The Reading Center takes stock of 40 years of Europe in Reus
The Centre de Lectura de Reus has launched a cycle that is not a simple reminder: it marks 40 years of European history that touch the citizens closely. The initiative aims to give voice to people who have lived and worked within the European Union, providing unique and very close perspectives.
With three days full of debate and experiences, it reviews the path started on January 1, 1986, when Spain and Portugal joined the Union. But this is not an act of nostalgia: it is an open window to understand what has changed and what remains to be done.
The cycle: a view from different fields
Inaugural dialogue with European weight
The first event, on May 4, opened the debate with a face-to-face between Xavier Prats Monné, former Director General of Health and Food Safety and later of Education and Culture at the European Commission, and journalist Griselda Pastor, correspondent in Brussels for Cadena Ser. The conversation highlighted the challenges and advances in European policy over four decades.
Focus on the agricultural sector
On May 7, the spotlight was on the countryside, which has been key since the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) absorbs a quarter of the EU budget. Experts such as Eduard Bes, Joaquim Brufau, and Pere Guinovart offered a critical and realistic analysis of how this policy has impacted local counties.
The European Parliament in debate
Direct impact on citizens
The cycle concludes on May 14 with a panel gathering Sergi Barrera, head of the European Parliament Office in Barcelona, Salvador Sedó, former European deputy, and Jordi Baró, correspondent for Catalunya Ràdio in Brussels. They explain the parliamentary day-to-day life and how European decisions affect daily life.
Perspectives and future challenges
These testimonies provide an updated view of the Parliament’s role in a changing and complex context, with challenges such as the climate crisis, digitalization, and social cohesion. They invite us to think about what to expect in the coming years within the Union.
40 years in Reus: what does it mean for citizens?
Voices from the region
The Centre de Lectura aims to give prominence to local voices linked to the EU so that the debate does not remain abstract or distant. Personal and professional experiences allow understanding the real scope of this adhesion and how it has translated into opportunities and challenges for the inhabitants of the area.
A balance with a critical view
The reflection is not an idyll: policies, budget priorities, and shortcomings seen over these 40 years are questioned. This makes the balance alive and necessary, not a simple static reminder.
| Date | Activity | Participants |
|---|---|---|
| May 4 | Inaugural dialogue | Xavier Prats Monné, Griselda Pastor |
| May 7 | Agrarian debate | Eduard Bes, Joaquim Brufau, Pere Guinovart |
| May 14 | European Parliament panel | Sergi Barrera, Salvador Sedó, Jordi Baró |
The Centre de Lectura de Reus not only commemorates but also proposes an open and sincere conversation about what being part of the European Union has meant. It is an exercise of transparency but also of hope, so that after 40 years of journey, the citizens can understand and debate their role in a Europe that never stops changing.
