefore not simply a celebration of our past achievements as Europeans. We also look ahead, to a future that is ready to be shaped by each and every one of us.

Just as we did 70 years ago, we commit ourselves to taking the next steps together, to carve out European solutions for our common challenges and find ourselves united in our hopes and ambition for the future.

For more details on our EU policy recommendations please see here or here.

This year for Europe Day we celebrate hope, diversity, unity, solidarity and our common efforts for a better planet and future by running a Europe-wide campaign in 20 languages.

To learn more and be part of the campaign please visit our Europe Day page.