David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission and Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister and President in office of the Council of the EU: arrivals and roundtable prior to the signature of the joint declaration for the Conference of the Future of Europe, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Brussels

meeting

future of the European Union (T)

SASSOLI, David Maria (S&D, IT, S&D, IT)

COSTA, António (PT)

Portuguese Presidency of the EU (T)

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

president's agenda

David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission, and Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, followed by a signing ceremony

Title: David SASSOLI, EP President meets with Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission, and Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, followed by a signing ceremony

Ursula von der LEYEN , President of the European Commission and Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister going out of the Protocol room 

David SASSOLI, EP President, Ursula von der LEYEN , President of the European Commission and Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister going to the Chamber (3 shots)

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, Today we are signing the joint declaration in which our three institutions pledge to launch the Conference for the Future of Europe on 9 May. The Conference on the Future of Europe will be a unique opportunity for all European citizens and civil society to shape our common future.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), David SASSOLI, EP President, The Conference must be a moment of reflection to draw lessons fromthis crisis, but also to strengthen European democracy. Now we have the opportunity to rediscover the soul of the European project.We therefore invite all European citizens to participate in the Conference and to build the Europe of tomorrow, so that it becomes "their Europe". Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Ant&#243;nio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, We are aware of the fact that we don't all have the same vision for a future Europe or Europe for the future. But that's exactly why the conference on the future of Europe will be a decisive point in time for being able to discuss.This without any taboos bringing together our different visions.  The union needs to be strengthened, citizenship needs to be strengthened. And that's why this conference can't be one involving just the institutions with a vision for the institutions. It has to be a conference owned by European citizens about what they want and what they desire for the future of our union.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Ant&#243;nio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister, La Conferenza deve essere un momento di riflessione per trarre lezioni da questa crisi, ma anche per rafforzare la democrazia europea.  It's important for Europeans to have an area where they can discuss their fears, their expectations with their representatives, because public policies have to provide tangible responses to the everyday needs of citizens. If no citizen is to be felt, is to feel they have been left behind, we mustn't lose any more time. It's time to deliver. It's time to start building our future together

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, This conference on the future of Europe is not just another conference for what some call the Brussels bubble. This conference has to go beyond Brussels has to go beyond national capitals, because for this conference to succeed, we want to reach what some call the silent majority. We want to hear from European citizens in their full diversity

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, From young and old city dwellers and rural residents, from Erasmus students to those who took to the streets in the pulse of Europe demonstrations, as well as from those who have their doubts if creating an ever closer union is the right road to take, we want to hear from all because it is as true today as it has been in the days of go back. Schuman, one of our founding fathers. When it comes to the future of Europe, no effort is too much. No dream is to bold. Thank you.

Signature by David SASSOLI, EP President, Ursula von der LEYEN , President of the European Commission and Antonio COSTA, Portuguese Prime Minister (6 shots)