In a year of many cataclysms, the place and responsibilities of the European Union have been forced under the spotlight. From the coronavirus vaccine race, to the positioning of its external policy in the Sino-American conflict or its strategy for a digital transformation; questioning the projection of the Union into a new decade has become concomitant with challenging its identity or relevance.
From the 6th to the 8th of May, the 2021 edition of The State of the Union will stand atop the cusp. The European University Institute's flagship conference will gather policymakers, civil society, researchers, and government officials in Florence to discuss one theme: Europe in a Changing World.
A key forum for discussion, this edition will mark the 10th anniversary of The State of the Union. Over the past decade, it has pressed the most pertinent issues faced by Europe and its citizens.
The conference will address the challenges and opportunities for Europe amidst rising concerns over global commons and the climate emergency, a shifting economic and geopolitical power balance, major challenges to multilateralism, and the ongoing global battle against COVID-19.
Some of the stakes tackled by the Conference will include:
