2010 is the first year after the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty, reforming the European Union. Simultaneously, the Union is thinking of its next long-term strategy, Europe 2020. Thus, this year has all the good reasons to remain in history as the beginning of a new stage in the overall development of the European Union and its member states. What would the European Union be like in 2020 as a global player on the international scene: the European Union being the third force in terms of population after India and China? 

How to address the citizens’ concerns – about energy supplies, the EU-Russia relations, the enlargement… Our guests were invited to comment on the messages of the recent developments of the EU-Russia relations (Russia-Poland, Russia-the Ukraine, US-EU Summit in Prague), as well as on the Eastern Partnership, the S&D “Enlargement 2014” initiative, the expectations on the advancement of the EU-Turkey negotiations by 2020.

A discussion about the role of Europe as a global player in the long-term perspective was organized on April 14, 2010, at the voxbox studio in the European Parliament’s studio in Brussels. The debate was streamed live on the internet through Europe Gateway.

Short description: A presentation of the book “Europe 2020 – Civic Vision”, followed by a discussion about the future of Europe on the international scene, its relations with Russia and the energy policy, with the participation of young European citizens, Members of the European Parliament, of the Committee of the Regions, and representatives of civil-society organizations, as well as young citizens from Bulgaria.

This event took place in partnership with MEP Kristian Vigenin.

Among the participants were MEP Kristian Vigenin – Chairman of the EP Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (i.e. the Eastern Partnership: the Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), coordinator of the S&D Group in the Committee on foreign Affairs in the EP, Member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, as well as CoR Member Vladimir Kissiov – Member of the Bureau of the EPP group in the Committee of the Regions, former Deputy foreign minister and chief negotiator of Bulgaria with the EU, at present also Municipal Councilor of Sofia Municipality.

The book “Europe 2020 – Civic Vision” was presented by Tihomira Trifonova – expert and analyst at the Bulgarian civil-society organization Center for Policy Modernization, editor of the book.