Future of Europe: Panel recommendations on European democracy and values

On 10-12 December, the European Citizens’ Panel on "European democracy / Values and rights, rule of law, security" will meet for the third and final time.

The session will take place at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence (Italy), with some 200 panellists from all Member States, different ages and backgrounds deciding on their recommendations for the future of Europe. Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, the Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe decided to hold the Panel 2 session in in full respect of the health measures in place in Florence, Italy, with hybrid facilities to connect remotely as well, to allow all panellists to take part. The panellists will build on their previous work from two sessions, held in Strasbourg on 24-26 September and online on 12-14 November, and focused on the following streams: ensuring rights and non-discrimination; protecting democracy and the rule of law; reforming the EU; building European identity; and strengthening citizen participation.

You can find all relevant information, including the latest report on the Panel’s work, on the dedicated Panel 2 webpage. The draft agenda is available here.

Changes to the Conference calendar

The Board also decided to postpone the Conference Plenary session of 17-18 December, in which the first two Panels were supposed to present their recommendations. Following the postponement of the meeting scheduled to take place in Dublin on 3-5 December due to the current COVID-19 restrictions in Ireland, Panel 1 would not have been able to finalise its recommendations. Nevertheless, the Plenary’s working groups will convene in December in a remote format, to ensure that the Conference continues working.

How to follow the Panel session

The meetings of the Panels comprising all 200 panellists will be webstreamed on Parliament’s Multimedia Centre (Friday and Sunday) and on the Conference’s Multilingual Digital Platform.

Journalists who wish to attend in person have to register using the following link: https://register.futureu.events/200229539?categoryid=201797379&t=bfdb610225b9b70c2dc9f3a03a297115.

You will need to be an accredited journalist (in an EU member state or the European institutions) in order to have access to the premises. A press working area will be available in each of the following buildings:

Badia Fiesolana

Via dei Roccettini 9, I-50014 San Domenico di Fiesole

Tel. [+39] 055 4685 399

Media room: Sala della Colonna and Sede Fondazione Balducci

Villa Salviati (HAEU)

Via Bolognese 156 - 50139 Firenze

Tel. [+39] 055 4685 620

Please note: car access from Via Salviati 3 only

Media room: Sala della Conchiglia

Villa Schifanoia

Via Boccaccio 12, I-50133 Firenze

Tel. [+39] 055 4685 550

Media room: Sala Rossa - Bandiera

There will be an audiovisual studio at the Badia Fiesolana building with HD equipment, which can be used for streaming.

For further practical information, contact Cecilia Sundberg on cecilia.sundberg@europarl.europa.eu or +32 470 88 12 80.

Technical briefing

A technical briefing for journalists will take place at the premises of the European University Institute in Florence (Teatro room, Baida Fiesolana building), on Friday 9 December at 14:45 CET, with remote participation. The briefing, in English and French (without interpretation). For more information and the link to participate remotely, send an email to Sinead.MEEHAN-VAN-DRUTEN@ec.europa.eu.

COVID-19 rules

The EUI is implementing all safety measures foreseen for the organisation of in-presence meetings. There will be physical distancing between people and the obligation to wear a mask.

A “strengthened COVID pass" is necessary to access EUI premises, proving vaccination against COVID-19 or recovery within the last nine months.

Background

The four European Citizens’ Panels are a citizen-led process and a cornerstone of the Conference on the Future of Europe. Their deliberations take into account citizens’ contributions collected from across Europe on the Multilingual Digital Platform, and supported by input and presentations from prominent academics and other experts. 80 representatives of the Panels (of which at least one-third are aged between 16 and 25 years) participate in the Conference Plenary, where they will present the outcomes of their respective Panel discussions, and debate them with MEPs, national politicians, European Commissioners, and other Plenary Members from EU bodies and civil society.

Citizens have been chosen randomly by specialist contractors, using methodologies that ensure that they are representative of the EU’s diversity in terms of geographic origin, gender, age, socioeconomic background and level of education. Each Panel will come up with recommendations to be presented and discussed in the Conference Plenary that will then put forward proposals on the Future of Europe.