#SOU2024
Charting a course for a stronger europe
23, 24, 25 May 2024
The 14th edition of The State of the Union took place in Florence from Thursday, 23 May, to Saturday, 25 May 2024. Global leaders, experts, students, policymake...
Bridging academia and policy in Europe
Established in 2011, The State of the Union (SOU) conference has become a prestigious annual summit dedicated to high-level reflection on the European Union. It serves as a vital bridge between the esteemed research of the European University Institute (EUI) and policymakers at the highest echelons of power in Europe and beyond.
The SOU conference is renowned for its commitment to both academic rigour and engaging discussion. Its programme ensures the scientific excellence of each session, drawing on the expertise of a dedicated Scientific Committee comprised of influential academics and experts representing the EUI's diverse academic units. Panels within the programme are meticulously structured through collaboration with internal stakeholders and external partners.
Explore #SOU Editions
The State of the Union over the years: more than a decade of high-level reflection, transnational debate and connection building.
#SOU2023
Building Europe in times of uncertainty
4, 5, 6 May 2023
The 13th edition of The State of the Union took place on 4-6 May 2023 and gathered 134 prestigious speakers. The debate unfolded across 35 sessions, delving int...
#SOU2022
A Europe fit for the next generation?
5-7 May 2022
The 12th edition of The State of the Union was held on 5-7 May and counted 135 speakers, 43 sessions, 5 overarching streams and 40 hours of recordings. Policy l...
#SOU2021
Europe in a Changing World
6, 7 and 8 May 2021
On 6 and 7 May 2021 The State of the Union, the EUI’s annual summit for high-level reflection on the European Union, celebrated its tenth anniversary. The...
#SOU2020
Europe: Managing the COVID-19 Crisis
8 May 2020
The special edition of SOU took place in unprecedented times, during the COVID-19 pandemic, which in just a short time drastically changed the lives of billions...
#SOU2019
21st-Century Democracy in Europe
2, 3 and 4 May 2019
The State of the Union 2019, the ninth edition of the annual conference organised by the European University Institute, was held 2-4 May at Villa Salviati and P...
#SOU2018
Solidarity in Europe
10, 11 and 12 May 2018
With the European elections just weeks away from the conference, “21st-2018’s edition, built around the theme of “Solidarity in Europe”,...
#SOU2017
Building a People’s Europe
4-5 May 2017
With forces such as Brexit, rising populism and the global refugee emergency impinging on Europe’s future, 2017’s edition of The State of the U...
#SOU2016
Women in Europe and the world
5-7 May 2016
Feeding into a groundswell of global discussions about the position of women in societies around the world, the 2016 edition chose “Women in Europe and th...
#SOU2015
Confronting the Future of Europe
6, 7, 8, 9 of May 2015
The 2015 edition “Confronting the Future of Europe” witnessed a surge in participants as 1,700 guests from 39 different countries attended the confe...
#SOU2014
The Future of the Social and Political Model for Europe and the upcoming European Elections
7, 8, 9 of May 2014
2014’s edition centred around the theme “The Future of the Social and Political Model for Europe and the upcoming European Elections.” The con...
#SOU2013
The State of The Union third edition
9 of May 2013
In 2013 The State of the Union widened its analysis of the present and future prospects of the European Union and sought to integrate the opinions of European c...
#SOU2012
The State of The Union second edition
9 and 10th of May 2012
The success of the first edition in 2011 highlighted the potential of the conference’s focus, reach and format and led to the EUI’s decision to brin...
#SOU2011
The State of The Union First edition
6th, 10th May 2011.
First established in 2011 to increase the media visibility and international resonance of European University Institute’s research excellence, The State o...
SOU in numbers
- Successful Editions
- 14
- Panels, adresses and conversations
- 230+
- Total speakers
- 1,200
- High profile speakers
- 245+
- Head of state and government
- 37+
- EU representatives
- 443+
- National politicians
- 65+
- Total participants
- 149,000+
