The State of the Union (SOU) is an annual forum for high-level reflection on the European Union organized by the European University Institute (EUI) since 2011 in Florence, Italy.[1] The conference acts as a bridge between academia and policy-making in Europe, bringing together heads of states, presidents and representatives of EU institutions, academic experts, business and opinion leaders, NGOs, think tanks, journalists and representatives of civil society.[2][3][4][5]
Throughout its history the conference has addressed topics including climate, migration, surveillance and freedom, the role of Europe in a globalized world, the Eurozone crisis, gender, citizenship, solidarity, 21st-century democracy, and Europe's management of the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges for the EU following the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The theme of each conference is designed by an annually changing Scientific Committee of experts and academics from within the EUI community.[6]
The event is renowned for high-level participation and discussion, prominent media coverage, and consistent timing: the conference falls annually around 9 May, the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, making Florence the center of Europe on Europe day.[7][8]
The first conference took place in 2011 as the central event of the Festival d’Europa (Festival of Europe),[9] an annual festival organized in May in in Florence. Subsequently, the European University Institute brought the event in-house; the mission of the stand-alone event has since been to contribute to the analysis of the European Union's current situation and debate EU policies and the functioning of EU institutions.[10]
The event typically lasts three days. The venues change annually, with the EUI’s hilltop campus locations in Fiesole and Palazzo Vecchio being the most used. The first day normally takes place at the Badia Fiesolana, the EUI's hilltop premises in Fiesole, and its program features an array of parallel sessions and fringe events. The second day is held at Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's historic town hall, and hosts dignitaries from Europe and beyond. It features high-level discussions, panels and interviews. The third day is an Open Day held at the Historical Archives of the European Union, housed at Villa Salviati at the EUI.[11] It welcomes local residents to experience the architecture and gardens of Villa Salviati and learn about the European project and its cultural and historical heritage first-hand through participation in guided tours, exhibitions, tastings, cultural and leisure events.[12] The third day is an Open Day held at the Historical Archives of the European Union, housed at Villa Salviati.[11] During Open Day, there are educational talks about the European Project and its cultural and historical heritage. There are also guided tours, exhibitions, tastings, and leisure events.[12]
Past Editions
2011: The State of the Union
The inaugural edition (9-10 May) held at Palazzo Vecchio explored key political and economic issues facing the EU.[13] Across four panels, discussions centred around the reforms of the Treaty of Lisbon, Europe in the globalised world, the Euro and global economic governance, and employment and financial stability in the wake of the global financial crisis.[14]
2012: The State of the Union
The second edition (9-10 May) explored the challenges of globalisation, climate change, Europe's role as a global actor, economic governance and EU energy policy at the time of the global recession and the European sovereign debt crisis.[15]
2013: The State of the Union
The third edition (9 May) widened its analysis of the present and future prospects of the EU and sought to integrate the opinions of European citizens through luminaries from academia, business and the news media, including the Financial Times and Le Monde.[16] Sessions explored the EU's challenges in depth, such as the future of EU citizenship and free movement.[17]
2014: The Future of the Social and Political Model for Europe and the Upcoming European Elections
2014's edition (7-9 May) centred around the future of the social and political model for Europe and the upcoming European Parliament elections.[18] The event also promoted awareness about the activity of the European Union as news agencies televised the live Spitzenkandidaten debate in which José Bové, Jean-Claude Juncker, Martin Schulz and Guy Verhofstadt faced each other for a debate in the contest for the Presidency of the European Commission.[19]
2015: Confronting the Future of Europe
The programme of the 2015 edition (6-9 May) was composed of 13 panels that discussed Europe's need of a new narrative or Schuman Declaration, Europe's role in peacekeeping and stabilization, cybersecurity, surveillance and freedom.[20][21]
2016: Women in Europe and the World
Feeding into global discussions about the position of women in societies around the world, the 2016 edition (5-7 May) brought a gendered perspective to an array of policy areas.[22][23] The State of the Union countered the trend of female underrepresentation at high-level conferences with women's voices making up 66% of the 92 speakers,[24] the highest number of speakers in a single edition to date, and 62% of the Scientific Committee.[25]
2017: Building a People’s Europe
The 2017 edition (4-6 May) mainly focused on the meaning of European citizenship in the 21st century in the context of Brexit.[26][27][28] Topics discussed also included direct democracy, referendums and populism, the impact of the global refugee emergency on Europe, the economic and monetary integration of the EU, the labour market and free movement of people and state secrecy and security in Europe.[29]Jean-Claude Juncker, then president of the European Commission sparked controversy by saying that the English language is "losing importance".[30]
2018: Solidarity in Europe
The 2018 edition (10-12 May) consisted of 14 sessions which dealt with the theme of European solidarity.[31] This year saw the development of the Fringe Events programme, established as part of the EUI's commitment to diversify conference participants and create new synergies between the institute and the local political environment.[32]
2019: 21st-Century Democracy in Europe
With the European elections just weeks away from the conference, democracy was the central theme chosen for the 2019 edition.[33] Speakers debated and discussed the challenges of democracy in areas such as the European elections, the rule of law, disinformation and fake news, reflections on the democratic transition in Eastern Europe, the democratic legitimacy of immigration policies, intergenerational inequalities, trust in the single market, democratising the EU's external action, and Global Governance trends to 2030.[34] The highlight of the conference was the debate amongst the then Spitzenkandidaten for the position of President of the European Commission.[35]
2020: Europe: Managing the COVID-19 Crisis
The special edition of SOU took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.[36][37][38] The theme of the entirely online event fostered reflection on three key policy areas profoundly impacted by the pandemic: public health, the economy and global cooperation.[39] The scientific content of the conference was supported by a first look at YouGov international public opinion surveys on topics relating to the impact on the pandemic on various social issues.[40] The EUI created a podcast series for the first time containing key take-aways from the panel debates.[41]
2021: Europe in a Changing World
On 6 and 7 May, The State of the Union celebrated its 10th anniversary. The event took place in hybrid form at the Badia Fiesolana with selected sessions happening on stage in the EUI’s production studio. The theme “Europe in a Changing World” fostered debate and audience engagement on eight key topics: artificial intelligence, climate, geopolitics, global economy, multilateralism, peace and human rights, public health and strategic autonomy.
