Activities of François ALFONSI related to 2020/2201(INI)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on Citizens’ dialogues and Citizens’ participation in the EU decision-making
Amendments (47)
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas accordit is the aim to continuously improve the way in which democracy works ing tohe EU, several Eurobarometer surveys, a large proportion of EU show that citizens are not satisfied with the way democracy works in the EU and tend to distrust the EU institutions; whereas not only is this perception present at EU level, but also at national level;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
C a. whereas Article 11 (1) and (2) of the Treaty on European Union requires the institutions to give citizens and representative associations the opportunity to make known and publicly exchange their views in all areas of Union action, and to maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with representative associations and civil society;
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the legal and political impact of the only bottom-up instruments for citizens in the EU, namely the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), complaints to the European Ombudsman and petitions to Parliament, is rather minimal; whereas the European Ombudsman recommendations are not legally binding;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the legal and political impact of the only bottom-up instruments for citizens in the EU, namely the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), complaints to the European Ombudsman and petitions to Parliament, is rather minimalvery low due in part to the European Commission's lack of consideration for citizens' participative instruments, such as ECIs;
Amendment 20 #
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 and do not provide a feedback mechanism to inform citizens about the outcomes of their participation;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas the current design of existing participatory instruments, such as the ECI, public consultations and Citizens’ Dialogues, do not provide very effective means for citizens to influence EU decision-making;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas reforming the existing participatory instruments, while paying particular attention to the most underrepresented groups of society, notably young people, and further developing a European public sphere can contribute to reinforcing the democratic legitimacy of the EU;
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K a (new)
Recital K a (new)
K a. whereas there is the need to recognise the work of civil society organisations in civic education and learning, and to encourage a holistic approach to citizenship education, including both formal and non-formal education and informal learning;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas existing successful projects on citizen participation, such as European HomeParliaments and EU Youth Dialogue, have demonstrated that citizens would like to be included in EU decision- making processes on a regular basis; whereas the Council remains a closed- door institution as confirmed by the European Ombudsman’s inquiry OI/2/2017/TE into the Council’s lack of transparency regarding public access to its legislative documents and its decision- making process;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital M a (new)
Recital M a (new)
M a. whereas the OECD defines open government as “a culture of governance based on innovative and sustainable public policies and practices inspired by the principles of transparency, accountability, and participation that fosters democracy and inclusive growth";
Amendment 42 #
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, solidary, sovereign and resilient, are strengthened by directly engaging with citizens through participatory mechanisms;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Stresses that open government, which combines increased transparency and accountability measures and participatory tools, is a good response to the democratic deficit that results from a perceived lack of agency in EU decision- making by EU citizens;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Welcomes the Conference on the Future of Europe and believes that it is a great opportunity to engage directly with citizens in a meaningful dialogue on the future of Europe and to provide responses to their demands;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that the existing participatory instruments should be improved and new ones developed, to make citizens’ participation more accessible, inclusive, meaningful and effective;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Notes that citizens' participation mechanisms include a wide range of tools that are complementary, such as citizens' assemblies, citizens' initiatives, public consultations, citizens’ dialogues, participative budgeting, referendums, etc.;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Underlines the benefit of engaging with citizens in the development of a European public sphere and in the reinforcement of the democratic legitimacy of the EUby promoting exchanges between citizens of different countries at European, national, regional and local level, in particular through networks of towns and regions, and facilitating an inter-regional dialogue, which will also result in the reinforcement of the democratic legitimacy of the EU; calls on the Commission to ensure sufficient funding for that purpose through the ‘Citizens' engagement and participation' strand’ of CERV programme;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that the EU institutions have to be informed of citizens’ concerns and need to be more attentive to these concerns by ensuring adequate channels to reach citizens and gather input and by providing appropriate follow-up mechanisms; calls for EU citizens' participation mechanisms to be redesigned to enable for citizens' participation to have a meaningful impact on EU decision-making;
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Emphasises that the EU institutions haveneed to be informed of citizens’ concerns and need to be more attentive to these concernsmore attentive and reactive to citizens’ concerns and can benefit from additional channels of citizen input;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
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, and to engage with educational institutions and civic education organisations to ensure that active European citizenship becomes part of the curriculum across the EU;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the need for permanent participatory mechanisms at European, national, regional and local level to allow for citizens’ participation in EU decision- making and for adequate horizontal and vertical coordination among institutions at different levels;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Recalls that European policies and legislation are most of the times implemented by local and regional administrations and that they have the capacity to reach out more easily and play a central role in educating citizens about the EU, as it is the level of government closest to the citizens; stresses that a first step could be to strengthen the resources allocated to the liaison offices of the European institutions and to develop their territorial network throughout Europe;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6 a. Points out that the current concept and practice of Citizens’ Dialogues should be reinforced and updated;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6 b. Welcomes the Committee of the Regions opinion on ‘Local and regional authorities in the permanent dialogue with citizens’; requests, in addition to EU wide tools of citizens' participation, to establish a network of multi-level governments that should serve as a transmission chain between European institutions and citizens;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Highlights the fact that regularly held citizens’ dialogue participation processes with citizens could serve different purposes, such as determining annual political or legislative priorities, developing specific proposals in relation to specific questions, discussing institutional matters or deciding on the spending of certain public resources;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recalls that citizens’ dialogue' participation mechanisms 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, accountable, effective, visible and attractive;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)
