Figure 5 – Timeline of key developments in the debate on the Future of Europe

The Rome Declaration was an important milestone in the reflection process on the future of the EU. It began immediately after the UK’s Brexit referendum of 23 June 2016 at the informal meeting of 27 Heads of State or Government on 29 June 2016. Since then, many events and contributions have advanced the debate on the future of the EU. This chapter looks at the different phases in the debate since the Rome Declaration, including the emergence of the Leaders’ Agenda as a major institutional innovation. It also provides a comparison of three crucial contributions to the debate on the Future of Europe: the Bratislava Declaration and Roadmap; the Rome Declaration; and the Leaders’ Agenda.
As shown in Figure 5, the follow-up in the year since the Rome Declaration can be divided into three phases: (1) a period of anticipation; (2) a period of new ideas; and (3) a period in which EU leaders seized the opportunity to press ahead with policy delivery.