The programme included 44 sessions in 3 parallel streams, giving viewers the choice of hybrid and online sessions. There were over 161 speakers which included Vincenzo Amendola - Undersecretary of State for European Affairs, Italy; Kristalina Georgieva - Manging director of International Monetary Fund (IMF); Edi Rama - Prime Minister of Albania; Werner Hoyer - President, European Investment Bank (EIB); Ayşe Cihan Sultanoğlu - Assistant Secretary- General, United Nations; Christine Lagarde - President, European Central Bank; Frans Timmermans - former Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, European Commission; Thierry Breton - Commissioner for Internal Market, European Commission; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala - Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO); Cristina Gallach Figueras – State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and for Ibero-America and the Caribbean, Spain.
The programme also included 11 fringe events organised by The State of the Union’s partners and internal and external stakeholders.
2022: A Europe Fit for the Next Generation?
Titled “A Europe Fit for the Next Generation?”, the 12th edition of The State of the Union was held on 5-7 May and counted 135 speakers, 43 sessions, five overarching streams and 40 hours of recordings. After a two-year hiatus, policy leaders and experts from academia and beyond gathered in Florence to discuss a number of issues on the European agenda, including the climate emergency, the digital transition, the future of transatlantic relations, the Next Generation EU recovery plan, the war in Ukraine and its complex geopolitical, economic, and legal ramifications.
The programme featured Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus - Director-General, World Health Organization; Fatih Birol - Executive Director of the International Energy Agency; Věra Jourová - European Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency; Roberta Metsola - European Parliament President; Teresa Ribera Rodríguez - Spanish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ecology; Audrey Tang – Minister for Digital Affairs, Taiwan; Eamon Gilmore - Special Representative for Human Rights, European Union; Francesca Bria - President, Italian National Innovation Fund, CDP Venture Capital; Petra De Stutter – Deputy Prime Minster, Belgium and many other prominent speakers.
2023: Building Europe in times of uncertainty
Building Europe in times of uncertainty The 13th edition of the State of the Union was held on May 4-5 2023 and brought together more than 700 in-person participants and over 10,000 individuals followed the event via live stream. Under the theme "Building Europe in times of uncertainty," this conference featured over 130 speakers and hosted more than 35 sessions. High-level discussions centred around critical policy areas, including challenges to democracy, the green transition and energy security, geopolitics and EU priorities, the global economic scenario, and digital and tech transition.
The concluding events included SOU4YOU at Palazzo Vecchio, attended by over 600 young European citizens, and an Open Day at Villa Salviati on May 6, which welcomed over 2,500 visitors. SOU2023 stands as a testament to the EUI's commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue on Europe's most pressing issues.
Speakers included: Tobias Billström – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sweden; Dita Charanzová – Vice-President, European Parliament; Nadia Calviño – First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Affairs and Digitalisation, Spain; Josep Borrell Fontelles - High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy; Paolo Gentiloni – Commissioner for Economy, European Commission; Norbert Röttgen – Member, German Bundestag; Antonio Tajani – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy; Alexander Schallenberg - Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Austria; Sylvie Goulard - Member of the French Diplomatic Service, France.
The State of the Union 2024
The 14th edition of the State of the Union, held on May 23-24, 2024, gathered over 850 in-person participants and captivated an audience of more than 11,000 individuals via live stream. The 14th State of the Union conference brought together a powerful mix of over 150 speakers from 35 nations for a 2-day exploration of Europe’s future. This diverse group, committed to gender balance, represented a broad spectrum of voices from government, academia, business, and beyond. The State of the Union 2024, held in Florence pre-June 2024 elections of the European Parliament, aimed to shape a better future for Europe. It did this by fostering inclusive dialogue around the EU's critical issues, including democracy, green initiatives, future enlargement, and pressing concerns like climate change and digital transformation. High-level discussions and panels featuring diverse speakers, stakeholders, and even the public through a unique participatory session have been the key to achieving this goal.
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