The “Conference on the Future of Europe” is a joint initiative of the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission. It started on the 9th of May with a joint declaration and should be concluded by spring 2022. According to the declaration the conference “will open a new space for debate with citizens to address Europe’s challenges and priorities.” It is intended as a bottom-up approach focusing on the citizens.
The success of the conference depends on how it will be organized. The citizens’ participation is crucial, as is the involvement of social movements, trade unions and the parties.
The pandemic has clearly demonstrated the failure of the neoliberal policy model. We have to overcome this socio-economic model. The conference has to be taken as an opportunity for a profound and broad debate about the future European development including also the Treaties.
The European Left is committed to this debate. With the following text we present the position of the European Left. We understand it as a basis and starting point for more specific considerations.