European Commission
Press release
Brussels, 16October2013
Future of Europe: President Barroso to debate with citizens in Liège
During a debate to be held on Thursday 17 October 2013, mere months away from the forthcoming European elections in May 2014, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Didier Reynders, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs, and Jean-Claude Marcourt, Wallonia's Minister for Economic Affairs, will discuss the economic, political and civic issues impacting Europe's future.
'In the debate that is ongoing all across Europe, the bottom-line is: do we want to improve Europe or give it up? My answer is clear: let's engage! If you don't like Europe as it is, improve it!'
José Manuel Barroso, State of the Union address, Strasbourg, 11 September 2013
The Citizens' Dialogue will take place during President Barroso's official visit to Wallonia. It will begin in the morning with a meeting with students of the University of Liège. In the afternoon, the Commission President will officially open the 'Youth on the Move' campaign marquee at Place de la Cathédrale, which, from 17-19 October, will be the gathering point for a whole host of people active in the field of youth. The debate with the citizens will take place from 17:00 to 18:30 at the Théâtre de Liège, 16 Place du 20-Août, Liège.
Those who wish to take part need to register first via the website of the Commission Representation in Belgium: The event will be broadcast live on the Internet by webstreaming. Citizens from all over Europe can also participate via Twitter (hashtag: #EUdeb8).
The event is being organised by the European Commission Representation in Belgium, in partnership with Europe Direct, the Province of Liège, the University of Liège and the City of Liège.
A press conference is scheduled for 12:45 at Liège Town Hall (1st floor). Participants: President J.M. Barroso, Ministers D. Reynders and J-C. Marcourt, Mayor W. Demeyer and President of the Provincial Council, A. Gilles.
Requests for accreditation (name of media organisation, last name and first name, press pass n° and contact details) should be sent by email to and marked 'for the attention of Sophie Ernould'. Badges are personal and non-transferable.
Background
What are the Citizens' Dialogues about?
In January, the European Commission launched the European Year of Citizens (IP/13/2), dedicated to citizens and their rights. Throughout this year and next, members of the European Commission and of the European Parliament, together with national and local politicians, have been and will be holding debates with citizens about their expectations for the future in Citizens' Dialogues across the EU.
The Citizens' Dialogue in Liège is a follow-up to the other Dialogues organised in Belgium: Ghent (12 April), Eupen (23 April), Brussels (4 May), Antwerp (8 May), Genk (28 June) and Namur (13 September). Participants will come together to discuss the future of Europe with citizens, politicians, economists, academics and representatives from the social and cultural arenas, and students from the University and other higher education institutions in Liège.
Further debates will be organised throughout the European Union in 2013 and 2014, bringing together European politicians at national and local level with citizens from all walks of life.
All of the Dialogues can be followed at:
Much has been achieved in the twenty years since the introduction of EU Citizenship: the latest EU survey shows that 71% of Belgians now feel 'European' (EU average: 63%). Across the EU, citizens are exercising their rights on a daily basis. But people are not always aware of these rights. For example, around six in ten Belgians (61%) say that they would like to know more about their rights as EU citizens.
This is why the Commission has made 2013 the European Year of Citizens. The Citizens' Dialogues are at the heart of the Year.
Why is the Commission doing this now?
Because Europe is at a crossroads. The future of Europe has become a topic of popular discussion – with talk in some quarters of a move towards political union, a federation of nation states or a United States of Europe. The coming months and years will be decisive for the future course of the European Union. Further European integration must go hand in hand with strengthening the Union's democratic legitimacy. Giving citizens a direct voice is therefore more important than ever.
What will be the outcome of the Dialogues?
The feedback from citizens during the Dialogues will help guide the Commission as it draws up a Communication on the future of Europe. One of the main purposes of the Dialogues will also be to prepare the ground for the 2014 European elections.
On 8May 2013, the European Commission published its second EU Citizenship Report, which puts forward 12 new concrete measures to solve problems still encountered by citizens (IP/13/410 and MEMO/13/409). This Report is the Commission's response to a major online consultation held from May 2012 (IP/12/461), and to the questions raised and suggestions made in dialogues with EU citizens on their rights and their future.