Paragraph 8 b (new)
8 b. Proposes to establish a European Network for Citizenship Education to provide a platform for exchange on best- practices and knowledge on methods of enhancing the European dimension of citizenship education;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 c (new)
Paragraph 8 c (new)
8 c. Calls on the Commission to develop a comprehensive European strategy to enhance citizenship competences in the EU and develop supportive measures aimed at providing equal access to citizenship education to all people residing in the EU to enable them to exercise their political rights;
Amendment 91 #
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 that should encompass an inclusive selection process but also adequate communication mechanisms to reach a diverse public and inclusive processes of participation paying attention to the content of the materials used, the topics put on the table, the skills of moderators in deliberative processes to ensure an inclusive debate, ensuring an analysis on the impact of the policies discussed on women and on persons put in vulnerable situation, etc; underlines the fact that the selection of participants should ensure a well-balanced representation of the population, so that the societal and territorial diversity is fully reflected;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Emphasises that, in order to reach out to as many citizens as possibleincorporate the full diversity of the European population, 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;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9 a. Stresses the need for citizens to have access to participation mechanisms in their mother tongue; recalls that language barriers make the European institutions distant from the citizens and prevent the development of a truly inclusive European democracy;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 b (new)
Paragraph 9 b (new)
9 b. Calls for participatory mechanisms to be extended to all residents;
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Stresses that the purpose of citizens’ dialogueany participatory process must be communicated from the very beginning in order for them to be effective;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls that, prior to the launching of these dialogueany participatory process, the EU institutions must commit themselves to following up on their outcome in the light of their competences and legislative procedures; notes that citizens’ disappointment often stems from politicians over-promising and under- delivering;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls that, prior to the launching of these dialogues, the EU institutions must commit themselves to following up on their outcome in the light of their competences and legislative procedures; notes that citizens’ disappointment often stems from politicians over-promising and under-deliveringlack of follow-up;
Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Stresses that the outcome of the participatory process must be clearly defined, so that it can be subject to a legally binding follow-up; proposes that participants should be provided with written feedback on each proposal or recommendation adjusted to different audiences at the end of such exercises, since they ensure the accountability of which institutions clarify their institutions and the credibility of such processestention to implement recommendations or justify their decision not to do so;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Calls for fact-checking and moderation with regards to disinformation in the functioning of online platforms that are used to engage with citizens;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Believes that citizens’ participatory processes must adhere to the highest possible level of transparency; notes that transparency and open data reinforces trust in public institutions and therefore their legitimacy; calls for the creation of a standard for open government at EU level that could serve as a basis for other government levels;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Highlights the need to establish a proper follow-up mechanism for citizens’ dialogues in order to take citizens’ input seriously; proposes that part of the follow- up could be to translate the outcome into initiative reports and public hearings and to involve citizens, especially the most underrepresented groups of society, notably young people, throughout these steps;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Proposes that the Commission’s ‘Have your say’ website becomes a one- stop resource granting access to all participatory instruments at EU level;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18 a. Points out that, following the report of the European Court of Auditors which recognise the effectiveness of European Commission’s public consultations, and given the satisfactory perception of citizens, the Commission should improve its public consultation process in order to promote greater citizen’s participation and to better monitor and assess their contributions1a; _________________ 1aSpecial report 14/2019 ‘Have your say!’, European Court of Auditors, September 2019
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Proposes the introduction of a citizens’ consult' participations mechanisms for pilot projects, since this would enable citizens to be involved inluding ‘participatory budgeting’ to allow the shaping of the expenditure side of the Union's budget and would therefore pave the way towards creating a participative budget at EU level‘crowdsourcing’ to enable citizens to be involved in the co-creation of policies with EU decision-makers;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20 a. Stresses that citizens’ agoras organised in the framework of the Conference on the Future of Europe should serve as a pilot for their future institutionalisation as a permanent mechanism of citizens' participation in key debates;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20 b. Stresses that digital technologies should be a complement to face-to-face participation instruments and especially used to encourage participation among collectives with difficulties participating in traditional participatory instruments;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)
Paragraph 20 c (new)
20 c. Highlights the importance of the ECI as the only participatory tool at EU level which has the capacity to potentially trigger legislation; regrets the lack of follow-up of successful ECI’s by the Commission through legislative measures; calls on strengthening the response that is given to them through a Parliamentary resolution for each successful ECI; commits itself to consider a follow-up by exercising the right conferred on the European Parliament under Article 225 TFEU, when there is a lack of response by the Commission;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)
Paragraph 20 d (new)
20 d. Proposes the introduction, in the Treaties, of a provision for a referendum at EU level on matters relevant to the Union’s actions and policies be evaluated;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)