The conference brought together prominent European and national policy-makers, as Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission; Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council; Maria João Rodrigues, Vice-President of the Socialists & Democrats Group in the European Parliament; Gordon Bajnai, Former Prime Minister of Hungary; Janis A. Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies, European Policy Centre; Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions.
The goal of the conference was to discuss the perspectives for a win-win package deal that reflects the interests and concerns of the EU27.
The 3rd New Pact for Europe (NPE) report Re-energising Europe: A package deal for the EU27 argues much political will and courage are required to exploit the current momentum. It proposes an ambitious but realistic win-win package deal to overcome the deadlock and counter the danger of a more regressive, nationalistic, closed, illiberal and authoritarian Europe. Published at the end of 2017, this report reflects more than 120 national and transnational debates held across Europe over the past 5 years.
In the last few months, the NPE report has been presented and discussed in the member states and beyond. One month ahead of an important European Council Summit at which EU leaders will tackle the three key dimensions identified in the report (migration, EMU reform and defence/security), this final European NPE event aims to provide a substantial contribution to the current reform debate. It aspires to bring the NPE debate back to Brussels in an attempt to re-energise the European project at a crucial point in time.
PROGRAMME
15.00 Welcome
Karl-Heinz Lambertz, President of the European Committee of the Regions;
Vice-President of the Board of Governors of the King Baudouin Foundation
15.10 Presentation of the 3rd NPE report “Re-energising Europe – A package deal for the EU27”
Janis A. Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies, European Policy Centre
15.30 Keynote speech
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission
Question & answer session
16.30 Panel debate
Gordon Bajnai, Chairman of the Global Advisory Board, Campbell Lutyens; Former Prime
Minister of Hungary
Janis A. Emmanouilidis, Director of Studies, European Policy Centre, Brussels
Didier Reynders, Deputy Prime Minister; Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs,
Belgium
Maria João Rodrigues, Member of the European Parliament, Group of the Progressive
Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; former Portuguese Minister of Employment
17.30 Concluding remarks
Herman Van Rompuy, President Emeritus of the European Council; President of the
European Policy Centre