PRESS RELEASE 6 May 2021 – for immediate release

“Europe is a story of new beginnings”

Day 1 wrap-up of the 10th edition of the 2021 The State of the Union Conference.

The first day of the 2021 The State of the Union “Europe in a Changing World” started with a message of hope from European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen who in her opening speech talked about ending the COVID-19 pandemic and shaping a new beginning for Europe.

Referring to access to COVID-19 vaccines, President von der Leyen said the European Union is ready to “discuss any proposal that addresses the crisis in an effective and pragmatic manner”, adding “that is why we are ready to discuss how the U.S. proposal for a waiver on intellectual property protection for COVID-19 vaccines could help achieve that objective.”

Ensuing sessions looked at topical issues such as European foreign policy, climate change, data, access to vaccines, and the EU as a peace mediator.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama intervened from the European University Institute’s (EUI) Badia Fiesolana in a session on EU soft power in neighbouring regions. Referring to EU accession talks, Prime Minister Rama said: "The European path is the only and ultimate choice for us. This is what we have to do in order to secure reforms for the future of our children and our country."

On the same panel, EP Foreign Affairs Committee Chair and EUI STG Advisory Board Member David McAllister MEP, spoke about EU-Turkey relations acknowledging that they are in a state of “deep freeze”. President Erdogan should make a “real, sincere, and sustainable commitment towards improving the relationship”.

The first conference day concluded with an evening conversation between IMF Director Kristalina Georgieva and Alexander Stubb, Director of the EUI School of Transnational Governance. Georgieva and Stubb talked among other things about the need for a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.

On day 1, nearly 2000 participants actively participated in the conference via a digital platform designed to bolster engagement between the speakers and the audience.

The State of the Union continues on Friday 7 May from 09:00 AM CEST. Day 2 speakers include WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, ECB President Christine Lagarde, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and EC Vice-President Josep Borrell Fontelles and the EC’s Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans.

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ACCESS TO PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE
Access a selection of photos from Day 1: https://bit.ly/2Ruomqf
Rewatch the sessions from Day 1 following the links below. Navigation by session will be made available later. Please send a note to SOUPress@eui.eu if you’d like to receive an alert.

Channel 1:
https://youtu.be/hAji9X0LA-Un (morning)
https://youtu.be/awGIer6y8aE (afternoon)

Channel 2:
https://youtu.be/tdUAK1GMIvU
https://youtu.be/zDuk0WBuoJI

Channel 3:
https://youtu.be/hxNEJA3b70Y (morning)
https://youtu.be/_cvsnrVZdpA (afternoon)

Media contacts:

Roeland Scholtalbers, Communications specialist | SoUPress@eui.eu | +393516441013
Marco Incerti, Director, COM Service | SoUPress@eui.eu | +393271598705

#SOU4YOU: Bringing The State of the Union Closer to Citizens

The two-day conference will be complemented by an in-person event for over 300 students and young activists on Saturday 8 May. The live show with artists, influencers, and Members of the European Parliament is part of the Citizens Engagement Actions co-funded by the EP.

#SOU4YOU – Bringing the State of the Union Closer to Citizens aims at creatively engaging young people, civil society organisations, and minority representatives on the big questions facing Europe to make sure the wider public feels part of the debate. It will also represent a symbolic stepping stone towards the Conference on the Future of Europe which will be launched on the following day in Strasbourg.

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PROGRAMME

The State of the Union Conference – 10th Anniversary edition
“Europe in a Changing World”
6 - 7 May 2021, 10 AM CEST

•    Speaker line-up
•    Programme
•    Live event tweets: @EUISoU
•    Event hashtag: #SOU2021
•    Website: stateoftheunion.eui.eu

The State of the Union is supported by a range of partners.

#SOU4YOU – Bringing the State of the Union Closer to Citizens
“Europe in a Changing World”
8 May 2021, 3.30 PM CEST, Fiesole, Italy

•    Event website
•    Programme
•    Registration for live participation (please indicate press affiliation)

ACCESS, QUESTIONS AND MEDIA REQUESTS

•    The event will be livestreamed at stateoftheunion.eui.eu from Thursday 6 May, 09:00 CEST without the need for prior registration. If you’d like to have access to the event platform, please contact SoUPress@eui.eu.
•    Media questions sent in advance via e-mail will be shared with the moderators and speakers for their consideration: SoUPress@eui.eu.
•    Interview requests for EUI-affiliated speakers: SoUPress@eui.eu.


ABOUT THE STATE OF THE UNION

The State of the Union is an annual event for reflection on the European Union. It is organised by the European University Institute and takes place in Florence each May. Over the past ten years, The State of the Union has become a key reference point for EU policy-makers, civil society representatives, diplomats, business and opinion leaders, and academics. Previous speakers include Presidents, Prime Ministers, and the heads of the European Institutions. The State of the Union is a unique forum where a diverse group of key actors can gather to debate and reflect, together, on Europe’s most pressing issues. In times of crisis or instability, such a nuanced understanding of the EU’s successes, failures and challenges is crucial.

The organisation of The State of the Union is made possible thanks to the support of its partners.

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Media contacts:

Roeland Scholtalbers, Communications specialist | SoUPress@eui.eu | +393516441013
Marco Incerti, Director, COM Service | SoUPress@eui.eu | +393271598705