Conference on the Future of Europe: 200 citizens in Florence to define recommendations on democracy and rights

The European citizens who are members of Panel II of the Conference on the Future of Europe started to work in the premises of the European University Institute (Iue) in Florence earlier today on democracy/European values and rights, the rule of law, security. Some are connected online. The work will go on until Sunday, December 12th, with the aim to define the citizens’ recommendations which shall be submitted at the plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The groundwork was started in two earlier sessions – one in Strasbourg in September 24-26 and one online in November 12-14 – and led to outline a few specific “lines” within the broader theme: non-discrimination and the protection of rights; protecting democracy and the rule of law; reforming the EU; building the European identity; strengthening the citizens’ participation. On these days, the 200 European citizens will have to write down specific recommendations for the European institutions that lead the Conference’s process. The Executive Board of the Conference decided, however, to postpone the expected submission at the plenary session of December 17-18 in Strasbourg: so far, only Panel II would have been able to complete its work. Panel I could not be convened in Dublin in early December because of the pandemic; Panels III and IV will not meet until January, one in Natolin and one in Maastricht, respectively. Therefore, the plenary session of the Conference will not take place, and only its workgroups will meet virtually.
Sarah Numico