Home - Citizens Take Over Europe
- ️Wed Apr 24 2024
To members of the Special Committee on the European Democracy Shield
Over a million people from across Europe have supported an initiative to ensure women have free access to abortion. The European Citizens Initiative ‘My Voice My Choice’ is now aiming to collect two hundred thousand more signatures, just to be…
Citizens Take Over Europe calls on each of the European Institutions to reinforce inclusive and participatory democratic procedures, transparency and accountability over the coming years, and steadfastly promote and defend fundamental rights and the rule of law both inside the European Union and outside.
About the CTOE coalition
Citizens Take Over Europe emerged in the spring 2020 amidst the recent Covid-19 pandemia, in which we recognized how much the lack of European democracy is deeply affecting our lives. We are a group of civil society organizations, citizens and residents from across Europe, joined in a common effort to promote a forward-looking and citizens-centered European democracy.
10 principles for a citizen-centered Conference on the Future of Europe
In July 2019, Ursula von der Leyen announced her intention to convene a two-year Conference on the Future of Europe, with the proclaimed aim to involve “citizens, including a significant role for young people, civil society and European institutions as equal partners.” We, the Citizens Take Over Europe coalition, welcome this proposal to “give citizens their say” by means of a structured transnational participatory process. However, it needs to be done right in order to have the intended effect. By means of the 10 principles below, we want to make our contribution to the institutional deliberations on how to shape the Conference on the Future of Europe (hereafter: the Conference).
1. Participatory
EU citizens and residents, including notably young people, should have the opportunity to shape the Conference at every step of its development, starting with the decisions on the design, scope and objectives of the Conference, as well as the status of its public input into EU decision-making.
2. Inclusive
Participation in the Conference should be inclusive. All participatory channels must be open to both EU citizens and EU residents. The citizens’ assemblies must be composed by means of stratified random selection, ensuring a balanced representation of people from different ages, genders, countries of residence, socio-economic backgrounds, and with different attitudes towards the EU (ranging from very positive to very negative).
3. Open
The Conference should have the freedom to set its own agenda and to put forward every possible proposal for the future of Europe, with all options on the table, including treaty changes, and without pre-emption of any of the outcomes of the discussion. The Conference should have the power to decide its own rules and proceedings and possible additional participatory instruments.
4. Deliberative
The Conference should maximise opportunities for dialogue, deliberation and contestation among citizens, between citizens and politicians, and with other stakeholders including relevant experts.
5. Transnational
The Conference should maximize opportunities for interaction, deliberation and collaboration among people from different countries. All participatory instruments should be transnational.
6. Transparent
All official Conference-related meetings and events should be livestreamed, recorded and made publicly available. All official Conference-related documents should be made publicly available in at least all official EU languages on a single online platform.
7. Accountable
The Conference Plenary should be accountable to the public at large by providing citizens with clear written feedback on the input developed by means of the participatory instruments of the Conference.
8. Effective
Prior to the start of the Conference, the EU institutions should commit themselves to following up on the resolutions to be adopted by the Conference. National, regional and local authorities should be invited to make a similar commitment.
9. Visible
Local, regional, national and EU authorities should use all available means to publicise the Conference and Conference-related events. They should actively seek to generate media interest in the Conference. In addition to analogue communication, digital technologies should be used to multiply outreach. The Conference should have its own visual identity, and set up a single online platform that should function as the ‘online hub’ of the Conference.
10. Attractive
The Conference should demonstrate that politics is intrinsically connected to other spheres of life, such as arts and culture. In order to showcase this, a number of transnational festivals should be set up as part of the Conference, aimed at reaching the widest possible audience.
Your time to vote!
We want to know your opinion, ideas and suggestions about the future of Europe. Every week, a new key question on European Democracy proposed by the Coalition will be released on this website. Have a say about the future of Europe!
Do you know what the Conference on the Future of Europe is?
In July 2019, Ursula von der Leyen announced her intention to convene a two-year Conference on the Future of Europe, with the proclaimed aim to involve “citizens, including a significant role for young people, civil society and European institutions as equal partners.” But does actually people know what the Conference is about?
