Great Britain is considering whether to take part in next month's meeting of the "European Political Community" to be held in Prague on October 6.
Prime Minister Liz Truss' office wants to see more details about the summit before the prime minister commits to attending, but according to the BBC, no final decision has been made.
A "European political community" is an idea proposed in May by the French president, Emmanuel Macron.
France proposes to create a "European political community" already this year between all European states that want to contribute together to the security, stability and prosperity of the European continent. This community, according to the French proposal, would be open to European states that share a common set of democratic values.
France believes that the Community would have the form of a mild legal structure, with the capacity to make decisions, while respecting the decision-making autonomy of the European Union and each of the countries that make up this community.
It is suggested that within the framework of this forum, a gathering of members is held several times a year at the level of heads of state and government, as well as at the ministerial level.
In her speech on the state of the European Union at the beginning of September, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, expressed her support for the European political community, because she believes that there is a need in the EU to reach out to European countries that are outside the "accession process".
Similar ideas have been floated for decades, but this is the first major push for such a forum after Brexit, writes the BBC.
This community, according to the French proposal, would be open to European states that share a common set of democratic values.
EU leaders already held preliminary discussions about this initiative in June. At the summit that will be held on October 6 and 7 in Prague, this discussion will be continued together with the countries that will be part of this community according to the plan, including the countries of the Western Balkans.
The BBC states that all 27 member countries should be invited to the meeting, as well as Great Britain, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, then the six countries of the Western Balkans, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Great Britain left the European Union on 31 January 2020 at midnight CET, after 47 years of membership. The exit came three and a half years after it was voted in a citizens' referendum, by a narrow majority of 52 to 48 percent.
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