Follow-up on the Conference on the Future of Europe and citizens’ participation: What’s new?
4 July 2022
Post-CoFoE updates, powered by Wolfgang Petzold
The future of citizens’ participation
On 27 June, 14:00-18:30 (CET), the CoR and the Bertelsmann Stiftung held an in-person working conference on CoR premises in Brussels on the future of citizens’ participation, EU policy-making and the role of regions and cities. 65 participants, among them members of the CoR, the European Parliament, local politicians, citizens and experts from the EU institutions, academia, think tanks and civil society developed recommendations on ow to put citizens on the map of future European Citizens Panels. Participation is upon invitation only. Link to the conference report, the web page by Bertelsmann in English and German, and the press release by the CoR.
CoR Resolution adopted
On 29 June, the CoR plenary adopted its Resolution on the follow-up on the Conference on the Future of Europe. MEP Guy Verhofstadt addressed CoR members and the text suggests, among others, to develop a “permanent and place-based dialogue with citizens as a participatory mechanism that would better link the EU with the realities at local, regional and national levels” and calls for a Convention to change the EU Treaties. Link to the press release here, video recordings here.
EMI to discuss follow-up with citizens
On 5 July, 10:00-11:30 (CET), “European Movement International (EMI)” will hold an online conference under the headline “Building on the Conference on the Future of Europe – the way forward”. Link.
EP to question Czech Presidency
On 6 July, 9:00-12:00, (CET), the programme of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU will be presented and discussed including their follow-up on the Conference on the Future of Europe. Link.
European Commission President on the “State of the Union”
On 14 September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will give her annual “State of the Union” address in the European Parliament to include the follow-up on the Conference on the Future of Europe and the topics future European Citizens’ Panels will be discussing (tbc). Link.
Feed-back to citizens
In November, a conference for the 800 members of the European Citizens’ Panels of the Conference on the Future of Europe will be held in the EP in Strasbourg to look back and provide feed-back on the process. Link.
On 13 June, the “Journal of Deliberative Democracy” published a symposium on Hélène Landemore’s book “Open Democracy” 2020. Link.
On 30 June, after eight weeks of deliberations, the Berlin citizens assembly on climate, composed of 100 citizens selected by lot, presented its 47 recommendations on how to tackle climate change. Links in English and German.
Between 5 and 7 October, “G1000”, a Belgian non-profit platform for democratic innovation, will hold its autumn school on deliberative democracy in Eupen, Belgium. Link.
Between 12 and 14 October, the “Federation for Innovation in Democracy – Europe” (FIDE) and “Rohetiiger”, an Estonian cooperation platform working with climate assemblies, will hold an autumn school on deliberative democracy in Tartu, Estonia. Link
On 20/21 October, the 4th Citizen Engagement and Deliberative Democracy Festival will be held online by the European Commission’s respective competence centre. Link.