Future EU policies must help to bridge the gap between the Member States
19 June 2021 News
Deputy Foreign Minister Rumen Alexandrov described the Conference on the Future of Europe as an excellent opportunity for an ambitious exchange of views, especially with a view to overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and building capacity for resilience to future crises, as well as shaping the future of the next generations.
Today, Rumen Alexandrov participated in a plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe, which was held via video conference.
"We expect a structured debate based on the strategic agenda and focused on topics with practical dimensions on which we could achieve real added value. We hope that citizens' expectations will be taken into account in the most effective way. Future EU policies must contribute to bridging differences between Member States and lead to greater cohesion between them, thus making the EU stronger and more sustainable,“ he said.
He added that Bulgaria is actively promoting the digital platform at national level and is planning the calendar of events in close cooperation with stakeholders. Based on the experience gained from consulting European citizens, our efforts will be focused on holding the conference in the most inclusive and accessible way, including by involving national parliaments and all sections of society, especially young people.
"We welcome the idea of including the Western Balkans in the work of the Conference, as this will enable our partners to engage more closely with the future EU agenda," said Deputy Minister Alexandrov.
A total of 433 representatives from the Council of the EU, the EP, the EC, national parliaments, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions, the social partners and citizens are taking part in the plenary sessions. The Council of the EU has 54 representatives, two from each Member State.
The Conference on the Future of Europe was officially opened on 9 May this year and is expected to reach its conclusions by spring 2022, during the French Presidency of the Council of EU. The aim is for European citizens to play a leading and active role in setting the Union's priorities.