Last week’s virtual ALDE Council brought together the ALDE Party Bureau, member party delegates and liberals from across Europe to discuss some of Europe’s most pressing challenges, the liberal response to the current global situation, and other key agenda points.

Two key resolutions were adopted during the Council meeting: one focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and the other on the Conference on the Future of Europe.

The resolution on the COVID-19 pandemic features three key pillars of action, including safeguarding public health, restoring public trust, and protecting jobs, prosperity, and our common future. The resolution highlights the role of Liberals in overcoming the crisis:

“We, the member parties of the ALDE Party, acknowledge that we need to use this moment as an opportunity for reflection, new thinking, and progress.

Respecting competence and devolved functions across our Union, we commit to initiating and promoting policy initiatives and transforming the discussion at the appropriate local, regional, national and international level as outlined below.

We pledge to create a new future for Europe in the new global normal, that guarantees our safety, safeguards our liberties and freedoms, and offers opportunity and prosperity for our citizens.”

The resolution on the Conference on the Future of Europe focuses on the input that the ALDE party and its members could provide for the project and states:

“By undertaking true structural reforms of institutions and policies, we can become a capable and leading actor on the world stage. The ALDE Party must work, along with other democratic political forces, to redefine our foundations for a united, and democratic Europe.

We welcome the European Commission’s initiative to create the Conference on the Future of Europe. This Conference is an opportunity to reform Europe and build an EU which is powerful, united, stronger and with the solidary and capacity to tackle emergencies and protect its citizens. In order to bring about true reforms, the EU needs to move forward and make the Conference become a reality and to make it as inclusive as possible.”

You can also watch some of the Council highlights, including a message from ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen on our Youtube channel or below.