'Rekindle the ideal, breathe life and soul into it, that is a vital necessity if we intend to give shape to the Europe that we so dearly wish for': Jacques Delors' words can now, more so than ever, inspire those who wish to build a common future for Europeans. Accordingly, Notre Europe has undertaken an in-depth reflection meant to look beyond institutions and their functioning, in order to broaden our understanding of how Europeans live, what experiences they share, what hopes drive them.

Since its inception, Notre Europe has been pondering the means of improving the EU's institutional structures in a federal spirit. Its most urgent mission is clearly institutional revival in the aftermath of the French and Dutch referendum rejection of the Constitutional Treaty. However, Notre Europe also takes an interest in the approach to the revision of the Treaties and the ways Member States' double unanimity principle can be overcome, in the Convention model and the means to preserve and improve it too. Finally in the longer term, Notre Europe continues to reflect on the project of a Federation of Nation States set forth by Jacques Delors and on the modalities of its implementation in an enlarged Europe.

With the establishment of the permanent European Council presidency and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Lisbon Treaty modified the role of the rotating presidencies. All of the formations of the Council – including the General Affairs Council, most Council preparatory bodies, and even the powerful Committee of Permanent Representatives are chaired by the rotating presidencies. The only exceptions to this rule are the European Council and the Foreign Affairs Council (and its corresponding preparatory committees). The former is chaired by its permanent President, for two and a half years, and the latter is chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The Treaty also asks three consecutive presidencies to cooperate in the form of a Trio, based on a common 18-month programme.

Notre Europe organised on the 30 September and 1 October the 2010 edition of the European Forum of Think Tanks in Barcelona, with the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Catalan think tank CIDOB and in partnership with Aspen France, Agence Europe and the members of the European Policy Institute Network (EPIN).

« Je le rappelle, il a fallu des siècles pour former les Etats-nations. Toute l’histoire de l’Europe nous montre qu’il ne faut pas bousculer, mais obtenir l’adhésion des citoyens à un projet et au partage de souveraineté nécessaire pour réaliser nos ambitions. Et c’est bien entendu à l’Etat-nation qu’il incombe de repolitiser, de relancer le débat démocratique, et d’expliquer le projet européen. Le projet européen ne peut pas être exprimé par la seule Commission européenne, c’est à chaque gouvernement qui prend les décisions au sein du Conseil européen, d’expliquer. » Jacques Delors, Combats pour l’Europe, Economica, 1996