2023-05-03 18:17:57
For the 5th edition of Europe Day, organized in Luxembourg on Tuesday 9 May 2023, visitors will have plenty to do, between the Place de l’Europe festival and the guided tour of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Based on the Kirchberg plateau in Luxembourg, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) does not go unnoticed with its three massive towers that fill the skyline. Unmistakable from the outside, what is happening within it remains obscure for European citizens. Just like the Luxembourgers, yet a stone’s throw away.
“This is where the case law on the rights of airplane passengers or for freedoms and restrictions on the internet comes from and that people must know” hopes Juan Carlos González, head of the institution’s press service . To remedy this, the CJEU and the Representation of the European Commission in Luxembourg are organizing the 5th edition of Europe Day, Tuesday 9 May 2023, in order to highlight the Court as well as the EU and its role.
Public holiday since 2019, May 9 celebrates the declaration of Robert Schuman in 1950. French Minister of Foreign Affairs, this native of Luxembourg proposed the idea of a new form of cooperation in Europe, which, two years later, led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the ancestor of the EU. For 73 years, this union has been part of the daily life of Europeans, who, however, are generally unaware of the functioning of these institutions. So the organizers of Europe Day have planned a rich program so that “citizens can come and get informed and bring a piece of Europe home,” says Nicolas Schroeder, head of the Luxembourg office of the European Parliament.
A festival on the Place de l’Europe
For the festive side, it will happen in the European village and its festival, installed on the Place de l’Europe, which celebrates the installation of the European institutions in Luxembourg, one of the three official capitals of the EU with Brussels and Strasbourg. The festivities begin at 12 p.m., with an opening song and traditional Polish, Bulgarian and Czech dances. An official ceremony will follow and a time for speeches, in the presence of Grand Duke Henri who will cut the cake of Europe. Visitors will also be able to stroll through the 70 stands, from food trucks to children’s workshops.
Between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., the music will be back with concerts by a Ukrainian group, DJ Nico Beiler and the indie pop group Tyus to close it all. A varied musical program, accompanied by a concert at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, where Beethoven’s ninth symphony will be played at 8 p.m.
The European Court of Justice to discover
A few meters from the Place de l’Europe, events will also take place at the CJUE which organizes its annual open day, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The route retraces the simplified process of a decision taken by the CJEU, which comprises two jurisdictions: the Court of Justice and the General Court. Lasting approximately one hour, the tour is available in all EU languages and includes screenings of hearings as well as access to courtrooms, deliberation rooms, delivery rooms and performers. Virtual tours will also be set up simultaneously.
After exploring the “ring”, the nickname given to the Court, visitors can head to the library as well as the stands of interpreters or specialists in European law research. Between 400 and 500 lucky people will also be able to access the 4th floor of Tower 3, the highest in the country. Below, opposite the building on rue Charles-Léon Hammes, the garden of multilingualism will be inaugurated at 2 p.m. and will offer shows every half hour in a different language, as well as an ice cream offered to the first 500 visitors.
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