Athens, 25 May 2022

Outcome of Conference on the Future of Europe discussed in European Affairs Committee

 

"The outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe and the next steps" was the main topic of today's meeting of the Committee on European Affairs. Committee members were briefed by institutional representatives of Greece participating in the Conference, who also presented their views on the report on the final outcome of the Conference.

In his introductory comments, the Hellenic Parliament's First Vice-President and Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs Nikitas Kaklamanis, stressed that the European Union is on the threshold of changes, called for by its citizens through their submitted proposals. The response of the EU leadership to its citizens' demand for more and better Europe and European solidarity in all its spheres of action is crucial, as, disregarding them would lead to the discrediting of the democratic institutions, thus risking unpredictable implications for the Union’s political future.

In his intervention, Mr Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Alternate Foreign Minister in charge of European Affairs, described the Conference on the Future of Europe as an innovative process, which highlighted European citizens’ common demand for a better Europe, with enhanced geostrategic importance, strategic autonomy, border protection and deeper cooperation in foreign and defence policy. Referring to the next steps after the end of the Conference, he expressed the view that a swift revision of the Union’s basic rules of operation will be the new focus of dialogue, the core issue being the abolition of unanimity in central decision-making processes, also emphasising the importance of defending national interests in the context of shaping a common European future.

The Deputy Minister of Justice George Kotsiras took the floor to brief participants on the working group’s on Democracy, Human Rights and European values proceedings; in this framework, he drew attention to the need to restore the core values which shaped the European project, as explicitly expressed in the conclusions’ concrete reference to the fight against discrimination, equality, quality of life, and improving EU citizens’ living conditions, with an emphasis on vulnerable groups. However, the most important message of the citizens sent via the Conference to both the governments and to the European Union itself as an institution, is the necessity of their participation to enable institutions’ actual interaction with societies.

Interventions were made by the Vice-President of the European Parliament Dimitris Papadimoulis, the MEP and Vice-Chair of the European People's Party Parliamentary Group Evangelos Meimarakis, the Chair of the European Committee of the Regions Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) Director General Professor Pagoulatos, in his capacity as the national representative of Greek citizens, as well as by the members of the Hellenic Parliament delegation to the Conference on the Future of Europe Dimitris Kairidis, Giannis Kefalogiannis and Yiannis Bournous. An exchange of views followed with the members of the Committee.

 

 

 

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