Conference on the Future of Europe: how to follow the European Citizens’ Panels

Media are invited to the sessions of the European Citizens’ Panels, with the first 200-citizen meeting taking place on 17 - 19 September in Strasbourg.

This media advisory provides information on the arrangements relating to the first session of the European Citizens’ Panels, including how to follow and cover it.

When: Friday 17 September 2021 (early PM, CEST) to Sunday 19 September 2021 (early PM, CEST) / press conference with the Head of the EP delegation to the Conference Guy Verhofstadt on Tuesday 14 September 2021 (16.00 CEST)

Where: European Parliament in Strasbourg

The European Citizens’ Panels are a central feature of the Conference organised by the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission based on their Joint Declaration. The first sessions of all four Panels will take place on Parliament’s premises in Strasbourg and begin working on draft recommendations within each Panel’s remit.

This first European Citizens’ Panel will focus on a stronger economy, social justice, jobs/education, youth, culture, and sport/digital transformation, based on citizens’ contributions collected from across Europe on the Multilingual Digital Platform, as well as support and presentations from prominent academics. Find out more about the Panels in our previous alert, download an infographic on the Conference’s timeline and the Commission’s Factsheet, or read about their practical modalities and download the provisional calendar of the Conference.

Press conference

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday 14 September 2021 (16.00 CEST), the Head of Parliament’s Delegation to the Conference Guy Verhofstadt will answer journalists’ questions in Parliament’s Daphne Caruana Galizia press conference room in Strasbourg. The press conference will be webstreamed on Parliament’s Multimedia Centre, and questions may also be submitted remotely via interactio: https://broadcaster.interactio.eu/join/66e2-hy1p-1w4u.

Technical briefing

The briefing, to be provided by the staff of the Common Secretariat, will take place on Friday 17 September at 18.15 CEST in Parliament’s VoxBox and via remote participation. To receive information on how to connect online, please register your interest via email to media-seminars@europarl.europa.eu. Off the record exchanges with members of the Common Secretariat and other technical experts may also be possible earlier on the same day, to be organised upon request.

Interviews with citizens

Media representatives will be able to interview citizens who are willing to engage with journalists, using Parliament’s dedicated spaces and equipment if needed (booking required). EP press officers will be available to facilitate the process and liaise where necessary. ;

Audio-visual coverage

The plenary meetings of the European Citizens’ Panels, i.e. in which all 200 of their members will participate, will be broadcast on EbS/EbS+ and live streamed on the Conference Platform and Parliament’s Multimedia Centre, where the recordings will remain available for download.

Accreditation *updated deadline*

Annual press badges (either inter-institutional badges or EP badges) are valid.

Journalists without an access badge need to request accreditation before 17 September (16.00) via the journalist registration website.

COVID-19 prevention measures

Journalists can attend, provided they strictly follow the health restrictions and measures put in place by the French authorities and the European Parliament. Any media physically present at the event are requested to respect social distancing of 1.5 m while on EP premises and to wear a medical face mask at all times. Entrance to Parliament wearing so-called ‘community masks’ or other masks made of textiles will not be allowed.

Access

Media access will be facilitated through the main entrance to the Louise Weiss building. The doors will open at 12:00 on Friday 17 September. The separate press entrance will be closed.

Working areas

The following areas will be accessible for journalists:

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  Working space and access to the video feed inside the press room
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  Press gallery of the chamber (the chamber itself will not be accessible to journalists and camera crews)
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  Media space outside the Hemicycle for video recording (booking required)

Wi-Fi will be available in all parts of the building. The login and password will be communicated on the day.

Audiovisual facilities (booking required)

The following audiovisual services will be provided:

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  Live camera positions in self-service near the chamber. Each media is to bring its own equipment and cabling; power and internet broadband connection will be available
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  Multimedia studio

To allow us to best facilitate your work, please send in your requests before Friday 17 September 13:00 to avplanning@europarl.europa.eu. Please note that the usual range of audio-visual facilities (TV and radio studios, crews, editing ...) will be limited.

Photo Opportunities (booking required)

Photo and video pools will be organised for the:

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  Photo opportunities in the hemicycle (access exclusively reserved for photographers upon registration - see contact below)
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  Chamber (access exclusively reserved for photo agencies)

All journalists will be able to follow the Live coverage from the Press Room screens.

AV Planning

Brussel +32 2 28 43418

Strasbourg +33 3 88 17 34 18

avplanning@europarl.europa.eu

For any questions linked to the programme or the facilities, please contact the EP audio-visual press team:

Assistance for audio-visual journalists | News | European Parliament (europa.eu)