Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. EU participation at the World Expo 2015 in Milan ‘Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life’

The World Expo 2015 will take place in Milan from 1 May to 31 October 2015 on the theme "Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life". This edition of the Expo is meant to become a milestone of planetary debate on food and sustainability and will be a platform for political discussions and policy initiatives on these issues. Over 120 countries have already confirmed their participation, attesting to the significant commitment generated by this event.

A total of 20 million visitors are expected, offering a valuable opportunity to inform and communicate with European (and International) citizens on the critical topics brought forward by the Expo. In parallel a "cyber Expo" targeting 1 billion Internet users will be deployed, further increasing the scope for impact.

Expos have always been major international events in which countries, private stakeholders and organisations present and promote their identity, their policies and achievements in relation to Expo themes. But more than just a cultural event, this edition of the Expo will also be political as countries and international organisations come together to discuss the ever-growing issues of food and sustainability. The EU should therefore aim to establish its role as a key player in this global debate and take this opportunity to work towards fruitful collaboration on these matters with other stakeholders, both public and private.

The European institutions have so far actively participated in all previous editions of the Expo which took place in the EU and in most of those organised overseas. Furthermore, reports from previous EU participation show that such an event can have an important impact on citizens' perception of and attitude to the EU.

On the basis of these considerations the Commission has been actively investigating options for participation. This Communication, which is based on extensive analysis of past Expos, sets out the planned objectives, practical considerations and suggested approaches to optimise the EU's participation in Expo Milan in close partnership between the Commission, the European Parliament and other interested EU institutions.

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)255: Follow the progress of this communication through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:255:FIN

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