ECI Day 2016: Forging Change

The ECI Day is an important meeting place and platform where registered and future ECI organisers and stakeholders can exchange information and experiences and present their ECI and activities to the public. The event is jointly organised by the European Economic and Social Committe (EESC) and several partners, including ECAS, Democracy International and the Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe, which jointly provide the ECI Support Centre.

This year, the ECI Day will focus on the following three main themes analysed in three separate workshops:

• Instruments for participatory democracy in place at EU level;
• Assistance available to ECI organisers (presentations by institutions and organisations providing support to the ECIs: services, applications and tools);
• How to organise an ECI: reaching out to the public and ensuring that the Commission takes action.

The event will conclude with an open debate between ECI organisers, representatives of the institutions calling for change and participants, and will make clear recommendations on priority areas for the reviewed 211/2011 Regulation.