EU citizens involved in the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), the EU’s democracy engagement project, are meeting this weekend (25-27 February) in Dublin, Ireland, for their final meeting before the conference plenary in April.
On the schedule for the weekend is the finalisation of recommendations of the first European Citizens’ Panel, tackling the topics of ‘a stronger economy, social justice and jobs’, ‘education, culture, youth and sport’, and ‘digital transformation’.
This is the final citizens’ meeting of the CoFoE – a deliberative democracy experiment in which EU citizens are taking part in policy making – before the plenary event in April. The other three panels completed their recommendations between December 2021 and February 2022.
Support for Ukraine
The weekend opened with a spontaneous flash mob to demonstrate support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
“Citizens are moved by what is happening in Ukraine. Organisers did very well in giving citizens the opportunity to express their feelings – which was appreciated by participants,” Johannes Greubel, policy analyst at the European Policy Centre, told EURACTIV. He is currently in Dublin as an observer of the weekend’s deliberations.
“With this sentiment in the room, I am pretty sure the situation will also be reflected in group sessions, especially in issues such as cyber security and disinformation” he added.
Greubel explained that the initiative was proposed by a citizens’ representative, who brought flags with them to the event, and asked for a show of support of citizens’ solidarity with the Ukrainian people.
Recommendations on EU foreign policy
This weekend’s panel will reflect further on themes previously addressed in Maastricht, where participants voted on their recommendations for EU foreign policy and migration.
The overall sentiment that emerged from that panel was the will from participants for a more united EU when dealing and trading with third countries.
They recommended the creation of “joint Armed Forces of the European Union” for self-defence purposes, and for use outside the EU according to international law in “exceptional circumstances and exclusively under a respective legal mandate from the United Nations Security Council”.
Participants also requested a firmer and stronger EU when imposing sanctions against third countries, which “should be proportional to the action that triggered it and be effective and applied in due time”.
Another request was for the European Council to vote with absolute majority on all topics, except for enlargement and treaties’ reform issues.
Of particular concern from participants was increasing energy prices. Participants asked for “a strategy in order [for Europe] to be more autonomous in its energy production” and they suggested “look[ing] into the question of nuclear energy more seriously” – specifically, trying to understand to what extent it can have a role “in the transition that Europe needs to achieve towards green energy”.
These recommendations, together with those that will be voted on in Dublin on Sunday, will be assessed and discussed at the Conference’s plenary in March.
[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]
Source: euractiv.com