Will there be another opportunity to debate with Commissioners in Belgium?
Further debates will be held, first at the Palais des Beaux-Arts (BOZAR) in Brussels on 5 December, with the participation of Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou, the Director of BOZAR, Paul Dujardin, and the President of the Europa Nostra Foundation, Placido Domingo and then in Wavre on 19 December, with the participation of Commissioner Michel Barnier.
More information:
Head of EC Representation in Belgium:
The Representation on Facebook:
Future of Europe Debate (English only):
Eurobarometer Belgium:
Official website of the European Year of Citizens 2013 (#YEC2013):
Your Europe website:
Youth on the Move campaign:
President José Manuel Barroso:
Contacts :Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen (+32 2 295 30 70)
Cezary Lewanowicz (+32 2 299 30 50)
ANNEX
1. The Future of Europe Debate continues:
Member State / City / Date / European Commissioner / local/national politiciansSpain / Cadiz / 27/09/2012 / Vice-President Reding / Mayor of Cádiz Teófila Martínez Saíz
Austria / Graz / 05/11/2012 / Vice-President Reding / Austrian Vice-Chancellor/Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger
Germany / Berlin / 10/11/2012 / Vice-President Reding / German Member of European Parliament Dagmar Roth-Behrendt
France / Paris / 23/11/2012 / Vice-President Reding / "-"
Italy / Napoli / 30/11/2012 / Commissioner Andor / Mayor of Naples Luigi de Magistris
Ireland / Dublin / 10/01/2013 / President Barroso/ Vice-President Reding / Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny with Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore / Irish European Affairs Minister Lucinda Creighton
Sweden / Gothenburg / 18/02/2013 / Commissioner Malmström / "-"
Italy / Turin / 21/02/2013 / Commissioner Malmström / Mayor of Turin Piero Fassino
Portugal / Coimbra / 22/02/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Mayor of Coimbra João Paulo Barbosa de Melo, Mayor of Esch-sur-Alzette Lydia Mutsch (video link), Luxembourgish Member of Parliament Felix Braz
Italy / Rome / 18/03/2013 / Vice-President Tajani / Mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno
Greece / Thessaloniki / 22/03/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Mayor of Thessaloniki Yiannis Boutaris
Italy / Pisa / 05/04/2013 / Commissioner Potočnik / Mayor of Pisa Marco Filippeschi
Belgium / Ghent / 12/04/2013 / Commissioner De Gucht / Mayor of Ghent Daniël Termont / Belgian Member of Parliament Geert Versnick
Belgium / Eupen / 23/04/2013 / Commissioner Hahn / Belgian MEP Mathieu Grosch/Begian Minister-President of the German Community Karl-Heinz Lambertz
Belgium / Brussels / 04/05/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Minister-President of the Brussels region Charles Picqué / Belgian Member of European Parliament Marc Tarabella
Germany / Düsseldorf / 08/05/2013 / Commissioner Oettinger / German Member of European Parliament Jürgen Klute / Chairman of "Committee on Europe and a Single World" Nicolaus Kern / Spokespersons of the North Rhine-Westphalia Parliament on European issues – Ilka Freifrau von Boeselager, Stefan Engstfeld, Markus Töns and Dr Ingo Wolf
Slovenia / Ljubljana / 09/05/2013 / Commissioner Potočnik / "-"
Poland / Warsaw / 11/05/2013 / Commissioner Lewandowski / "-"
Czech Republic / Prague / 13/05/2013 / Commissioner Füle / Irish Minister for Trade John Perry/Chairman of the Czech Parliament's European Affairs Committee Jan Bauer / Czech Members of the European Parliament Jan Březina and Libor Rouček / Deputy State Secretary for European Affairs Martin Tlapa
Italy / Ventotene / 27/05/2013 / Vice-President Tajani / Mayor of Ventotene Giuseppe Assenso
