Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate
| On
13 October 2005 the European Commission launched its Plan D for
Democracy, Dialogue and Debate as a foundation for a debate on the
future of the European Union (EU). Plan D seeks to foster communication
and debate on the activities of the EU by addressing the need to listen
to citizens' expectations. |
The European Commission's Plan D
for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate sets out a process aimed at
encouraging wider debate on the future of the EU, between the EU
institutions and citizens.
Objectives
A
debate on the future of Europe should address the needs and
expectations of citizens in order to maintain trust and involvement in
representative democracy. Plan D is therefore about dialogue,
debate and listening to citizens' needs and expectations. It also seeks
to encourage communication on the activities of the EU by addressing
target audiences, (for example young people), and using mass media,
like television and the internet, the latter as an interactive forum
for political debate. A specific Eurobarometer survey on the future of
Europe will be presented by the European Commission in order to learn
from the concerns expressed by citizens.
Plan D should result in a new consensus on the European project and basically addresses two issues:
- assisting national debates on the future of Europe ;
- presenting initiatives to strengthen dialogue, public debate and citizen participation.
Assisting national debates on the future of Europe
National
debates should focus on examining and discussing the added value and
benefits for citizens of concrete achievements and projects of the EU.
The
European Commission emphasises its wish to assist Member States in the
organisation of events aimed at raising the profile of citizen
participation in these Europe-wide debates. Co-operation with other EU
institutions and bodies as well as national, regional and local
parliaments plays an important role in this respect.
Initiatives to strengthen dialogue, public debate and citizen's participation
Plan D
proposes 13 specific EU initiatives and actions in order to strengthen
and stimulate dialogue, public debate and citizen's participation. The
European Commission is to play a significant role in these initiatives,
in partnership with the other European institutions and bodies.
Specific
EU actions include visits by commissioners to Member States and
national parliaments, support for citizens' projects, a drive for more
openness over Council meetings, the creation of a network of "European
Goodwill Ambassadors" to raise the profile of the European debate, as
well as support for projects to increase voter participation.
Feedback process
A
feedback process on the results of the national debates will take place
in 2006 in order to let citizens' participation have a direct impact on
the political agenda of the EU. The feedback will take the form of a
set of conclusions and an overall synthesis of the outcome of national
debates, as well as the organisation of a European Conference on the
future of Europe on 9 May 2006.
Background
After
the rejection of the European Constitution by French and Dutch voters
in June 2005, the Heads of State and Government called for a "period of
reflection" in order to enable Member States to initiate national
debates on the future of Europe. Plan D seeks to facilitate this
process of national debate by putting in place a framework for dialogue
and debate.
(from: http://europa.eu/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/a30000.htm)
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