ESC geeft bijdrage aan debat over reflectieperiode (en)

Brussels, 20 October 2005

EESC key opinion on the reflection period:
Start making participatory democracy a reality now!!

At the request of the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee will shortly debate and vote a key opinion on the current reflection period on the European Union. The draft opinion (rapporteur Ms Jillian van Turnhout, Ireland, Group III - Various Interests) argues strongly that participatory democracy can help bring the integration process back on track. In particular, the Committee argues that the relevant provisions of the Constitutional Treaty concerning the democratic life of the Union should be put into practice now. The draft opinion further argues that the EU must deliver on the Lisbon Strategy and it insists that primary responsibility for the debates envisaged during the reflection period lies with the Member States. The debate on the opinion is scheduled for 26 October at about 15.00 pm.

The draft opinion urges the Union's institutions and its member states to anticipate the relevant provisions of the Constitutional Treaty on the democratic life of the Union: `the underlying logic and analyses that led to the Constitutional Treaty remain the same,' states the draft opinion. `The continued absence of the Treaty, which sought to meet the concerns that have led to the current situation, is paradoxical.'

The Union, continues the draft opinion, needs to capture the public imagination and it needs to deliver on the Lisbon Strategy. The EU's institutions should recognise that the primary responsibility for communication lies with the Member States. However, the European institutions have an important complementary role in stimulating wider debate at European level. Non-governmental organisations can play an important supportive role and should therefore be involved in genuine local, regional and national dialogue.

The draft opinion regrets that the broad debate envisaged by the Heads of State or Government is currently largely absent in the Member States and it points out that without such a debate it will be difficult to make any progress. An annex to the draft opinion sets out a number of specific practical recommendations for the EU's institutions and for the Member States.

For more details, please contact:
Karel Govaert or Christian Weger at the EESC Press Office.
Rue Belliard 99, B-1040; Bruxelles
Tel.: 02 546 9396/9586; Mobile: 0475 753 202
e-mail : press@esc.eu.int

Website: http://www.esc.eu.int/press/index_en.asp