Physical events
Physical events
Transnational Citizens’ Assembly on End-of-Life Decisions
Europe from Below: Peace, Democracy and Rule of Law
Rethinking Alter-Globalisation: The Advent of Planetary Politics?
ReeL Festival
Lunch debate – Convention for a people-powered Europe: The future of democratic participation
Assemblies of Solidarity in Strasbourgh
Should vital medical products (such as vaccines) only be exported from the EU once European citizens have been supplied?
Transeuropa Festival
War in Europe: is EU fit to fight for peace?
The invasion of Ukraine: duties and responsabilities of the EU towards Ukrainian refugees
Power to the People How can Europe work for everyone?
Women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights in Poland
For a permanent EU citizens assembly : Why? When? How?
Impact of COVID19 on women from an intergenerational and intersectional perspective
What is the conference on the future of Europe and why does it matter?
Women’s rights and gender equality in the context of the covid-19 pandemic: education, campaigning and information sharing
A European Citizens’ Assembly: A New Institution for the Future of Europe
Participatory democracy in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe: review of the mid-term reports and digital engagement
Insights into mechanisms of participatory democracy
Between Land and Sea
Civic engagement and utopias: opening the decision-making processes
Civic engagement and utopias: opening the decision-making processes
Physical and mental health amongst migration communities
School of Resistance: leave no one behind
Leave no one behind
School of Resistance – For a Politics of Justice!
School of Resistance: leave no one behind
Methods of participating in the deliberative process in the EU for young people: the role of national level education in EU literacy
Methods of participating in the deliberative process in the EU for young people: the role of national level education in EU literacy
Physical and mental health amongst migration communities
Digital rights: e-democracy, cyber security and digital inclusion
How to promote sustainable tourism in the Black Sea region? How to fight energy poverty at local (Constanta), national (Romania) and EU level?
Sustainability in the Black Sea region
Agriculture and social rights
Climate and participative democracy
EU Green Deal: challenges for business and labor
Raising awareness about the SDGs and the welcoming of refugees
Combining awareness-raising about CoFoE
Regional development and EU literacy: building an inlcusive Union
SDGs and migrants rights
Combining awareness-raising about CoFoE
Combining awareness-raising about CoFoE
Youth in Politics
New beginnings and the future we want: an outdoor conversation
New beginnings and the future we want: an outdoor conversation
New Beginnings: sustainable ways of living in the EU
Combining awareness-raising about CoFoE
Sustainability and well-being: show me what your EU looks like
Insurgent europeanism
European Citizens Assemblies at Centre of Future of Europe
Strenghtening transnational representative democracy; Developping citizens political participation; Bringing direct democracy tools in
assembraMenti – Clima, lavoro, inclusione
How can we involve younger generations in the debate and discussions about the future of Europe? What do you think are our main challenges?
Online events
Online events
SERPENTINES! – A new future for Europe’s regions
Workshop: how to discuss the future of Europe among different generations?
War in Europe: is EU fit to fight for peace?
Power to the People – How can Europe work for everyone?
Unmuted: MEPs on the Conference on the Future of Europe
We are ready for Conference on Future of Europe are you?
For a Permanent EU Citizens’ Assembly: Why, When, How?
For a permanent EU citizens assembly : Why? When? How?
Making rights inclusive for all after the pandemic
Participatory democracy in the context of the CoFoE
Limitations of rights in times of the Covid-19 pandemic
Youth engagement and the future of Europe
Physical and mental health amongst migration communities
Health rights and feminism in Europe
Workers Without Borders in Conversation with EU Policy Makers
Workers right in the platform economy
Digital rights: e-democracy, cyber security and digital inclusion
Workers Without Borders: Agricultural Workers in the Food Industry
Agriculture and social rights
Climate and participative democracy
EU Green Deal Herausforderungen für Wirtschaft und Arbeit Bereit für die Challenge?
EU Green Deal- Challenges for Business and Labor. Ready for the Challenge?
