17
Oct
2023
Watch
General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2024 - all sections (debate)
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, 2024 will be the year of the European elections and that is why our budget must reflect the challenges we face. Among these, there is certainly a need to communicate more and better with citizens in order to raise their awareness of the activities of the European Union, countering disinformation and breaking down the barrier that still exists between citizens and institutions. The European Union is often perceived as an abstract and distant reality, despite the fact that here we make decisions that affect the lives of our citizens every day. There is a need for resources to raise citizens' awareness of the importance of having a strong and cohesive Europe as the only solution to tackle a complex present and an ambitious future. And resources are needed to implement the Conference on the Future of Europe, where citizens have expressly asked us for a different and more concrete Europe, a Europe that is not afraid to question itself and also to initiate the delicate reform process of our Treaties.