EUU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 658: Henvendelse af 3/7-22 fra Europe's People's Forum om initiativet til at etablere Center for European Citizens' Democracy

Europaudvalget 2021-22
EUU Alm.del Bilag 658
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Summary of minutes from EPF General Assembly 13.6.2022

The annual General Assembly was this time with EC Vice President for Democracy and

Demography Dubravka Suica, President for European Economic and Social Committee

Christa Schweng and former Chair of the Danish Parliament and UN General Assembly,

Mogens Lykketoft. as keynote speakers ahead of the formal General Assembly.

Unfortunately, Covid 19 and other obligations kept our MEPs Alin Mituta and Helmut

Scholz away.

The General Assembly agreed to launch the Center for European Citizens’ Democracy

(CECD) to strengthen democracy and renew trust and the sense of ownership in the

European Union by engaging citizens in European policy-making and imp0rove the EU’s

ability to reflect the needs and visions of European citizens. You will soon hear much more

about this initiative but attached is our draft description. As you will see below, the initiative

was well received by our keynote speaksers:

Center for European Citizens Democracy

1. “I want to thank Europe’s People’s Forum for your very valuable contribution

throughout the Conference on the Future of Europe. Our focus must be on

developing an ecosystem of democratic innovation and of citizens engagement and

participation in democracy. . Today you are launching the permanent

Center for

European Citizens Democracy.

This initiative goes in the direction set by the

citizens and will contribute to the democratic ecosystem.””

As part of the follow-up the

three institutions will hold their feedback events in the Autumn. This will put a seal of

legitimacy on the entire process. As we enter this phase I continue counting on the

constructive support of the organised civil society.”

(Ms. Dubravka Suica)

2. “During the Conference on the Future of Europe I continued to appreciate Europe’s

People’s Support for your constant and proactive support in the process. The

launch of your Center for European Citizens Democracy is a concrete step in your

commitment to strengthen democracy and trust and extending ownership to the

European Union by engaging citizens. Be sure we will be happy to explore ways to

cooperate.” (Ms. Christa Schweng)

3. “I am convinced that the Centre for European Citizens’ Democracy is a superb

initiative to strengthen democracy in the European Union and in the candidate

countries as well. And I try to convince former colleagues and other decision

makers in Denmark that CECD should be supported to get a good and effective

start in this very important project” (Mr. Mogens Lykketoft)

EUU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 658: Henvendelse af 3/7-22 fra Europe's People's Forum om initiativet til at etablere Center for European Citizens' Democracy

Conference on the Future of Europe

No wonder, the keynote speakers used the opportunity to also make their assessments of

the Conference on the Future of Europe that formally ended 9 May.

1. “Hearing about this idea in 2019 I had hoped the preparation would have taken

place in a matter of weeks and the implementation would have given ample time to

experiment and reach every citizen that might want to contribute. We know that this

was not the case” (Ms. Christa Schweng)

2. “Besides providing a new safe space for deliberation the conference went a step

further and is bringing citizens ideas and reflection directly into European Union

policymaking.” (Ms. Dubravka Suica)

3. “I want first to say that I consider the conference a success. Not unfeathered, not

without difficulties but a process that led to good results in a difficult moment. A

result which surely represent the discussion and ideas coming from the citizens and

enriched by the variety of contributions coming from the plenary and the working

groups. My worst fear for the Conference was that it would lead to a pre-digested

conclusion that could be written already in 2020. As you all noticed, it did not

happen, on the contrary. They were active, enthusiastic participants” (Ms. Christa

Schweng)

4. “We need more insightful citizens debate on climate, on sustainable infrastructure,

on the rule of law, on the fight against tax evasion, and inequality. We need to

understand the vulnerable and marginalised and give them a stronger voice in the

European conversation. We need the best structures both nationally and European

with a prudent use of all the possibilities in digital technology.” (Mr. Mogens

Lykketoft)

5. “Citizens asked us to invent citizens participation and deliberation at European level

including youth involvement in democracy including through deliberative processes.

In direct response of this President Von der Leyen said that she will give citizens

panels the time and resources to make recommendations before presenting key

legislative proposals. A first panel will be launched already by the end of this

year. A number of proposals highlight the role of civil society as a fundamental

feature of the European Union. Citizens requested strong policies to improve the

functioning of labour market so that they ensure fair working conditions and

promote gender equality and employment including young people and vulnerable

groups. They also encouraged civil society to contribute to the Union’s efforts to

uphold the rule of law across all member states.” (Ms. Dubravka Suica)

6. “It is important that the Conference on the Future of Europe produced 49 proposals

from citizens participation. Representative Citizens panels of people representing

the broad population having time to understand and publicity for their work to

expand their own experience to a broader public.” (Mr. Mogens Lykketoft)

EUU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 658: Henvendelse af 3/7-22 fra Europe's People's Forum om initiativet til at etablere Center for European Citizens' Democracy

7. “The follow-up process will be the most crucial phase in the architecture of the

Conference. As such this is a key zone without which the whole construction would

fall apart. If at this time the contributions, the efforts, the ideas and

recommendations from citizens will not be properly followed up, any future activity

of this kind would be deprived any credibility. If the follow up will be successful, then

I believe the need to continue citizens involvement will become undeniable.” (Ms.

