Journée de l’ICE 2020: Aujourd’hui et au-delà

La Journée de l’initiative citoyenne européenne (ICE) est une conférence que le CESE et ses partenaires de la société civile organisent chaque année depuis 2012, année de publication du règlement nº 211/2011, qui a jeté les bases de l’ICE. La neuvième Journée de l’ICE, qui aura lieu en 2020, sera marquée par une évolution majeure, à savoir l’entrée en vigueur du nouveau règlement qui améliore et simplifie sensiblement la procédure relative à l’ICE. La conférence sera consacrée à une vision plus globale de la participation des citoyens en général, l’objectif étant de replacer l’ICE dans le contexte des évolutions sociétales actuelles. Le CESE prévoit d’organiser une table ronde interactive avec des chercheurs et des auteurs sur la participation des citoyens à l’ère des nouvelles technologies, alors que se développent des modèles de consultation publique laissant une part plus large à la délibération et au débat sur l'avenir de l'Europe, afin de permettre un débat ouvert sur les formes de participation actuelles et futures.

At the beginning of the New Year, the European Citizens' Initiative will take a new turn, proposing a simplified procedure and greater support for the organisers. The 2020 (ninth) ECI Day will be marked by a major development: the entry into force of the new regulation, which makes substantial improvements and changes to the instrument. Moreover, the impressive 17 new ECIs registered by the European Commission in 2019 are evidence of major societal change. Citizens and civil society are seizing the opportunity to use participatory means to have a say in political processes and they are not restricted by the calendar of elections when it comes to expressing their views. They act when they see cause for action and expect their representatives to interact and to respond while they are in power.

Citizen participation and consultation in the era of new technologies are becoming a common way of doing politics these days, and may become an essential part of our political life in the near future. However, it is not just digital ease that is affecting our interaction with the state and its institutions. More deliberative patterns in public consultations, such as citizen sampling or citizens' assemblies, can be seen across Europe as people search for new ways to supplement democratic processes where they have become disenchanted with, and are challenging, the "usual" way of doing politics.

How do we see the future for the European Citizens' Initiative in the context of the digital era? How will the new societal trends affect the role of elections and our representative democracies? What do our elected representatives need to know today to govern efficiently and democratically tomorrow?

Imagine the participatory democracy of tomorrow

ECI Day 2020 sets the very ambitious objective of analysing today's trends in a way that will enable us to picture the new digital democracies of tomorrow. Our plenary debate will track back the origins of the ECI and then focus on a more global view of citizens' participation in general, with a view to putting the ECI in the context of topical societal developments. This interactive panel will feed into the pan-European discussion on digitilisation and participation. We will give you the most up-to-date research and vision of participation today and a window onto the future. Your questions and arguments will feed into the recommendations that we will draft after the morning debate and which will be presented to Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, Vice President of the European Commission for Democracy and Demography, responsible for the conference on the Future of Europe.

ECI Day

The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is a welcome instrument for participatory democracy at European level. Introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, it entered into force in 2012 and allows Europeans to make legislative proposals and participate in decision-making by connecting directly with EU institutions. It is a chance for them to discuss and influence key policies and it sheds further light on the public's view of the EU's agenda and priorities. The ECI Day is an important forum and platform where registered and future ECI organisers and stakeholders can exchange information and experiences and present their ECI and activities to the public. As in the past, stands will be available for ECI organisers and conference partners. We will also include stands run by various stakeholders to present new initiatives that will accompany the ongoing consultations on the proposal for a new ECI regulation.

ECI Day permanent partners

• European Committee of the Regions
• The ECI Campaign
• European Citizens' Action Service
• Democracy International

ECI Day 2020 research partner

• Bertelsmann Stiftung

ECI Day 2020: Today and Beyond
Tuesday, 25 February 2020 – 10 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
At the EESC, Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99 (Atrium 5) – 1040 Brussels