Conference on the Future of Europe

Tomorrow, the Presidents of the European Commission, Council and Parliament, will sign a joint declaration kicking off the process for the Conference on the Future of Europe. The Conference, scheduled to begin in May, will be the first opportunity at comprehensive reform of the EU in more than a decade. The Conference will include randomly selected citizens' assemblies as a key component and will develop concrete proposals on how to make the EU more democratic, effective and bring it closer to citizens, by spring 2022.

Daniel Freund MEP, representative of the Greens/EFA group for the Conference, comments:
 
"It's no secret that the EU needs fundamental reforms. The crises of the last decade have shown that the EU is needed, but needs change. This Conference must drive Europe closer to its citizens. We need more democratic participation and oversight in the EU. Too many major decisions have been held back due to narrow minded national perspectives in the Council.
 
"This Conference is the chance for us to learn from the mistakes of the past and build a Union fit for the future. If we are to meet the global challenges of climate change, digitization and defending the rule of law, then it must be by putting citizens at the heart of EU-decision making. Citizens' assemblies are innovative and worked well in Ireland and at the French Climate Convention.

"We need to ensure that the Conference doesn't get bogged down in inter-institutional squabbles and that it delivers for citizens. This Conference should not hesitate to put further integration and treaty changes on the table."