There is a strong interest in debating the most urgent questions emerging in Europe today, questions around concepts such as "consensus", "solidarity", "integration" and "participation".

This e-book is the summary of papers presented at the workshop "From Ideas on Europe to the European Citizens: Why Europe?" at the German-Italian bilateral association Villa Vigoni. The first part of this e-book examines what past generations expected of Europe, in particular which answers were given to the question "Why Europe?". The second part of the e-book addresses the concept of "European Citizenship", within the legal and political framework of the idea of "citizen" ("Bürger", "cittadino") in a European dimension. The third part consists of some critical analyses of the contemporary make up of European societies.