23 March 2021

On 23 March 2021 the Governments of 12 EU Member States (Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Slovakia, and Sweden) presented a Non-Paper on the Conference on the Future of Europe identifying the following priorities:

• The structure of the Conference should be streamlined and avoid any unnecessary bureaucracy;
• The structure of the Conference should not create legal obligations, nor should it duplicate or unduly interfere with already established legislative processes;
• The main priority of the Conference should lie in engaging in a dialogue – based on an inclusive approach to diversity and gender equality – with citizens on what they expect from the EU;
  
  
• Other priority topics should be:
• Protecting and promoting the rule of law and fundamental values within the EU and worldwide;
• Making the EU a global climate leader through an ambitious green transition and the implementation of climate targets, contributing to EU's competitiveness;
• Fair and green economic recovery, including reforms increasing EU's competitiveness, resilience and stability;
• Ensuring an effective, competitive, socially inclusive and sustainable internal market; and facilitating the EU's digital transition;
• Managing migration challenges in a comprehensive, fair and humane manner;
• Building global security, including by combating terrorism and violent extremism, both online and offline;
• Making the EU a strong and credible global player, including by working towards greater efficiency in decision-making processes;
• Promoting multilateralism and rules-based global free trade, both within the EU and externally;

Horizontal issues aimed at enhancing EU's democratic legitimacy:

• Promoting EU institutions' democratic legitimacy through greater transparency of legislative procedures;
• Ensuring the rule of law is constantly monitored and respected both at EU level and in each Member State;
• Ensuring correct implementation and effective application of EU legislation within Member States; promoting the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality;
• Involving citizens, including young people, civil society, social partners and national parliaments in the discussions on the future of Europe, with a view to strengthening the role of national parliaments in the EU’s daily work, also in application of the subsidiarity principle;
• Safeguarding EU's inter-institutional balance, including the distribution of competences.

(Source: Italy's Chamber of Deputies)