DANIEL CALLEJA. "THE FUTURE OF EUROPE: CHALLENGES POSED BY THE PANDEMIC"

On 16 December 2020, the Director General of the European Commission's Legal Service, Daniel Calleja, gave the second conference in the series "The Future of Europe", the aim of which is to discuss the most burning issues facing the European Union with experts in European affairs and to analyse where the Community project is heading. 

During his speech, Daniel Calleja referred to the "ambitious agenda" presented by the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, in her first appearance after her appointment: Green Pact, Digital Agenda, Economy at the service of all, European Social Model, a Geopolitical Europe and a more democratic Europe.

The Director General, aware of the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, indicated four major challenges facing the Union in the short to medium term: health, economic and social, ecological and digital, and geopolitical. He then went through each of them, mentioning the main concerns within each of these four aspects to be taken into account by the European Union. 

Daniel Calleja wanted to end his speech with a hopeful plea, as he assured that "we are facing a great opportunity to develop the European project" while at the same time he was convinced of this because "integration is the best way to face these new challenges". 

The conference given by the Director General of the European Commission's Legal Service was the second in the "Future of Europe" series, which was opened on 12 November by Arancha González Laya, the Spanish Government's Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.