Bijeenkomst van nationale parlementen en Europees Parlement over de toekomst van Europa (en)

Members of national Parliaments and of the European Parliament will meet in the EP's Brussels premises to discuss the future of Europe on 8-9 May 2006. This conference will give citizens' national and European representatives an opportunity to discuss the key issues of concern to them.

'Europe means the building of a supranational democracy... a new experience, an exercise fraught with perils.... Developing synergy and cooperation between the European Parliament and the national parliaments will help European democracy to move forward. This dialogue will bring together ideas and visions for the European Union of the future,' said Josep Borrell, President of the European Parliament

'The future of the European Union rests in the hands of the citizens of Europe. Members of parliaments are their political representatives. Together, viewing matters from the point of view both of the Member States and of Brussels, we wish to debate the basic principles of the direction in which Europe should progress,'  said Andreas Khol, President of the Austrian Nationalrat

The issues to be addressed during the meeting, in working parties and a plenary session, will include: Europe in the world and the EU's borders; globalisation and the European economic and social model; freedom, security and justice; and the European Union's future financial resources.

This event, jointly organised by the European Parliament and the Austrian Parliament, will provide a contribution to the discussions of the European Council meeting of 15-16 June, which will draw initial conclusions from the period of reflection.