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French President Emmanuel Macron backed calls on Monday for a convention to discuss possible changes to the treaties that govern the European Union. Macron said he is “in favour of this institutional reform” in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
In her speech, President Metsola spoke about the reality of a gap which exists between what people expect and what Europe is able to deliver at the moment, particularly in the areas of health, energy and security. She also said that the future of Europe is tied to future of Ukraine.
According to Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, the Future of Europe conference demonstrated that there is “a gap between what people want and what Europe can provide at the present.”
“This is why, as the next stage, we need a convention,” Metsola added, “and this is what the EU Parliament will insist on since there are concerns that simply cannot wait.”
Earlier:
On Europe Day, one of the European Union’s most ambitious citizen assemblies draws to a close, with 49 suggestions totaling over 300 initiatives for achieving change within the Union.
In an unprecedented exercise in participatory democracy, the CFOE has been outstanding in providing a venue for citizens’ expectations, priorities, and concerns.
The Conference on the Future of Europe will be addressed in Strasbourg today by its co-chairs, MEP Guy Verhofstadt and European Commissioner Dubravka Suica, with contributions from citizens who took part in the CFOE, as well as speeches from European Parliament president Roberta Metsola, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, and French president Emanuel Macron, who currently holds the Council presidency.
Last week, the EP had adopted a resolution on the follow-up to the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe, by a show of hands. The Conference has called for ambitious reforms within the European Union.
Parliament acknowledged that the “ambitious and constructive proposals” that came out of the Conference require Treaty changes, for example on a simpler, more transparent, more accountable, and more democratic EU. To this end, it asked the Committee on Constitutional Affairs to prepare proposals to reform the EU Treaties, which would happen through a Convention in line with Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union.
In this process, the EU should shift towards a sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth model, with special attention paid to SMEs, MEPs say, calling for the European Pillar of Social Rights to be implemented fully. They also called on the EU to play a leading role in addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and promoting sustainability globally. MEPs also highlighted that deeper political integration and genuine democracy can be achieved through a right of legislative initiative for Parliament and by ending unanimity in Council.
