Workshop 8: The Future of participatory and deliberative democracy

3 March 2023 - 9.30 – 11.00 • Room JDE 62

• Organised by: The European Movement International (EMI), European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Solidar, in cooperation with the EESC's Ad hoc Group on Fundamental rights and the rule of law (FRRL) and the EESC's Ad hoc Group on European Citizens' Initiative (ECI)

Related opinions

• Participatory democracy and its role in making the EU resilient and future-proof – The contribution of the European Economic and Social Committee and the national Economic and Social Councils to the Conference on the Future of Europe, 22-23 November 2021
• SC/049, Regulation on the European Citizens´ Initiative, 2018
• SC/043, European Citizens´ Initiative (review), 2016
• AHG ECI recommendation - Functioning of the European citizens' initiative 2020-2022; February 2023

Draft Agenda

• 9.30 – 9.35 – Introduction
  • Christian Moos, EESC Member, Member of the Fundamental Rights and Rule of Law Group (FRRL Group)
• 9.35 – 9.45 – Opening remarks
  • Pia Arhenkilde-Hansen, Director-General DG COMM, European Commission
• 9.45 – 10.35 – Creating a future together: The Conference on the Future of Europe experience and the way forward for a participatory European future
  • Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General of European Movement International 
  • Pia Arhenkilde-Hansen, Director-General DG COMM, European Commission
  • Jelmer Hofkamp, Member of the Common Secretariat of the Conference on the Future of Europe, European Parliament
  • Patrizia Heidegger, Deputy Secretary General of the European Environmental Bureau
  • Mikael Leyi, Secretary General of Solidar
  • Christophe Lefèvre, EESC Member, Member of the Ad hoc group on European Citizens' Initiative (ECI)
  • Noémie Galland-Beaune, Policy and Project Officer, Missions Publiques
  • Thomas Müller, Citizen & Klimarat Board Member
• 10.35 – 10.55 – Q&A with the audience
  • Moderated by Hilmi Tekoglu, Just Transition Policy Officer, Solidar 
• 10.55 – 11.00 – Closing remarks
  • Petros Fassoulas, Secretary General,  EMI

Concept note

Objectives:

• To discuss the future of deliberative democracy for EU institutions and for the future of democracy in Europe; 
• To explore different models available and what civil society organisations are doing to advance and promote participatory and deliberative democracy at the national and European levels; 
• To take stock of the CoFoE and to discuss the future of European citizens' panels.   

The outcomes of the workshop:      

• To assess civil society's role in the CoFoE together with the relevant EU stakeholders;
• To provide recommendations for current and future citizen deliberation exercises;
• To learn and share best practices on citizen participation and deliberation formats in Europe.