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Conference

European Values are cordially inviting you to an international public conference held on the occasion of the celebration of the Europe Day.

Eight discussion panels will tackle current challenges Europe is facing nowadays: energy dependency, violent radicalization and terrorism, nuclear proliferation, declining competitiveness of Europe’s economy, demographic decline, climate change, disengagement in politics, armed conflicts in greater neighborhood.

Why and How to Strengthen the Transatlantic Partnership

International Conference of the European Values Association
5 – 6 November 2009, Prague

Today in the 21^st century the West is no longer setting the direction of political, economic and security developments in the world. Compared to other parts of the planet, Europe is declining and the United States may soon remain just one of several great powers next to China, India, Brazil, Russia or the rising Islamic nations. The Western way of life characterised by freedom and prosperity, based on liberal democracy, individual rights, rule of law and a market economy, might not be preserved in the upcoming world order, in which powers upholding different or even contradictory values could prevail. Despite various differences between Europe and North America, both share one civilization founded on common historical traditions and values which are embodied in our political institutions. To cope with the challenges and the threats of tomorrow, our close partnership is not only natural but absolutely indispensable.

The aim of this conference is to explore and discus perspectives for overcoming the “democratic deficit” of the EU in the current context characterised by the incapacity of the EU to ensure sufficient support for its actions from citizens. In spite of institutional reform and its advances, the EU still fails to answer in addressing accordingly the multiple concerns of citizens. Often put forward, the concept of a “Europe of results” cannot, as such, represent a complete solution, as the legitimization ex-post that it proposes does not make citizens really involved in the major choices to be made at the European level.