This infoclip illustrates the COFOE plenary meets in Strasbourg. It debates draft proposals prepared following the exchanges of nine Plenary Working Groups.These drafts are grouped by themes and based on recommendations made by the European Citizens’ Panels and input from national panels. Statements with Daniel FREUND (Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working group on values and rights, rule of law, security), Esther de LANGE, ( Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working Group Climate change and the environment) Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ (Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working Group Health), Manfred WEBER (Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working group European democracy). Illustrations of the plenary COFOE.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

future of the European Union (T)

conference on the future of Europe (T)

Conference on the Future of Europe: ambiance shots of the plenary & statements

Cutaways, corridors, ambiance shot before the plenary, Strasbourg, France, 09/04/2022,  (2  shots)

Cutaways in the chamber, ambiance shots, opening&nbsp;plenary, Strasbourg, Country, 09/04/2022,  (4  shots)

Cutaways in the chamber, ambiance shots during the viewing of the clip "Stand up for Ukraine", Strasbourg, France , 09/04/2022,  (3  shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Daniel FREUND (Greens/EFA, DE), Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working group on values and rights, rule of law, security, I think the the Russian invasion in Ukraine has sharpened everyone's mind and made it very clear that, you know, with people in Ukraine dying for democracy and rule of law and the prospect of EU membership, that that we need to be protecting the democracy and the rule of law that those Ukrainians are fighting and dying for. Also inside the European Union. And I think it is really, you know, put a lot of pressure on everyone to come to good results and in our area.

SOUNDBITE (English), Esther de LANGE (EPP, NL),  Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working Group Climate change and the environment, It was clear, of course, that the Russian war in Ukraine had a big impact on our working group. We started before the war. We are now, unfortunately in the middle of a war, and everyone agreed that becoming less independent on places like Russia is a good thing and we need to do it quickly.

Cutaways, plenary, Strasbourg, France, 09/04/2022,  (10  shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Maro&#353; &#352;EF&#268;OVI&#268;,  Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working Group Health, We are in the final stages, and I think it was really unprecedented democratic exercise where I think we benefited a lot from the direct involvement of citizens and the fact that we have such a strong participation of the young generation. So, in my group, my co-rapporteur is the colleague from Czech Republic, who is 16. Then we have several students from France, who I think, are turning 20 this year, so it's very refreshing to have them around

SOUNDBITE (English), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE),  Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working group Democracy, I see a lot of common sense to achieve something to get results. But when it comes to the details, you see the devil is always in the details, and the Council is quite sceptical on improving some of the decision making processes in the European Union. The Parliament is pushing a lot, and for me, the fundamental of everything is the expectations of citizens. And there I feel a lot of motivation for achieving something and going further and making Europe more democratic and more transparent and more functioning. And that's why let's do it<i></i>

SOUNDBITE (English), Daniel FREUND (Greens/EFA, DE),  Member of the EP Delegation to the Cofoe, Working group on values and rights, rule of law, security, I think much depends now whether we manage the conclusions of this conference actually become reality. If we're just sending those conclusions to the House of European history and nothing happens, then I think it will be difficult to motivate citizens again. But if it is a success, then I think naturally people will say, you know, this led to change. Let's do that again, because for me, so far this exercise has been extremely successful.