Preparations for the Conference on the Future of Europe are ongoing. What are our expectations and wishes for it? Three new guest contributions have been published on the blog “The (European) Federalist”: Member of the Bundestag Axel Schäfer (SPD) calls for effective participation of the national parliaments. For our Senior Researcher Julian Plottka, a good preparation of the conference is more important than a quick start. Gustav Spät (#EngagEU) emphasizes that the conference should not only reach those who are already interested in politics and enthusiastic about Europe.
This is Axel Schäfer’s contribution.
The EU is now taking “further steps to advance European integration” “in the process of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe,” according to the EU’s preamble. The next step on this path will be the ‘Conference on the Future of Europe’. This path was already mapped out on 1 March 2017 by the then President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. He presented the “White Paper on the Future of Europe” with five different scenarios for the development of the union of states. Since then, Brexit has been achieved, and the unity of member states in many areas is difficult to achieve. Added to this are eminent challenges with violations of the fundamental principles of the rule of law of individual countries. With the Corona pandemic, the EU is at a historic turning point for its continued existence.
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