The State of the European Union 2015: 11 challenges for the new legislative period, a perspective from Spain

Press briefing
 

The State of the European Union 2015: 11 challenges for the new legislative period

A perspective from Spain

13 May 2015, 10h30 – 12h00

EU-Office, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Rue du Taciturne 38, 1000 Brussels

Please register online via our registration page:

https://feseurope.wufoo.com/forms/press-accreditation-state-of-the-union-2015/

As a consequence of the crisis in the EU and one-sided policy approaches, economic and social divergences between centre and periphery, North and South have increased alarmingly.  The current debate about finding a solution for the situation in Greece is proof of a growing entrenchment of opposing opinions between Northern and Southern European countries showing that social and democratic peace across Europe and the European project as such are severely in danger. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker therefore branded his term of office as “a last chance Commission”. The same goes for the new legislative period of the European Parliament.

The Spanish think-tank Fundación Alternativas and the Madrid Office of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung have addressed this topic in a comprehensive report, written by a group of experts from Spain, Portugal and Germany. The objective of the event is to contribute to an exchange of views in a North-South/centre-periphery dimension. On the basis of this report it should be discussed in particular from a Southern European perspective what precisely are the challenges ahead of the new EU Commission and the European Parliament, and what alternative approaches should be envisaged to get back on a path of economic and social relief to also keep the political project of the EU viable.

We would like to invite you to discuss the main findings and recommendations of this report with:

• Diego López Garrido, Spanish Member of Parliament, former Secretary of State for European Affairs and a member of the European Convention on the Lisbon Treaty
• Carlos Carnero, Managing Director of Fundación Alternativas, former member of the European Parliament and member of the European Convention on the Lisbon Treaty
• Vicente Palacio, Deputy director of the Observatorio de Política Exterior at Fundación Alternativas

The report will shortly be available online.

The press briefing will be followed by a light lunch (12h00) and a public debate of the report (12h30).

Please register online via our registration page:

https://feseurope.wufoo.com/forms/press-accreditation-state-of-the-union-2015/

For questions and inquiries please contact:

Stephan Thalhofer

EU-Office

Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

Rue du Taciturne 38

1000 Bruxelles

Tel. : +32 22 34 62 93

E-Mail:  Stephan.Thalhofer@fes-europe.eu