Cyprus marked Europe Day on Monday and the conclusion of the Conference for the future of Europe with an event at the EU House, in Nicosia, in the presence of House President Annita Demetriou, Ambassador of France Salina Grenet-Catalano, other EU Ambassadors and officials from the Cyprus government.
Demetriou, Catalano as well as the head of the European Parliament office in Cyprus and the head of the European Commission representation, Andreas Kettis and Myrto Zambarta, respectively, addressed the event and spoke of the many achievements of the EU and the need for changes and reforms in order to deal with the many challenges and threats.
They all noted that lasting peace, citizens’ prosperity and stability and respect for human rights are among EU’s top accomplishments. But they all underlined, also, that in an ever-evolving international environment EU needs to always change and undergo reforms and transformations.
The event also marked the end of the dialogue of the Conference on the Future of Europe with the submission of 49 proposals by EU citizens and 325 recommendations on 9 topics.
The President of Parliament Annita Demetriou in her speech referred extensively to the great successes of the EU but noted at the same time that EU needs to stand up to the crises and challenges that arise.
Demetriou stressed that the Conference on the Future of Europe was an ambitious exercise of democracy with a focus on European citizens and young people in particular. She said that the citizens have high expectations in a serious of issues such as gender equality, economic resilience, migration crisis, public health etc.
The President of Parliament noted that we are no longer given any choice but to work collectively for a stronger Europe, a Europe that will be closer to its citizens, especially in geographically remote areas such as Cyprus and that will implement policies that will take into account the specific characteristics, capabilities and challenges of the geographically remote member states.
French Ambassador Catalano said that the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union has been working over the past months with the other 26 Member States to meet various challenges adding that major breakthroughs have been registered such as the progress on the directives of the “Fit for 55” package to achieve the objective of a climate neutral economy by 2050, on the Strategic Compass to strengthen our defense and energy autonomy, or on new legislations to improve the representation of women in the private sector and to better regulate big digital platforms.
She said that the with the handing over of the report of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a new stage has begun, in which each institution, respecting each other’s competences, will decide on how to follow up on our citizens’ proposals.The Ambassador also referred to some of President Emanuel Macron’s references before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on Monday, for more independence and more efficiency and effectiveness.
She added that the challenge now is to be as effective in peace time and without a crisis and to that effect the French President considers necessary envisage revising our treaties, as suggested by the European parliament. Such a revision, she said, should lead to more simplicity in decision making, more solidarity, clearer objectives, and new democratic innovations.
Andreas Kettis, head of the EU office in Cyprus, noted in his speech that the crises in Europe show that together, we can do better. He added that with trust and a sense of solidarity we managed to overcome difficulties, mistrusts and misunderstandings and obstacles as well as bureaucratic procedures.
He said that we must be proud of the legacy we leave to our children such as the freedom to travel, to study, to work, to be an entrepreneur, to innovate in a multicultural and peaceful European Union.
Kettis said however that the European Union is still incomplete, often appears to be far from citizens’ problems, sometimes divided, other times not so effective, perhaps too bureaucratic. He said however that European citizens were called to make their own contribution and suggestions through the dialogue for the Future of Europe which led to 49 proposals and more than 300 recommendations in 9 thematic areas.
EU contributed to peace and prosperity for the European citizens, but the current situation in Ukraine shows that nothing should be taken for granted, Myrto Zambarta, Head of the EC Representation said in her speech.
She noted that the Conference on the Future of Europe showed the direction to make the EU structure even more solid. She said that the 49 proposals of the citizens will be analyzed in the speech of the President of the Commission before the plenary of the EP in September during her State of the Union address. She also said that EC President von der Leyen speaking in Strasbourg on Monday, during the conclusion of the Conference, also referred to the need for a review of treaties. Zambarta said, however, that this was a very difficult task.
Source: Cyprus News Agency