Christa Schweng)

8. “The work on the follow-up and the feedback from the conference has started. It is

vital that we provide the citizens with the necessary feedback on their precious,

committed work. Already this week the Commission will set out its first formal

reaction to the conference proposals. But it cannot end there, of course. Thanks to

our courage to come together to deliberate in the Conference on the Future of

Europe, European democracy will never be the same again.” (Ms. Dubravka Suica)

9. “I believe that involving citizens at a more stable basis and innovative and active

ways should become a part of European policy making. A more direct and

continued approach would bridge the long standing rift between the EU-level and

the citizens and at the same time allow more perspectives in European policy. The

more points-of-views that participate the more the policies will be supported. And for

this perspective I believe that future inspirations from the conference should bring

together not just citizens but also organised civil society, social partners and all

institutions to improve quality and facilitate the forceful decisions that are taken.”

(Ms. Christa Schweng)

10. “The European Commission will spare no effort to deliver concrete results. Many of

the proposals can be achieved through either the existing initiatives or through

others that are already under discussion. In some areas the conference proposals

give a push to speed up ongoing work – examples include the 5th or 55th package

for climate and environment or the proposal on minimum wages. Other proposals

are new proposals, and some others will require more reflection. The first new

proposals inspired by the conference will be announced by the President Von der

Leyen in her state of the Union speech in September this year.” (Ms. Dubravka

Suica)

11. “While some recommendations require treaty changes, we must not forget that the

vast majority of recommendations can be followed up within the current framework.

We must not overlook these low hanging fruits. Harvesting them should not be

delayed by long discussions about treaty changes.” (Ms. Christa Schweng)

EUU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 658: Henvendelse af 3/7-22 fra Europe's People's Forum om initiativet til at etablere Center for European Citizens' Democracy

The need to strengthen democracy

1. “The Copenhagen Democracy Summit had a lot of talk about the superiority of

democracy vis-a-vis authoritarians, but the best intervention was actually that of

President Obama, where he underlined the necessity to improve democracy to be

able to preserve it at all. It is a huge problem of course in United States of America

to engage citizens and make sure that their voices are heard at all because there is

as in some other European countries as well the problem that the mechanisms of

elections nearly always means that the majority becomes the minority in the

corridors of the parliament.” (Mr. Mogens Lykketoft)

2. “In recent years we have faced a number of crises. I think about the Covid 19

Pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the fleeing refugees, mostly women and children.

But besides these dramatic events there are also major shifts at a slower but no

less important pace. I think of the demographic changes of aging, depopulation and

the challenges facing democracy across the European Union and the World. None

of these crises is an isolated incident. In fact all can be looked at as an opportunity

that needs addressing from all levels of governance. We can only successfully

tackle these crises if we engage the citizens at all levels and together.” (Ms.

Dubravka Suica)

3. “Many people lost – specially during the financial crisis and during European

austerity reactions to financial crisis – lost trust in our system. That lack of trust has

led to the rise of populism, nationalism and basic attitudes towards immigrants as

well. Cases of rule of law treating democracy only as an empty shell has happened

in Hungary and is under way in Poland.” (Mr. Mogens Lykketoft)

4. “After a particular heated exchange between a Eurosceptic Member of the

European Parliament and a group of citizens during a plenary session this

exchange would continue vividly outside the plenary room. I thought his was what

the conference was meant to be. Not of course to strengthen scepticism to Europe

but on the contrary to demonstrate that open debate was possible between radically

different people and perspectives and even if disagreeing it is possible to come

together.” (Ms. Christa Schweng)

5. “We need civil society support and pressure to the understanding of the supreme

necessity for more international and European cooperation in these troubled times.”

(Mr. Mogens Lykketoft)

6. “Citizens must be able to find their home in the house of European democracy at all

levels. Democracy is precious. Having personally experienced a war myself I can

never take it for granted. After all, democracy is louder than Putin’s bombs.” (Ms.

Dubravka Suica)

7. “The Commission’s Competence Centre of Participative and Deliberative

Democracy can act as a catalyst in reaching a European Union knowledge base in

participative and deliberative practices, particularly through its public participation

and deliberative democracy festival.” (Ms. Dubravka Suica)

If interested we offer you the full video from the presentations

EUU, Alm.del - 2021-22 - Bilag 658: Henvendelse af 3/7-22 fra Europe's People's Forum om initiativet til at etablere Center for European Citizens' Democracy

Elections.

The General Assembly re-elected the current president Roger Casale (IT), and members

of the board Steen Illeborg (BE), Stephen Boucher (FR) and Bent Nørby Bonde (DK).

For the first time in the history of Europe’s People’s Forum a vice president was elected –

namely Ingeborg Niestroy (DE), Coordinator for IASS of the Horizon project Real Deal.

Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Studies at European Policy Centre, Janis A.

Emmanouilidis (BE) and Director of Missions Publiques Antoine Vergne (FR) have been

elected to the Board.

Members not up for election are Christiane Dienel, (DE) Proff. Dr. Director Nexus-Institute,

Elizabeth Phocas, (GR) Director of Operations, Hellenic Foundation for European and

Foreign Policy (Eliamep), Lidija Pavić-Rogošić, (HR) Director of Odraz Sustainable

Community Development and Stefano Sotgiu (IT), Ph.D. Candidate, University of Sassari,

President Prossima Democrazia.