Italy / Milan / 07/06/2013 / Commissioner Hedegaard / Mayor of Milan Giuliano Pisapia
Luxembourg / Esch / 30/06/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Luxembourgish MEP Charles Goerens / Luxembourg Member of Parliament Félix Braz / Wallonian Regional Minister Benoit Lutgen / Luxembourg Minister for Labour and Employment Nicolas Schmit
Poland / Warsaw / 11/07/2013 / President Barroso/ Vice-President Reding / Polish Member of European Parliament Róża Thun / Former Prime Minister Tadeusz Masowiecki
Greece / Crete / 12/07/2013 / Commissioner Damanaki / Governor of the Crete region Stavros Arnaoutakis / Greek Member of Parliament Spyros Danellis / Mayor of Heraklion Giannis Kourakis
Germany / Heidelberg / 16/07/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Baden Wüttemberg Minister-President Winfred Kretschmann
Bulgaria / Sofia / 23/07/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev
Belgium / Namur / 13/09/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Minister-President of Wallonia Rudi Demotte
Estonia / Tallinn / 14/09/2013 / Vice-Presidents Rehn / Kallas / "-"
Italy / Trieste / 16/09/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Italian Minister for European Affairs Enzo Moavero Milanesi
Finland / Helsinki / 24/09/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Finnish Member of European Parliament Sirpa Pietikäinen / Finnish MP, Member of the Grand Committee Tuomo Puumala (Centre/ALDE) / Finnish MP, Chair of the Grand Committee, former President of the European Movement in Finland Miapetra Kumpula-Natri (SDP/S&D) / Chairperson of the Young People's Working Group on the Future of the EU Milla Ovaska
Hungary / Györ / 03/10/2013 / Commissioner Andor / Hungarian State Secretary for EU Affairs Enikő Győri and Member of the European Parliametn Csaba Őry.
Slovakia / Košice / 05/10/2013 / Vice-President Šefčovic / Slovak Prime Minster Robert Fico
Sweden / Stockholm / 15/10/2013 / Vice-President Reding / Swedish Minister for EU Affairs Birgitta Ohlsson, Member of European Parliament Olle Ludvigsson and Mayor of Stockholm Sten Nordin
Belgium / Cork / 17/10/2013 / President Barroso / Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs Didier Reynders / Economic Minister for Wallonia Jean-Claude Marcourt
Latvia / Riga / 18/10/2013 / Commissioner Piebalgs / Latvian Defence Minister Artis Pabriks
Malta / Valetta / 07/11/2013 / Commissioner Borg / TBC
France / Marseilles / 14/11/2013 / Vice-President Reding / French Minister for Justice Christine Taubira
Cyprus / Nicosia / 28/11/2013 / Commissioner Vassiliou / TBC
Austria / Eisenstadt / 29/11/2013 / Commissioner Hahn / TBC
Austria / Innsbruck / 06/12/2013 / Commissioner Hahn / TBC
Lithuania / Vilnius / 13/12/2013 / Vice-President Reding / TBC
Belgium / Wavre / 19/12/2013 / Commissioner Barnier / TBC
Online / Virtual dialogue / 16/01/2014 / Vice-President Reding / TBC
Denmark / Copenhagen / 06/02/2014 / Commissioner Hedegaard / TBC
United Kingdom / London / 11/02/2014 / Vice-President Reding / TBC
Netherlands / Amsterdam / 13/02/2014 / Vice-President Reding / TBC
Spain / Barcelona / 23/02/2014 / Vice-President Reding / TBC
Belgium / European Citizens' Dialogue / 27/03/2014 / Vice-President Reding / TBC
2. Belgians say the EU is best able to take effective action against the crisis
Source: Eurobarometer Standard 79 - May 2013
3. Seven out of ten Belgians feel like an EU citizen, but fewer than half of them know what their rights are
Source: Eurobarometer Standard 79 - May 2013
4. Belgians see peace among Member States as the most positive result of the EU
Source: Eurobarometer Standard 79 - May 2013
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