With the UK's official notification of its intention to withdraw its European Union membership just days away, EU leaders are gathering in Rome to declare that "Europe is our common future".

The Declaration of Rome, which will lay out a vision for the future of the EU post-Brexit, celebrates the 60th anniversary of when six countries; Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, signed the Treaty of Rome and formed the European Economic Community, the precursor to the Union.

In a nod to the upcoming Brexit, the draft declaration opens with "We, the leaders of 27 member states and institutions of the EU, take pride in achievements of the European Union; the construction of the European unity is a bold, far sighted endeavor."

 "The European Union is facing unprecedented challenges, both global and domestic, regional conflicts, terrorism, growing migratory pressures, protectionism, and social and economic inequalities. We together are determined to address these challenges of rapidly changing world and offer our citizens both security and new opportunities."

"We have built a unique Union with common institutions and strong values, a unique community of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights, and rule of law, a major economic power with unparalleled levels of social protection and welfare."

The draft declaration has not been met without opposition or criticism. Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo has been reported as saying that "if the declaration does not include the issues which are priorities for Poland, we will not accept it."

The draft declaration calls for a "safe and secure Europe" which maintains the free movement of citizens through the strengthening of external borders and an "efficient, responsible, and sustainable migration policy"

Malta's EU Presidency has been defined by calls to forge a closer relationship between EU institutions and their citizens, this is reflected in the draft which calls on the member states to "pledge to listen and respond to the concerns expressed by our citizens and will engage with our national parliament"

The draft also calls for a union whose single market embraces technological transformation, and for greater growth, cohesion, competitiveness, and innovation especially for Small and Medium-sized enterprises.

Following the election of Donald Trump as US President, the USA's role in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change seemed to be up in the air, with the president infamously adverse to international agreements. However, the EU seems to be ready to become the global leader on the issue with the draft making reference to "A union where energy is secure and the environment clean and safe"

As Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told the European Trade Union Confederation during their meeting in Malta, the declaration will also see the inclusion of a social dimension in lieu of it extending to become a key pillar of the EU. This is apparent within the draft legislation which calls for a union "which promotes the equality between women and men" and "fights discrimination, social exclusion, and poverty."

The draft also highlights the importance of preserving our cultural heritage while also promoting cultural diversity. It closes by saying that "Europe's future lies in our hands and the European Union is the best intrusment to achieve our objectives. We have united for the better. Europe is our common future"