Conference on Future of Europe: EU Commission, events across Member States and transparency through websites and social media

(Brussels) Following the European Parliament Resolution of 15 January, the Commission will issue a Communication in preparation for the Conference on the Future of Europe on 22 January, which will be discussed by the General Affairs Council (ministers of Member States) on 28 January. The Commission will propose the drafting of an “interinstitutional joint declaration” to define the themes, timing and scope of the Conference. The Commission - in the document previewed by SIR news agency - also points to the need to approve the amendments to the EU electoral law before the European elections in 2024. “Over 200 million European citizens voted in the European Parliament elections that took place in May 2019, the highest turnout for the past twenty years. According to the Commission, this clearly shows that Europeans want to play a more active role in deciding what the European Union shall do. Moreover, since digital technologies and social media have radically changed political and civic participation, citizens call for greater involvement in policy-making, not limited to voting every five years. We have to answer this call”. The European Union’s democratic system is unique. It includes 500 million people and goes beyond geographical borders, the Commission stated in its document. To make it “even more vibrant, interactive and relevant to our citizens, we need to use new approaches”. In this sense, the Conference should achieve greater visibility and transparency also through events held across the EU, websites and social media.
Valentina Bombelli