We can collectively live up to the will of EU Citizens by launching a Convention to reform our treaties

Today, the European Parliament, in a letter signed by its President, Roberta Metsola, is alerting the European Council and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union to the fate of the Conference on the Future of Europe and its call to launch a Convention to reform the European treaties. The Conference of Presidents of the European Parliament today adopted a statement on the Commission Work Programme 2023, calling for a Convention and a proper follow up of the Conference on the Future of Europe, with concrete legislative proposals.

Renew Europe, which has always led this call for a Convention, welcomes this letter. The European Parliament proves, once again, its commitment to the citizens and their will to reform and improve our Union. Our group therefore urges the European Council and the EU Member states to put the debate on a Convention on the agenda of the next Summit and to respond to the resolution adopted by the European Parliament last 9 June, as foreseen in the treaties.

EU citizens want a European Union with more competences on health, defence and energy. They want a European Union without the unanimity rule, which today allows a single Member State to block progress. They ask for a better European democracy and a Parliament with genuine power and legislative initiative. We should continue to build a Union capable to facing challenges and crises of tomorrow. We can't miss the opportunity to strengthen the EU and the trust of its citizens.

Guy Verhofstadt (Belgium, Open VLD), co-chair of the Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe and Renew Europe negotiator of the resolution calling for a Convention, declared: "We all need to keep ownership of the Conference conclusions. No cherry picking, but consistently implementing all of what we decided together, I would say even starting with the hardest part; updating the Treaty to make Europe more tangible, effective and democratic. Starting a Convention is the logical complement of the far-reaching decisions on enlargement the European Council took last week.”