Sustainability and climate change: the role of youth in the EU
LAUNCH EVENT OF THE CROSS-PARTY GROUP OF MEPs ON EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP
Framtidssamtal utomhus
Europe in the making – exercising forms of engagement at local and EU level
Framtidssamtal utomhus
Care Workers in the Health Sector
Europe Day
Europe Day
Europe Day: the Assemblies of Solidarity consultation
Delivery Workers in the Platform Economy
The Rise of Insurgent Europeanism
Insurgent europeanism
European Citizens Assemblies and the Future of Europe
European Citizens Assemblies at Centre of Future of Europe
Citizens Take Over Europe x Conference on the Future of Europe 1.0
Digital democracy: a framework for European democracy
CTOE Europe Week | For a citizens centered conference on the future of Europe
Citizen Participation in Democratic Europe: What Next for the EU?
Protecting communities most affected by Covid-19
Artists and inlfuencers: innovative narratives on democracy
Democracy literacy and the role of formal education
A citizens’ centered Conference on the Future of Europe
Athens
Close
Barcelona
Impact of COVID19 on women from an intergenerational and intersectional perspective
Dec 9th 9th 2021 6:00 pm
Women’s rights and gender equality in the context of the covid-19 pandemic: education, campaigning and information sharing
Dec 9th 2021
Close
Berlin
EU Green Deal- Challenges for Business and Labor. Ready for the Challenge?
Jun 28th 2021
Close
Bochum
Close
Brussels
Workshop: how to discuss the future of Europe among different generations?
Dec 20th 2022 7:00 pm
Should vital medical products (such as vaccines) only be exported from the EU once European citizens have been supplied?
Apr 24th 2022
The invasion of Ukraine: duties and responsabilities of the EU towards Ukrainian refugees
Mar 29th 2022
A European Citizens’ Assembly: A New Institution for the Future of Europe
Dec 2nd 2nd 2021 12:00 pm
Participatory democracy in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe: review of the mid-term reports and digital engagement
Oct 28th 2021
Strenghtening transnational representative democracy; Developping citizens political participation; Bringing direct democracy tools in
May 5th 2021
How can we involve younger generations in the debate and discussions about the future of Europe? What do you think are our main challenges?
Apr 10th 2021
Close
Calabria
Close
Cologne
EU Green Deal Herausforderungen für Wirtschaft und Arbeit Bereit für die Challenge?
Jun 28th 2021 7:00 pm
Close
Constanta
How to promote sustainable tourism in the Black Sea region? How to fight energy poverty at local (Constanta), national (Romania) and EU level?
Aug 19th 2021
Close
Florence
Rethinking Alter-Globalisation: The Advent of Planetary Politics?
Nov 11th 11th 2022 5:30 pm
What is the conference on the future of Europe and why does it matter?
Dec 9th 9th 2021 4:30 pm
Close
Gothenburg
Close
Liege
Close
London
Workers Without Borders: Agricultural Workers in the Food Industry
Jul 1st 1st 2021 7:00 pm
Citizen Participation in Democratic Europe: What Next for the EU?
May 4th 4th 2021 4:00 pm
Close
Paris
Workers Without Borders in Conversation with EU Policy Makers
Sep 23rd 23rd 2021 2:00 pm
Close
Pordedone
Close
Porto
Close
Roma
CTOE Europe Week | For a citizens centered conference on the future of Europe
May 4th 9th 2021
Close
Stockholm
Close
Strasbourg
Lunch debate – Convention for a people-powered Europe: The future of democratic participation
May 7th 7th 2022
LAUNCH EVENT OF THE CROSS-PARTY GROUP OF MEPs ON EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP
Jun 18th 18th 2021
Europe in the making – exercising forms of engagement at local and EU level
Jun 17th 17th 2021 10:00 am
Close
Vienna
Close
Warsaw
Methods of participating in the deliberative process in the EU for young people: the role of national level education in EU literacy
Sep 16th 2021
Methods of participating in the deliberative process in the EU for young people: the role of national level education in EU literacy
Sep 16th 2021
Close