The territorial dimension of the Conference on the Future of Europe and its follow-ups

The Conference on the Future of Europe provided an opportunity to reflect in a fundamental way on the most relevant challenges for the future of Europe. Clustered into nine topics, the debates in the CoFoE cover:

• EU policies and processes;
• the EU's institutional structure;
• citizens' expectations towards the EU.

For the success of the CoFoE, its follow ups are at least as important as the process itself. It is indeed essential that CoFoE is not only a listening exercise, but that it paves the way for tangible changes.

The CoR positioning in the CoFoE aimed to propose possible avenues for improving and strengthening the role of cities and regions, and of the CoR itself as the institutional representative of cities and regions in the EU decision-making process. In other words, the CoR aimed to strengthen the territorial dimension of European democracy.

The study commissioned by the COR and done by CASE team aims to analyse the outcomes of the CoFoE, expected in late in Spring 2022. According to the CoFoE Rules of Procedure "the final outcome of the Conference will be presented in a report to the Joint Presidency. The three institutions will examine swiftly how to follow up effectively to this report, each within their own sphere of competences and in accordance with the Treaties"

The analysis will support the CoR's follow-up to the CoFoE's recommendations concerning European Democracy and institutional issues, providing a knowledge-based backup to its legislative and political work. It will also facilitate the gathering and development of the ideas put forward in the CoFoE that might be relevant for cities and regions and for the CoR, as well as an overview of potential CoR partners and allies.

Client: The Committee of the Regions

Project leader : CASE - Centrum Analiz Społeczno-Ekonomicznych

Partner: Milieu