Future of Europe Conference: last plenary session. Summit of European associations in Strasbourg

The Conference on the Future of Europe is coming to an end and the focus is on what comes next. The process undertaken by Commission, Parliament and Council to rethink the future of the EU together with citizens began on 9 May 2021 and will conclude on 9 May 2022 with a final report being delivered to the Presidents of the three EU institutions. A final plenary session is being held in Strasbourg today and tomorrow to finalise the proposals that will be included in the final report; decisions will be made “on a consensual basis”. Also on the agenda will be an opportunity for citizens to give their feedback at the end of this process. Several pro-European civil society associations will meet in Strasbourg from 5 to 8 May at the “Strasbourg Summit”. “It is still uncertain whether the citizens’ proposals made in the Conference will be taken into account”, the invitation to the event reads. “We will strive to ensure citizens’ expectations are not left unheard and that European leaders follow and take action”. A “Convention” is being called for by various parties to revise and update the Treaties in light of what has emerged from this process. This also seems to be the Italian line, as the Undersecretary of State delegated to European Affairs, Enzo Amendola, said in a tweet: yesterday “the Senate and Parliamentary Committees have voted on a motion about the Conference” - that “participatory democracy platform where so many citizens have asked to change the EU”. “So - Amendola added - the government now has a full mandate to support this process and the revision of the Treaties”.
Sarah Numico