Programme

9.00 – 9.15 Registration and welcome coffee
9.15 – 9.30 Opening speech by Michael Smyth, vice-president of the European Economic and Social Committee
9.30 – 10.45 Opening session | Institutional perspective: state of play

Moderator: Bruno Kaufmann, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe, ECI Support Centre

 

  • Elisabeth Golberg, Director of Smart Regulation, Secretariat-General of the European Commission
  • Eric Stokkink, Head of Department responsible for democracy affairs, Ministry for the Interior and Kingdom Relations, The Netherlands
  • Emily O'Reilly, European Ombudsman
  • György Schöpflin, member of the European Parliament, rapporteur of the ECI report
10.45 – 11.00 Coffee break
11.00 – 13.00 Workshop sessions

WORKSHOP 1: Maximising impact when the Commission or Citizens say “no” to an ECI

This workshop will explore how campaigners might maximise the policy impact of their ECI even when the Commission or citizens say “no”. Specifically, it will outline options when ECIs are refused registration, fail to collect one million signatures, or formally succeed but the Commission does not propose legislation. It will both build on the experiences of past ECI organisers and engage participants in discussion. It aims to provide both practical ideas to potential ECI organisers and contribute to the debate on future ECI reform.

Chair: Dr James Organ, Assistant professor at the University of Liverpool's Law School and Janice Thomson, The ECI Campaign

  • Heike Aghte, organiser from the ECI "30 km/h – making streets liveable!"
  • Dr Andre Menache, organiser from the ECI "Stop Vivisection"
WORKSHOP 2: Lessons from the ECI: what future for participatory democracy in the EU?

Since its launch in 2012, the ECI has faced numerous challenges which have led to disappointments and frustrations. However, it remains the first supranational instrument of participatory democracy in the EU that empowers citizens by giving them the possibility to take part in EU agenda-setting. What are the lessons learnt from the ECI which could lead to an improvement of the EU’s experiences with participatory democracy? What other tools could enhance citizens’ engagement in EU policy-making?

Chair: Elisa Lironi, Digital Democracy and Campaigning Coordinator at the European Citizen Action Service, ECI Support Centre

  • Roman Haken, member of the European Economic and Social Committee and its ECI ad hoc group
  • Luc van den Brande, member of the Committee of the Regions, rapporteur for the opinion on the ECI / chair of the management board of the Flanders-Europe Liaison Agency, VLEVA
  • David Garrahy, Advocacy and Policy Outreach Coordinator at the European Youth Forum
  • Lucy Hatton, researcher in the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick
WORKSHOP 3:  Assistance available to ECI organisers

What help is available to ECI organisers? Which organisations deal with the ECI? How can they help at the different stages of preparing a campaign? This is a practical workshop on where to seek assistance before launching an ECI campaign and what services are offered by the different partners.

Chair: Irini Pari, president of the ECI ad hoc group, European Economic and Social Committee

  • Carsten Berg, Director of The ECI Campaign, Association for the ECI
  • Sophie von Hatzfeldt, European Programme Manager at Democracy International, The ECI Support Centre
  • Lucy Swan,  member of the ECI Team in the Unit for "Work programme and stakeholder consultation", Secretariat-General of the European Commission
  • Tina Nilsson, Head of Inquiries Unit at the European Ombudsman

 

13.00 – 14.30      Lunch offered by the EESC and networking opportunity

 

14.30 – 16.30      Closing panel and debate | Civil society perspective: How to forge change?

Moderator: Bruno Kaufmann, president of the Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe, ECI Support Centre

  • Assya Kavrakova, Director of the European Citizen Action Service, ECI Support Centre
  • Carsten Berg, Director of The ECI Campaign, Association for the ECI
  • Mads Hvid, organiser from the "Fair Transport Europe" ECI
  • Antonio Longo, member of the European Economic and Social Committee, rapporteur for the EESC's opinion on the ECI

 

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Language arrangements:

Plenary sessions: you may speak in EN, FR, DE, IT and NL (opening session).

Workshops: you may speak and listen in EN, FR, and DE.

 

Downloads

ECI DAY 2016 Programme DE