The EU started the new Millennium with positive future perspectives: the Euro, the biggest enlargement to central, eastern and southern Europe, stronger structures and new areas of activity. Soon the view was shadowed by real important threats: terrorism, financial and economic crisis, Brexit and Covid-19 are some examples of the serious overcome events that the EU and its citizens have had to face in the short term with an unpredictable impact on the future evolution. Citizens are showing increasing reservations regarding the EU’s capacity of reaction and a new wave of nationalism and populism is expanding across the EU Member States.

The EU Institutions launched the Conference on the future of Europe as a new channel for interaction with the European citizens in order to debate on Europe’s challenges and priorities and to provide guidance on the future of Europe by spring 2022. The EU Institutions are committed to follow up, within their sphere of competences, on the recommendations made in a new approach to the revision of the European integration process.