The second plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) took place last weekend in Strasbourg. Citizens, institutions, and civil society come together in this conference to discuss the future of the EU.
This time, the focus was on reports from the European Citizens’ Panels, national citizen consultations, the Multilingual Digital Platform, and the European Youth Event.
Members of the Dutch Senate, Ria Oomen-Ruijten (CDA) and Bastiaan van Apeldoorn (SP), participated via video connection. Member of the House of Representatives Roelien Kamminga (VVD) joined in Strasbourg and spoke in the plenary on behalf of the Dutch delegation. She called on the chairs to give citizens sufficient time and space within the Conference.
Representatives from the European Youth Event (EYE2021), held earlier in October, presented the Youth Ideas report containing the 20 most popular proposals for EU reforms. These included calls for transnational candidate lists during EU elections and ending the veto rights of EU countries on Council of Ministers' decisions.
"If there is one thing to remember from today’s report, it is that young people have a clear vision for the future of Europe," said Martina Brambilla from Italy, one of the three spokespeople of the event, along with Greta Adamek (Germany) and Tommy Larsen (Denmark).
So far, approximately 9,000 ideas and more than 15,000 comments have been submitted via the Conference platform, reported CoFoE co-chair Guy Verhofstadt. Most ideas concern EU democracy, climate change, and the environment.
"This platform expresses the desire to improve the EU as a project," Verhofstadt said. “Some recurring themes are ending unanimity (in decision-making), (...) and the necessity to preserve multilingualism as a way to promote a truly citizen-focused Europe."
A final report on the findings of the digital platform is expected in December, but members of the plenary session proposed that the platform should continue afterward and become a permanent dialogue between institutions and citizens.