How to reform the European Institutions so they can better meet the public's expectations?, Sopot

De langste pier van Europa in Sopot, Polen.
Rafal Konkolewski
datum 26 september 2013
plaats Sopot, Polen
organisatie Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC) i

Sopot, Poland

This year, once again, the European Economic and Social Committee will be a partner of the yearly European Forum for New Ideas held in Sopot (Poland) with a dedicated panel discussion on How to reform the European institutions so they can better meet public expectations.

The debate will focus primarily on measures that the EU institutions can easily carry out to boost day-to-day public participation in European policy-making, with one main aim: to draw up a list of short- and long-term mechanisms that will help EU institutions to achieve this goal.

Preparatory work started in June. Think-tanks, representatives of the European institutions, journalists and EESC members exchanged views on this issue and drew up a number of proposals. These will be presented and debated during the panel discussion. Three key themes have been identified:

  • Europe must "connect with its people";
  • in connecting with its people, Europe should make the most of opportunities offered by new technologies;
  • a debate must now be launched on the kind of Europe that Europeans want to see and the reforms that are required.

The speakers will include Henri Malosse, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Philippe Cayla, President of Euronews Development and the driving force behind the "Let me vote" European citizen's initiative, which seeks to reduce the democratic deficit by extending the voting rights of EU citizens living abroad to regional and national elections, and Heather Smith, President of "Rock the Vote", an American non-profit organisation that aims "to engage and build political power for young people".


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Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC)

Het Europees Economisch en Sociaal Comité (EESC) werd in 1957 door het Verdrag tot oprichting van de Europese Economische Gemeenschap i opgericht als raadgevend orgaan om de belangen van de verschillende economische en maatschappelijke organisaties in de Europese Unie te vertegenwoordigen. Het EESC wordt voorgezeten door Christa Schweng.

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