PRESS RELEASE 7 May 2021 – for immediate release

“There wouldn’t have been a Green Deal without Fridays for Future”

WTO's Okonjo-Iweala, ECB's Lagarde and EC’s Timmermans among decision-makers joined The State of the Union day two to discuss climate, economy and trade.

On the second day of The State of the Union Conference “Europe in a Changing World”, organised by the European University Institute (EUI), several international decision-makers took the stage to discuss Europe and its global role.

The European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal Frans Timmermans took part in a morning session about global climate action. Timmermans said young people should not underestimate their influence on institutions: “There wouldn’t have been a Green Deal without Fridays for Future. So that is thanks them.”

Former Greek Finance Minister and EUI School of Transnational Governance (STG) Professor George Papaconstantinou interviewed ECB President Christine Lagarde. Taking about the bank’s role in recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, Lagarde said: “There is no doubt that the pandemic will create inequality, and the ECB will have to deliver growth and jobs.”

WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman to lead the multilateral trade organisation, offered a 360-degree view on trade challenges. She also touched upon the issue of gender, saying “we are working to involve women in new rules of trade and support them in our global economy.” Onkonjo-Iweala added the WTO must update its rules “to bring marginalised people into the global trade system.”

EUI Professor Jean Pisani-Ferry of the EUI’s Robert Schuman Centre also touched upon trade in his The State of the Union lecture: "Economists are wrong. It’s not all about games & incentives. Legal scholars are also wrong when they say it’s all about treaties and institutions,” he said. “We see cracks where we have the strongest institutions. The problem now is trade and global financial networks.”

High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and EC Vice-President Josep Borrell Fontelles, also a founding father of The State of the Union Conference, saluted the event, which in his view has become an unmissable appointment on the EU’s calendar. Another interview with EIB President Werner Hoyer focused on climate.

STG Director Alex Stubb, master students and fellows talked with Nobel economics laureate Bengt Holmström about whether Europe is falling behind in the global digital economy. According to Holmström, who recently joined the STG as part-time professor, Europe has focused more on privacy and regulation. “The general idea in Europe is that individuals or enterprises own the data and should decide. But data has enormous social value,” he said. “Giving that ownership to individuals makes development very slow.”

The 2021 edition of The State of the Union concluded on Friday evening with a closing address by Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio. Nearly 2000 invitees interacted via a digital event platform during the conference.

On Saturday 8 May, a live in-person event for over 300 students and young activists will complement the 10th anniversary edition of The State of the Union. The live show with artists, influencers, and Members of the European Parliament is part of the Citizens Engagement Actions co-funded by the European Union.

#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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ACCESS TO PHOTOS AND FOOTAGE
•    Photo selection Day 2: https://we.tl/t-k1cS9Zvjwf
•    Photo selection Day 1: https://bit.ly/2Ruomqf
•    Rewatch the sessions from Day 2 following the links below:
https://youtu.be/qijWvYpnZJI  (morning)
https://youtu.be/wn9p-xavq94 (afternoon)
All video recordings will be made available here: stateoftheunion.eui.eu/video-recordings/

Media contacts:

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

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, 3.00 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