Brussels, 15/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - In Nantes, France, on Saturday 11 October 2008, more than 500 young Europeans published a manifesto of twelve projects for Europe in 2020 that they want to see implemented as part of the 'Paroles d'Europeens' project launched by the French foreign and European affairs ministry. Twelve projects have been chosen to symbolise the twelve stars of the EU flag. They are projects that the group of young people (students and workers from the EU and beyond) wants the EU to implement, selected after twenty-four workshops held on 10 October 2008 on four subjects - boosting the links between the EU and its citizens; building an innovative Europe of solidarity; building a Europe of sustainable development; and Europe's position in tomorrow's world. The projects were then submitted to a public meeting of nearly 1,500 people attended by former Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzalez and Vaira Vike-Freiberga, former President of Latvia, who are chair and vice-chair respectively of the Reflection Group on the future of the European Union in 2020-2030. Commenting that the EU's instruments are too old for today's needs, Gonzalez said that the 12 projects would inspire the Reflection Group's work. Vike-Freiberga said that the young people now had to ensure that their ideas were actually put into practice and they should get involved in the EU process. Welcoming the meeting as a success, French secretary of state for European affairs, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, Jean-Marc Ayrault, deputy mayor of Nantes, and Yves Lecointe, president of Nantes University, decided to organise a big meeting for young people in Nantes every year entitled 'Les rendez-vous europeens de Nantes'. (I.L. trans fl)