Activities of Victor NEGRESCU related to 2020/2201(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on Citizens’ dialogues and Citizens’ participation in the EU decision-making
Amendments (25)
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Citizens’ Dialogues conducted by the Commission are a way to provide information to citizens rather than to engage with them in a debate about their vision and what they would like to see change in the EU; whereas citizens consultations conducted by Member States about the Future of Europe have proven to be an effective tool to engage with citizens on EU matters;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the existing participatory instruments, such as the ECI, public consultations and Citizens’ Dialogues, do not provide very effectivesufficient means for citizens to influence EU decision-making;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Calls on the Commission to present a proposal for an Interinstitutional Agreement on civil dialogue based on article 11.2 TEU stating that institutions shall maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with representative associations and civil society;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas there is a need to enhance the European dimension of citizenship education, by improving their understanding of the EU, in order to enable citizens’ participation; whereas there is a growing need for European citizenship education classes across Member States;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes that established channels for citizens to give their input on the EU decision-making process, such as the European citizens’ initiative, the right of petition to the European Parliament, recourse to the European Ombudsman, public consultations and dialogues, lack visibility, accessibility and follow-up; supports awareness raising activities on these mechanisms to maximise their impact and effectiveness;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Believes that citizen’s participation implies the development of an array of tools ranging from consultation to deliberation, as well as the development of structured permanent dialogue at EU level and at national level on EU issues with citizens and civil society organisations representing citizens;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the need to reflect on how the Union can become more democratic and effective; believes that a profound reform of the Union and possible changes to the Treaties, which would make the Union more effective, united, democratic, solidarycial, equitable, cohesive, sovereign and resilient, are strengthened by directly engaging with citizens;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. SAffirms that quality education, and particularly citizenship education, is one of the pillars of democracy; stresses that civic education and learning about the EU is key to improve European democracy and the future of the Union, enabling EU citizens to make informed choices; calls on the Commission to develop an indicative common curriculum on EU learning in order to foster objective and critical thinking on the benefits of the European Uncitizenship in order to foster a better understanding, among others, of the functioning of the EU, of the existing EU participatory mechanisms, of the histories and cultures of Member States, their European rights and obligations, as well as objective and critical thinking on the benefits of the European Union; considers that more investment is needed in training and capacity building programmes for educators on citizenship education;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Invites the Commission to develop a comprehensive European strategy on citizenship education in view of the risk posed to our democracies by national populism, online disinformation and the polarising social tensions in Europe and abroad; considers that such strategy should seek to inform citizens’ about European democratic systems; enhance citizens’ understanding of the interplay between the EU and the Member States’ roles in the EU decision-making process and how EU policies are made, nurture public awareness about the benefits, rights and obligations of being a EU citizen, raise awareness about innovative ways of citizens’ participation in EU decision-making and co-creation of policy solutions; such strategy should support safeguarding the rule of law, minority rights in Europe and the values of an open and inclusive society, reinforce youth engagement in public life by promoting innovative and novel ways of political representation and participation, improve digital competences, social media literacy and critical thinking in media consumption;
Amendment 64 #
5. Underlines the need to engage with young people in particular in a political debate on the future of Europe, as today’s decisions will determine their future; emphasizes the need to identify new means of communication and interaction adapted to the interests of young people;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Ask the Commission to explore the establishment of an European Agency for Citizenship education in charge of improving access to and the quality of citizenship education in all EU member states and support the development of a European dimension of citizenship education, for all age groups, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Recalls that the right of education is the first principle of the European Pillar of Social rights, including the right to education to fully participate in social life, believes that to this end citizenship education covering the national and European level must be ensured;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5 d. Calls on the EU and national governments to increase its investment in formal and informal civic education, on active citizenship and democratic competences;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need for permanent participatory and effective mechanisms to allow for citizens’ participation in EU decision- making; supports awareness- raising activities of these mechanisms to maximize their impact and effectiveness;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the right of citizens to have access to reliable and factual information on the European Union, its policies and decision-making processes; recognises the need to establish adiversify access to neutral, independent and informative common European news centreand the value of existing European media outlets, available in all of the EU’s official languages; calls for downstream feedback, fact-checking and moderation in relation to disinformation to be introduced into the functioning of online platforms.;
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Welcomes the European Democracy Action Plan (EDAP) objective to improve citizens’ participation in democratic systems through informed decision-making; emphasises the need to ensure youth participation and civic engagement of people from disadvantaged backgrounds under Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity; welcomes the announced measures in the EDAP to strengthen media freedom, freedom of expression and quality journalism, looks forward to the Commission’s proposals for practical and efficient tools to better secure the safety of journalists, which are all too often subject to threats and undue intimidation, thereby limiting citizen’s right to information, notes with concern the lack of specific proposals to ensure artistic freedom and grant protection to censored and prosecuted artists and invites the Commission to further develop this area under the DEAP;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recalls that citizens’ dialogues should intend to provide a means for individuals to express their ideas and concerns; underlines the fact that they have to be participatory, inclusive, open, deliberate, transnational, transparent, non- partisan, accountable, effective, visible and attractive;
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6 c. Calls on the Commission to include meaningful participation of citizens and civil society organisations in the Conference on the future of Europe, considers that to this end, proper methodologies and tailored tools enabling deep engagement and understanding of the topics debated are crucial, in particular in its European dimension;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Emphasises that, in order to reach out to as many citizens as possible, an inclusive approach must be taken; underlines the fact that the selection of participants should ensure a well-balanced representation of the population, so that the societal diversity is fully reflected; stresses that all citizens should have equal access to exercise their rights, including those living in disadvantaged areas or those who have a lower exposure to EU information; emphasizes that citizens living in another Member State, different from the one whose EU citizenship they have and also the citizens of EU Member States living in non-EU Member States should be included in the citizens’ consultations and be offered special mechanisms adapted to their needs;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights that civil society organisations and social partners should play a major role in participatory instruments; considers that proper methodologies and instruments enabling a better engagement and supporting civil societies’ and social partners' participation are crucial; underlines the fact that, in order for such instruments to be successful, the Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) must be involved;
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Underlines the importance of academia, researchers and universities in the improvement of EU citizens' level of know-how about EU participation mechanisms; reiterates the need for the Commission to better support EU affairs and studies programs existing across Europe and beyond;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Proposes the setting up of an independent civil society, academic and social partners forum in order to monitor the process and its follow-up by the EU institutions;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Stresses the need to permanently include citizens in the structural reforms of the EU by reforming the Convention method as provided for in Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union; proposes that this be discussed in the Conference on the Future of Europe; believes that the Conference on the Future of Europe will bring an important contribution in the further development of citizens’ participation in the EU policy-making process and pave the way for establishing a new permanent mechanism for citizens’ participation;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21 a. Stresses that an effective citizens’ dialogue and an active citizens' participation are strongly linked to the European dimension of citizenship education; stresses the necessity of new models and instruments of citizenship education such as the establishment of a European Agency for citizenship education;