The final report of the Conference is presented to the Presidents of Parliament, Council and Commission during a closing event on 9 May, Europe Day, in Strasbourg. Presidents Metsola, von der Leyen and Macron deliver speeches, alongside contributions from citizens on the National and European Panels and from the Conference Co-Chairs. Statements by the three Co-Chairs of the Executive Board: Guy VERHOFSTADT, MEP (Renew, BE), Dubravka ŠUICA, Commissioner for Democracy and Demography and Clément BEAUNE, French Minister of State for European Affairs.

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

ceremony

MACRON, Emmanuel (FR)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

ŠUICA, Dubravka (EPP, HR, EC)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

ZACARIAS, Ana Paula (PT)

BEAUNE, Clément (FR)

conference on the future of Europe (T)

Conference on the Future of Europe - Closing Event: Statements by the three Co-Chairs of the Executive Board, Guy VERHOFSTADT, Clément BEAUNE and Dubravka ŠUICA

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/31506275/1652082429112_I224690Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (French), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE Today it's not us, but citizens who are going to be handing over the final report on the Conference on the Future of Europe. Let me take this opportunity to thank my two co-chairs for their constructive cooperation. It was a little bit like a menage a trois. It was difficult, sometimes frightening, but always passionate.

SOUNDBITE (French), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE This report, dear friends, contains 49 objectives which have emerged from over 300 proposals and measures. And all of these are based on the proposals of our citizens and have also been adopted by the plenary of the Conference. These proposals, I believe, show us the path that the European Union should follow during the coming decades. It will turn the Union more democratic, more integrated, a union that can act more rapidly and in a more decisive manner when tackling the challenges of tomorrow.

SOUNDBITE (French), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE This result has only been made possible thanks to one thing: participation, the participation of our citizens. And on behalf of you all, I would like to sincerely thank them for their active participation and sincere commitment.

SOUNDBITE (French), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE This experience taught me three things. Firstly, there is, I think, a lot more coherence and unity in our society than we believe.

SOUNDBITE (French), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE All citizens believe in the European project, but most people are also of the opinion that the European Union doesn't currently fulfil their dream. So they may well love Europe, but at the same time, they are hugely critical when it comes to the working of the Union. And sometimes I would say for good reason.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE The this second conference thing that I learnt during is that in contrast to what we think, people don't fear change. On the contrary, they urge us to reform the union and they want this to happen now. You know, when in 2019, the idea floated off this conference, the world was a very different place from the world we are in today.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE Since 2019, we have got a pandemic affecting millions of people, killing hundreds of thousands of humans. And now, 77 years after the end of the Second World War, we have again a devastating war on European soil, the result of brutal aggression, killing thousands of civilian men, women and children alike. It's a war of illiberal autocracy against a liberal democracy, a war of Russian brutality against our European values.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE You look, let's tomorrow spot the difference on the 9th of May of this day: in Moscow, a parade with a delirium of arms, weapons and tanks. And here in Strasbourg, a festival of citizens with their European leaders expressing their new faith in our common peace project. That's the difference.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE And whatever the outcome of this conflict, of this war in Ukraine will be, I believe that liberal democracy will ultimately prevail. The fact is that the world of tomorrow will be a different place. It will be a world dominated by empires China, Russia, India, United States, of course. Well, in such a world order difference, only Europe as a bloc can survive. Only united we can defend our values, we can protect the interests of our citizens because a European Union that acts too little, too late, as we have seen so many times, will not survive.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE And in that sense, I have to tell you that this is my firm conviction, European integration is no longer a question of choice. It has become a question of necessity, a question of survival. And the recommendations of the citizens and the conclusions of the conference offer us, I think, a roadmap to do that, to avoid that we become irrelevant or even disappear. A new and effective more democratic Europe is possible. A Europe that is sovereign. A Europe that is capable to act. And a Europe that leads planet Earth forwards. And then my short final list.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE There is, I think after this experience, no real opposition or contradiction between representative and participatory democracy. And I say that here, where we do the representative democracy. On the contrary, I think in a modern democracy both are necessary. And it's my firm belief that beyond elections, we need, dear citizens, to institutionalise direct citizens participation as an antidote to division in society.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT, co-chair for COFOE An antidote that is urgently needed against a democratic system that is slowly dying under our eyes, as it is poisoned by the almighty algorithms of Mr. Musk and Mr. Zuckerberg, who see humans only as profiles. And by state sponsored Russian hackers or Chinese bots who are treating citizens, in fact, as social psychopaths because that's what they do. So there is no time to waste. Let's be loyal to the outcome of the Conference. Let's implement its conclusions as soon as possible because it's the will of the people and let the will of the people prevail. Thank you for your efforts. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (French), Clément BEAUNE, co-chair for COFOE Three years ago, the Conference on the Future of Europe was a bit of a crazy idea. A year ago, the Conference was launched here and now we can see that it has been a success. As you said, as I'm sure Ms. Suica will say, this conference owes you, citizens, everything. You're some of the few of the citizens who have been committed. You represent these tens of thousands who got involved and the hundreds of thousands who made contributions online. You've been involved in long hours of work to discuss, debate, reflect, criticise and make proposals on the future of Europe. Countless participants have been represented by you and I'd like to thank them and give them a round of applause.

