Authors: Assya Kavrakova, ECAS Executive Director; Flavio Grazian, ECAS Participatory Democracy Manager
This article was originally published on the European Citizens’ Initiative Forum
With almost 2000 people attending a wide array of online events, the European Citizens’ Initiative Week (16-20 November 2020) attested a growing citizens’ enthusiasm to get more involved in the setting of the policy agenda of the European Union. It is the vision of creating together a better Europe that brought us together, illustrating how the European Citizens’ Initiative contributes to forming a European public sphere, diversifies policy debates at European level, and puts important issues in the spotlight.
Throughout the Week, institutional representatives, members of civil society, citizens and organisers of past and ongoing initiatives discussed how to make the reformed European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) a success. The six thematic sessions took participants on a journey through the different aspects of the tool, from what makes the ECI unique, to how to launch an initiative and campaign in COVID-19 times. Past and ongoing initiative organisers shared their valuable experience and the achieved impact of their campaigns, once more reaffirmed the uniqueness of the ECI as a tool for participatory democracy at EU level.
Here’s a brief overview of the main takeaways under three key topics that emerged as most significant.
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