The Jacques Delors Institute

Mission and vision

The Jacques Delors Institute (originally known as Notre Europe) is the European think tank founded by Jacques Delors in 1996. His idea was to create a centre for reflection and action that would promote reflection on the European project, the integration of peoples in European construction and the dissemination of European values of democracy, the rule of law, equality and solidarity. At the heart of his vision was the conviction that the process of European integration was unique and should be pursued, but that it should involve all citizens equally, enabling them to share common values and ways of life.

Today, at the Jacques Delors Institute, we still share this vision and pursue the same objectives. Our mission is twofold.

On the one hand, we produce analyses and proposals for European decision-makers and a wider audience. These analyses and proposals aim not only to influence EU action but also to inform public debate by enabling citizens to better understand the EU’s actions, functioning and values.

On the other hand, the Jacques Delors Institute also has a mission to promote citizen engagement. This second mission is carried out not only through the publications and events aimed at information and dissemination mentioned above, but also through citizen activities and the activities of the Académie Notre Europe, created in 2017, which targets young people aged 16 to 30.

Our President Enrico Letta

Enrico Letta has been President of the Jacques Delors Institute since 2016. In 2017, he initiated the creation of the Académie Notre Europe within the Institute.

“It is an honour and a privilege to promote the ideas and legacy of Jacques Delors. As the architect of our united Europe, his reflections are still highly relevant today. I have fond memories of our discussions on Rue Saint-Jacques. Europe and Europeans owe him so much.”

Enrico Letta is the author of the high-level report on the future of the single market, Much more than a market, presented in April 2024.

A message from Jacques Delors

“I created the Jacques Delors Institute in 1996, when I returned to Paris after stepping down as President of the European Commission. I named this “think tank” for Europe “Notre Europe”, which later became the Jacques Delors Institute, with the aim of contributing to the European debate through studies and interventions in the form of speeches and radio and television programmes.

In creating the Jacques Delors Institute, we tried to put together a team that could fulfil two objectives: the first is to provide analysis and proposals, and the second, much more difficult, is to try to influence the governments of EU member states.

Today, the Institute’s team is international: that is the most important point. I would like to pay tribute here to this team, to these men and women who work tirelessly for an ever more united and stronger Europe.”

Our research topics

• Democracy and institutions
• Economics and finance
• Energy and climate
• Enlargement and Wider Europe
• Employment, social affairs and health
• Geopolitics and defence
• Migration and demography
• Trade and economic security

Our civic activities

The Jacques Delors Institute is committed to raising public awareness of European issues through several approaches:

• By analysing European current affairs in the media
• By organising events open to the general public
• By publishing analyses and educational infographics

In 2017, the Jacques Delors Institute created the Académie Notre Europe, which offers a free annual training course on European citizenship open to young people aged 18 to 30 from all backgrounds. The annual course concludes in early summer with the Jacques Delors Conference, the Institute’s flagship event dedicated to young people.

Since 2018, the Jacques Delors Institute has supported the Prix du Livre Mieux Comprendre l’Europe (Better Understanding Europe Book Prize), which rewards a book on European issues that is accessible to secondary school students in France.