1. European Citizens‘ Consultations The Challenges of a Cross-Border Public Participation Process CIPAST Training Workshop 20 June 2007 Procida, Italy

2. 2 Overview The European Citizens‘ Consultations at glance General context and ECC history Guidelines of the exercise

3. 3 The European Citizens‘ Consultations at glance Videotape ECC is the first-ever pan-European debate involving citizens from all 27 Member States to debate the future of the European Union across the boundaries of geography and language. Objectives : To broaden the scope of participation To enable cross-national exchange To put EU citizens in the centre of the debate To ensure accountable and transparent follow-up and active policy integration Implementation : European and national events with 30- 200 randomly selected participants systematic cross-linking and integration of national debates citizens discuss and debate and do not merely listen and receive information media coverage, VIP participation, national and European follow-up

4. 4 The European Citizens‘ Consultations at glance Process description: Oct 2006 Feb - Mar 2007 9/10 May 2007 6 June 2007 Autumn 2007 Agenda-Setting Event National Citizens‘ Consultations Synthesis Event EPC Event ECAS Event Citizens‘ Juries European Citizens‘ Agenda 27 National Citizens‘ Perspectives European Citizens‘ Perspectives National follow-up events

5. 5 General context and History of the project Political Developments May / June 2005: Rejection of the Constitutional Treaty in referenda in France and the Netherlands June 2005 Summit: Heads of State and Government prescribe the EU a „Period of Reflection“ July 2005 Action Plan to improve communication followed by DG Communication‘s Plan D (Oct) for Democracy, Dialogue & Debate March 2006: DG COMM publishes a call for proposals April 2006: the ECC Consortium hands in its proposal and wins the largest share of co-finance from the Commission Project Development Oct 2005 – Feb 2006: Study on the feasibility of pan-EU dialogue projects based on experience with the Meeting of Minds project (2005-2006) March – April 2006: preparation of proposal for Commission; securing co- funding from non-Commission sources, creation and gradual enlargement of ECC core consortium

6. 6 Guidelines of the exercise work in groups to identify possible shortcomings of the European Citizens’ Consultations project and suggests future developments concerning: a) First, the methodological design: the pros and cons of the actual ECC building blocs  Agenda-Setting Event  Citizens’ Juries / Planning Cells  National Consultations  Synthesis Event b) In a second time, the practical implementation: the major organisational elements and problems encountered  Recruitment  Partner management (coordination, planning, training, budget)  Simultaneousness, interrelatedness, integration and coordination of events  Media & outreach