Future of Europe: fairer, greener, more democratic?

Ilona Kish, Secretary-General of the European Forum for the Arts and Heritage (EFAH), underlined that the EU needed to be "something more meaningful than just a common market." Therefore, cultural and education policies should be given greater priority.

Henrik Lesaar, Legal Affairs Advisor of the Commission of Bishop’s Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), demanded that in general, the Church should have a stronger role in the political processes.

Recognising the crisis of confidence as well as the declining participation all over Europe, Democracy International proposed a campaign for the implementation of the European Citizens Initiative to give the people of Europe a voice in EU affairs. They claim "the EU to give legal force to the European Citizens' Initiative, where one million European citizens can call on the European Commission to propose a change in the European law." The campaign shall start in May and last no longer than 18 months.  Furthermore, they call for a new and more democratic Convention. According to Carsten Berg, Brussels representative of Democracy International, said that "developing transnational democracy without undermining national democracy is an essential future goal."

Patrick De Bucquois from the Social Platform said that the Constitutional Treaty lacked a "strong social dimension." This, however, "does not mean necessarily that the EU should have more competence in the social field." Rather, an effective mechanisms should be found "to accommodate the fact that social policies […] are mainly of national competence but are directly affected by EU economic and internal market policies."

Fouad Hamdan, Director of Friends of the Earth Europe and spokesperson for the environmental alliance "Green 10" (incl. Greenpeace, WWF and others), expressed concern over the 'unsustainability' of the EU in its current state. While the Constitutional Treaty would bring about some improvements, more needed to be done to counteract "environmental degradation" both within and outside the EU.

One of the many other actors and MEPs emphasising the importance of a stronger role for the EU in the world was the European Movement International and its Secretary-General Henrik Kröner. The EU "has the potential to become the world’s greatest power for peace-building," however, it must be in a position to do more for the strengthening of international law and the international community (i.e. UN, WTO) and to pay more aid and to gain a "substantial military capacity" to support the United Nations.

In general, the participants deplored the lack of political engagement and leadership (especially at national level) in the context of the reflection period. Furthermore, while most welcomed the efforts of Commissioner Wallström to improve communication ("Plan D"), they emphasised stronger political commitment was needed to overcome the current deadlock.