On 23-24 June, European leaders will meet in Brussels to debate fundamental EU reform. It comes after dozens of proposals were put forward by citizens from across the continent during the Conference on the Future of Europe. In May, French President Macron, Commission President von der Leyen, and President of the European Parliament Metsola made commitments to follow up the Conference outcomes with a European Constitutional Convention.

The European Parliament has officially voted to start European reform. European prime ministers will now need to decide whether or not to begin the process of Treaty change. Triggering Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union for the very first time would start a historic reform process of the EU. The central demand is to abolish the national veto in the EU Council, supported already by the European Parliament. Civil society has mobilized with a Day of Action across Europe on 22 June in calling out to leaders to deliver on a European Constitutional Convention. The ball is now in the European Council's court.

Omri Preiss, managing director at Alliance4Europe said, “Europe is at a historic crossroads, with a tragic war ongoing, the aftermath of a pandemic, and looming climate crisis. Now European leaders must seize the opportunity to take action. National ministers, including the German foreign minister, need to listen up and hear this call.”

Virginia Fiume, co-president of EUMANS said, “It is crucial not to waste this opportunity to strengthen the project of a Europe that can live up to its promises of peace, freedom, and democracy. The people of Europe should be directly involved, building on the efforts and the lessons learned and the proposals made by the Conference on the Future of Europe.”

Daniela Vancic, European Programme Manager at Democracy International, said, “For years civil society has called for a fundamental and democratic reform of the EU. The Conference on the Future of Europe revealed that everyday Europeans call for European reform, too. The European Parliament has taken the first step to trigger the process, and now we expect the European Council to show the same political courage, if the EU is to meet the needs and challenges of the 21st century.”

Stephanie Hartung, Vice-Chair of Pulse of Europe e.V. and Germany‘s National Citizens Representative at the Conference on the Future of Europe comments: "The 49 proposals which the CoFoE has delivered include a strong and clear demand to set the veto right aside in order to allow the EU to finally act quickly and efficiently, especially in times of war and other crises. We expect the EU leaders to respect this demand and to install the Art. 48 Convention now at this very historic moment!“