On October 9, Friends of Europe hosted its fifth annual VIP brainstorming roundtable “The State of Europe: Creating a Sense of Society” organised in partnership with Microsoft, Veolia Environnement, Gallup and the Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy. Looking at the challenges and opportunities facing Europe, over 100 senior EU and national decision-makers, business and NGOs leaders and editors-in-chief gathered in the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels to discuss Europe’s future.     The contradictions at the heart of the European Union had been laid bare by the financial crisis. There was an urgent need for a coordinated response to events such as the turmoil sweeping markets and for concrete proposals from the European Commission, said Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament. “We need common action and I urge the Commission to come up with proposals by the end of the year.” But José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, replied that it was pointless to introduce measures that would be opposed by member state governments. “Before this crisis, there was no agreement among member states or in Parliament on what action to take.” In an intervention later during the conference the EU response to the crisis was seen as inadequated by former Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, who added “but it is always through a crisis that it becomes a bit less inadequate.” The following day, Friday October 10, at the end of a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Friends of Europe a statement was issued by its President Viscount Etienne Davignon. He called on the European Commission ans its President, José Manuel Barroso, to take the leading role and responsabilities to belong to the insitution. For the full text of Viscount Davignon's statement, click here. Coverage by John Thornhill: Brussels looks like bewildered bystander amid turmoil   Discussants included José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, Mario Monti, President of Bocconi University and Former EU Competition Commissioner, Dimitrij Rupel, Slovenian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Elena Salgado Méndez, Spanish Minister for Public Administration, Christos Zois, Greek Deputy Minister for the Interior, European Commission Director-Generals Claus Sørensen and Odile Quintin, Janez Potočnik, EU Commissioner for Science and Research, Otto Schily, Member of the Bundestag, Michael Connarty, Chairman of the European Scrutiny Committee of the House of Commons, Phil Bloomer, Campaigns and Policy Director at Oxfam, Alain Hubert, Chairman of the International Polar Foundation, Plamen Pantev, Director of the Institute for Security and International Studies in Bulgaria, Mia Doornaert, Diplomatic Editor at De Standaard, John Thornhill, Editor of the European Edition of the Financial Times and Friends of Europe’s distinguished Trustees.   Click here for the list of attended discussants.   As every year, the debate was followed by Friends of Europe’s annual “President’s Dinner”. A highlight of the Brussels calendar, it brought together some 200 VIP guests for a lively and entertaining evening. (click here for more)