Project Summary

RELAY is a project that aims at discussing the European Commission’s political guidelines and work programme with a wide and diverse array of stakeholders. It is coordinated by Maastricht University Campus Brussels and includes several academic and non-academic partners. CERiM is a key partner in the project.

‘Within the Union, the European institutions must be brought closer to its citizens. Citizens undoubtedly support the Union’s broad aims, but they do not always see a connection between those goals and the Union’s everyday action’ (European Council).

Although this quote is almost 20 years old, it still rings very true today. In 2019, 60% of European Union (EU) citizens were of the opinion that they are not sure they would miss the EU if it were gone.

Against this backdrop, the RELAY project comes in. It aims to make the process of EU integration more tangible and to more closely involve citizens; both when it comes to the internal and external dimension of the EU.

EU affairs are defined as issues that are closely related to some of the challenges and priorities the EU is currently facing, in the context of political turmoil and change. Here we take the ‘headline ambitions’ of the current European Commission as a point of departure:

• A European Green Deal;
• An economy that works for people;
• A Europe fit for the digital age;
• Promoting our European way of life;
• A stronger Europe in the world;
• A new push for European democracy.

Events and other activities will be organized from September 2020 until August 2022. Interested in taking part and having your say? Check out our upcoming events and past events sections!