The closing of the Future of Europe Conference, which has been held by the EU for a year, was held at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg, France. At the ceremony, where dance and music performances and speeches on the future vision of the EU were held on the occasion of the “Europe Day”, the report prepared as a result of one-year discussions and including suggestions about the future of the EU, Macron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EP President Roberta Metsola presented to .
In his speech, Macron said that the EU was too late to respond when faced with economic and financial crises, and that it resorted to national responses instead of partners.
Pointing out that the EU’s founding agreements need to be reorganized, Macron said that institutional reform could be negotiated in the coming weeks and could be discussed at the next EU Leaders’ Summit.
Macron stated that the qualified majority system instead of unanimity, the rules of election and representative appointment, and the right of initiative of the EP should also be evaluated.
Pointing out that the legitimate membership applications of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to the EU should lead to a reevaluation of the EU’s geography and the organization of the continent, Macron said, “If we give (Ukraine) candidate status tomorrow, as long as we do not lower the membership standards, the accession will take years or decades. “We all know it will take years. Let’s be clear here. Considering the level of integration and determination of the EU, it cannot be the only way in which the European continent is structured in the short term.” used the phrases.
“NEW EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION”
Pointing out that the EU has responsibilities to preserve the strength and determination in its current integration, Macron said:
“I think I’ll characterize what I’m talking about here today as a ‘European political community’. This new European organization will enable democratic European nations committed to our values to find a new space for cooperation in areas such as politics, security, energy and transport.”
Emphasizing that this proposal is a response to the recommendations in the report presented today, Macron stated that he is ready to meet with all countries interested in this issue in the coming period.
THE COMMISSION WILL RESPONSE IN SEPTEMBER
Von der Leyen also said that next month they will identify what is needed to implement the recommendations in the report, and that he will present his first proposals in response to the recommendations in his State of the Union speech in September.
Von der Leyen, who stated that the panels attended by the citizens showed that this form of democracy works, said that this should be a part of policy making, and that he would suggest that citizens allocate time and resources for their panels before initiating certain legal processes.
Von der Leyen noted that the principle of unanimity remained meaningless in some important areas, that it had a negative impact on rapid decision-making processes, and that the EU should play a larger role in defense and health. (AA)