Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of the French Republic between 1974 and 1981, presented the newly created foundation of which he is President, Re-Imagine Europa, which aims to present reflections on the future of the European Union, at a launch conference held at the European Parliament on Wednesday 11 April.
Although he took pains to stress that Europe is one of the “most successful and remarkable political projects ever undertaken”, today he hopes that the EU will respond to certain challenges, particularly economic, social and technological ones. This is the starting point of Re-Imagine Europa.
Erika Widegren, the Director General of the foundation, stressed the need to move the role and objectives of Europe forwards, as its economic and social model has “reached its limits”. In line with organisations, institutions, MEPs of a range of political parties and other partners, she stressed the foundation's intention of exploiting the knowledge and talent present in Europe to be able to take concrete actions. A particular aim will be to bring the citizens closer to their institutions.
Widegren also announced that a working programme of the foundation would be presented in September, after a meeting of the consultative committee. Initially, the work will be arranged around taxation and budget on the one hand, and new technologies and the media environment on the other. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)