The heads of state or government of the EU will meet on Thursday at an informal summit in central Sibiu to discuss the future of the EU, European Council President Donald Tusk highlighting in a a letter addressed to the participants that he will propose the adoption of a declaration to convey "a message of unity and trust".
The meeting will be chaired by European Council President Donald Tusk.
On Monday, Tusk sent an open letter to the participants in the Summit in Sibiu, where he voiced his expectations of this dialogue.
We will gather in Sibiu on Europe Day to discuss strategic plans for the European Union in the years to come. In this context, I propose to adopt the Declaration in Sibiu to convey a message of unity and trust in our common actions, the high-level official highlighted.
He also referred to the EU Strategic Agenda for the next five years.
Following the discussions in Sibiu, we will formulate the EU Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, to be adopted by the European Council in June, Tusk reminded.
The guiding topics for discussion in Sibiu, according to the agenda published on the European Council website, aim to address the protection of the EU borders, individual freedoms, the rule of law, illegal migration or the fight against misinformation, but also the consolidation of the single market and climate change.
"We are on the eve of European elections, the EU has gone through and resolved so many crises and I think it takes a forward-looking optimism message that shows that we, the leaders, are willing to move on, we are willing to generate what we promise - well-being and security for the citizens. And we must show that we know what we want with the European Union, and that is what we will prove here in Sibiu on Thursday," President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday.
The heads of state or government will be joined by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.
On Wednesday, Iohannis and Juncker will participate in a debate on the future of Europe at a forum organized by the European Commission in Sibiu for 300 young people.
The entire city center of Sibiu is reserved for the summit. The central moments will be held in the Sibiu City Hall and the Brukenthal Palace, where a working lunch will take place. In the courtyard of the Evangelical Church, the Huet Square, the Big Square and the Small Square, tents are set up for conferences, for journalists to report, but also for access control.
The informal summit will bring together heads of state and government of EU member states in Sibiu, 36 official delegations, 400 high-level guests, about 900 journalists and 100 translators.