Debate on the future of the European Union

Having given the green light to enlargement, the 2000 Intergovernmental Conference (IGC 2000) called for a broader and deeper debate on the future of the European Union. To this end, the Nice Declaration, annexed to the Treaty of Nice, called for the initiation of a broad debate associating all the interested parties: the representatives of the national parliaments, as well as a wide range of public opinion, i.e. political and commercial organisations, universities and representatives of civil society, in both the Member States and the candidate countries.

This debate on the future of the Union will continue until 2004, via discussions and the use of the Internet, so as to gather together as many opinions as possible on the key issues relating to the future of Europe. It is encouraged by the Commission, which hopes that it will be promoted both at European level, with contributions and discussion forums involving personalities from the Community, and at national level, with national debates on the future of the Union that involve a wide range of citizens.
The exchanges taking place in the context of this debate are being conducted in parallel with the work of the preparatory Convention for the IGC 2004.

See:

•Intergovernmental Conference (IGC)
•European Convention
•Laeken Declaration
•Treaty of Nice