The European Union enshrines values of “respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities” in its Treaties, the international accords that serve as constitutional grounds for the Union.
Forming an integral part of the European way of life, these values are common to Member States in societies in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men must prevail. They define the role of the European Union in the world and are the basis of the European project and its future.
This Policy Lab aims to identify concrete mechanisms and proposals to strengthen the efforts of Member States and European institutions to ensure full respect and implementation of all European values, including democracy, equality and the rule of law in all European Member States.
Bringing together the political and experienced perspective of Club de Madrid Members, all democratic heads of state and government with the aspirations and vision of civil society, the Lab addresses the development of possible mechanisms to strengthen the participation of European citizens in the democratic life of the European Union.
Join our Policy Lab ‘Intergenerational Leadership for the Future of Europe – Values and Citizenship’.
Connect on 29 September at 9:30h CEST.
09:30h (CET) – Welcome Remarks
Master of ceremonies: Rubén Campos, Coordinator of Programmes, Club de Madrid
- –Danilo Türk, President of Club de Madrid and President of Slovenia (2007-2012)
- -Juan González-Barba Pera, Secretary of State for the European Union, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Government of Spain
09:45 – 11:15h – Dialogue I – How to strengthen European Democracy and Rule of Law?
Session facilitated by Ken Godfrey Executive Director of the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
- –Alexander Stubb, Prime Minister of Finland (2014-2015) and Member of Club de Madrid
- –Aleksander Kwasniewski, President of Poland (1995-2005) and Member of Club de Madrid (TBC)
- –Belén Becerril Atienza, Deputy Director of the Royal University Institute of European Studies & Professor of European Union Law, CEU San Pablo University
- –Dominik Hierlemann, Senior Expert, Program Future of Democracy, Bertelsmann Stiftung Berlin
- -Julia Fernández Arribas, Youth Representative, President of Equipo Europa
- –Tamsin Rose, Friends of Europe Senior Fellow
11:15-11:30h – Break
11:30 – 13:00h – Dialogue II –European citizenship based on equality. Shared Societies
Session facilitated by María Andrés Marín, Head, European Parliament Office in Spain
- -Ivo Josipović, President of Croatia (2010-2015) and Member of Club de Madrid
- –Vaira Vike Freiberga, President of Latvia (1999-2007) and Member of Club de Madrid
- -John Bruton, Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland (1994-1997) and Member of Club de Madrid
- –Camino Mortera, Senior Research Fellow, Centre of European Reform
- –Andreas Eberhardt, Founding Director and CEO, Alfred Landecker Foundation
- –Zulema Altamirano, Director Women and Science Unit, Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain
13:00h – Closing remarks
- –María Elena Agüero, Club de Madrid Secretary-General