The European Parliament's Conference of Presidents, the governing body of the European Parliament, agreed on 16 January on the composition of the Executive Coordination Board for the Conference on the Future of Europe. It will be formed by five members. Besides the representative of the Council and the representative of the European Commission, three MEPs drawn from Renew Europe, the EPP and S&D groups will be designated by the European Parliament.

While one of these three members will convene, coordinate and direct the works of the Board, as well as of the Steering committee and the Plenary of the Conference, they will cooperate and steer the different bodies of the Conference in full collegiality. The Executive Coordination Board will be a collegial body, taking its decisions by common accord.

The decision comes the day after the European Parliament adopted, by a large majority, a resolution setting out its detailed vision for the Conference.

Dacian Cioloș, President of the Renew Europe Group commented:

"Renew Europe put forward the proposal on the Conference on the Future of Europe and I am delighted our family will play a central role in driving it, which can become a great opportunity to renew Europe if we have the courage to move away from bureaucratic & procedural thinking and really give voice to citizens in all their diversity. Guy Verhofstadt (for Renew Europe) will lead this, mobilizing his talent and energy to create an inclusive and participatory process. "

"After Brexit, the migration crisis and the growing foreign policy challenges in Europe's backyard, it is time to refresh Europe so it can take its destiny in it's own hands. Renew Europe will be staunch advocates of the need for ambitious democratic and institutional reform, driven from the bottom up."

"This Conference is an opportunity to open Europe's doors to its citizens. And it is not for nothing that we have defended the date of 9 May for its launch. We must find ways to involve them on a regular basis. Reform should be driven from the bottom up by the citizens of Europe."

"The European elections showed citizens believe in Europe, but they want a better, different, renewed Europe. We must change the way citizens are involved in the European process. Europe was not created for "Brussels", for an elite or a "bubble", but to serve all citizens."

"I am convinced that participatory democracy & representative democracy through the parliamentary process are complementary and we need to find a way to build this into our way of working."