SOUNDBITE (French), Clément BEAUNE, co-chair for COFOE I think this success is shown by the very specific and clear 49 objectives and the 300 clear measures that you have patiently drawn up. You've drawn up a credible and ambitious roadmap for all of us. You have created a vision of Europe for the decades to come. A brave and protecting Europe that takes on a leading role in a climate and environment that is more effective in what it does and gives citizens their place in decision making.

SOUNDBITE (French), Clément BEAUNE, co-chair for COFOE But this conference is not only a success, it is first and foremost an example, an example for our Europe. We have seen Europe move forward when crises take place, the nights of European Council meetings, but you have shown that we can act collectively and effectively via patient discussion, reasoned debate, by placing our common values above specific interests. This conference is first and foremost an example for the world.

SOUNDBITE (French), Clément BEAUNE, co-chair for COFOE Today, on the 9th of May, Mr. Putin has decided to bring war to our continent, but at the same time, you've chosen democracy. I predict that on the 9th of May, history will recall how in Russia there were military parades. Whereas here in Strasbourg, hundreds of citizens came together to refound our Europe, our union and history will show that we that you were right.

SOUNDBITE (French), Clément BEAUNE, co-chair for COFOE Citizens, participants, presidents, this success in this example obliges us, obliges our institutions to follow up on these proposals, to establish priorities courageously without taboos. Legislating always means making choices, and choices will have to be made. And we will make choices. And we will come back to you in a regular and transparent manner to explain our choices. Citizens, participants in the conference, we are pleased to have been able to count on you. You can now count on us. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, co-chair for COFOE The Schuman Declaration states that Europe will be built on concrete achievements and solidarity. This remains true today. Europe is a journey. Today, we present the final report and its 49 proposals of the Conference on the Future of Europe to the three presidents. This report is built on trust and hope for a better Europe. This conference proves that it was the right choice to put citizens at the heart of the process. We now start delivering on your incredible work. I will work hard to ensure that we are deserving of your trust. The conference requires courage and leap of faith to deliberate on our future. Because we have seised that opportunity together, European democracy will never be the same again.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, co-chair for COFOE A defining moment of my life was Croatia's accession to the Union of the European Union. It is a privilege to me as a croat, as a European, to lead the Commission's work on the conference. And we are doing this with the war in Ukraine raging on our continent. Having personally witnessed a bloody war, I cannot take this achievement in deliberative democracy for granted. I know that this hemicycle is the centre of European representative democracy. But from now on, I will truly miss the contribution of citizens because your participation enriches our representative democracy. And 39 proposals are proof of this.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, co-chair for COFOE The conference kicked off in a pandemic. But you stayed with us. You stuck with us. The European Citizens Panel took place across the European Union. We were in Maastricht on the anniversary of the Treaty of the same name. Then war broke out on European soil at the panel in Dublin. Your citizens made a spontaneous stand for Ukraine. It was a touching moment of solidarity. Our aim was to design the process to be as inclusive and representative as possible. If this conference is a success, it is thanks to the contribution of the broadest spectrum of stakeholders, civil society, citizens and social partners.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, co-chair for COFOE I am aware that the conference was not perfect, but we adapted when necessary and we have learnt valuable lessons. The deliberative process allows our Europe to grow. It is a human and democratic process. You may remember one mother, who we already saw, who spoke at the last plenary with her new baby in her arms. Some young citizens were so motivated that one day they will be politicians themselves I hope.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, co-chair for COFOE The older and wiser ones, they were proud to build a brighter future for their children and for their grandchildren. And all of us were part of the emotional standing ovation of acclamation ten years ago here in this hemicycle. There was scepticism at the beginning, but many sceptics were convinced by the enthusiastic dedication of the citizens, thanks to our courage to come together to deliberate on our common future. European democracy is forever changed. Three European institutions working together in a unique endeavour.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka ŠUICA, co-chair for COFOE And to conclude, I will conclude with a quote from one of you, from one of the citizens who said: "Read the proposals well and implement them. We believe in it." This is what citizens told us. Building the House of European democracy and creating an ecosystem of democratic citizens. Engagement requires belief, a trust. A belief, a trust in our European values, a belief in ourselves and each other to build a democracy which is fit for the future. They are all I am sure that our democracy is louder than Putin's bombs. Thank you very much.