On 26 September 2019, Sandro Gozi, European Affairs Policy Officer to the French Prime Minister, Member of the European Parliament, former Secretary of State in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Italy, Delegate for European Affairs, of the Renzi and Gentiloni Governments, President of the Union of European Federalists, held a conference on the theme “The EU at the dawn of Brexit”.
The event, jointly organized by the Foundation and the University of Fribourg, was held on the campus of the University of Lausanne, bringing together approximately 210 people from the worlds of politics, diplomacy, academia and the student body. Sandro Gozi’s lecture was followed by a question-and-answer session with, as moderators, Pascal Fontaine, Vice-President of the Foundation and Honorary Director of the European Parliament and Gilbert Casasus, Professor of European Studies at the University of Fribourg.
After the opening and background remarks by Jacques de Watteville, Vice-President of the Foundation and former Secretary of State of the Swiss Confederation, Sandro Gozi said that the status quo was the worst danger facing the European Union. He reiterated the Union’s full commitment to work for a British exit with an agreement in the mutual interest. He put forward the 3Rs doctrine: regretting the British choice to leave the EU, respecting the choice of the British people, replacing British membership of the EU with a special partnership, particularly in security and trade.
Opening by Jacques de Watteville, conference by Sandro Gozi, discussion, questions and answers with the public
