The European Movement International held an event entitled “A Brave New World: A Reformed EU Fit for the Future“, kindly hosted by EPPA. This event was held on Wednesday, 15 November 2023 from 17:00 to 18:15 CET at Place du Luxembourg 2, followed by a networking reception.

Recent crises, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the ongoing war in Ukraine, have shown the need for the European Union to strengthen and improve the way it makes decisions, to act more effectively and promptly.

This panel debate offered an opportunity to discuss treaty reform at the EU level as the debate on enlargement to welcome Ukraine and other candidate countries into the Union is in full swing.

Treaty reform is also a key recommendation stemming from the Conference on the Future of Europe, where European citizens put forward proposals on how to update the EU’s institutions and decision-making processes and how to make European democracy more participatory and inclusive.

This event addressed the key proposals and challenges for treaty reform as a tool to improve democracy, participation and the EU’s capacity to act. Several issues were touched upon, ranging from veto powers, the outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe, enlargement, as well as the role of civil society and social partners in the reform process.

Guy Verhofstadt MEP (Renew Europe) emphasised during the discussions the necessity for a geopolitically prepared Europe, the importance of switching from unanimity to Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) in the Council and called for a European Convention to chart the future course after elections.

”Geopolitical pressures, migration, and war on our doorstep, pandemics, digitization, questions of enlargement… When the world changes, the European Union needs an upgrade. With the report on Treaty Change, spelling out in detail where our politics and institutions need reform, Parliament is mapping out the road ahead. No excuses now: The European Council has to start a Convention, so an open debate can lead to concrete improvements.”

H.E. Arnoldas Pranckevičius, Ambassador, Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the EU, stated, among other key points, that we need to ensure readiness for enlargement and ambitious policy reforms.

“The survival, existance and endurance of the EU is directly related to our own survival. We recognise the importance of not only being a part of the EU but also making the EU stronger, more globally active and a better place for citizens.”

Valeria Ronzitti, Secretary General of SGI Europe and Vice-President of the European Movement International, expressed the need to establish the appropriate infrastructure and political leadership and preparation for enlargement and stated: