CoFoE Plenary to Evaluate Recommendations from First Two Citizens' Panels

CoFoE Plenary to Evaluate Recommendations from First Two Citizens' Panels

Brussels, January 19 (TASR-correspondent) – The next plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) will be held at the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg on January 21 and 22, when 90 final recommendations emerging from two of the four citizens’ panels will be discussed.

MEPs along with 40 selected representatives of citizens’ panels (20 per panel), plus representatives of other EU institutions and national parliaments will deal with a summary of shortlisted proposals divided into several thematic areas. These came from the final meetings of citizens’ panels in Florence and Warsaw aimed at ‘European democracy, values and rights, the rule of law and security’ and at ‘climate change, the environment and health’.

At each of the two panel discussions mentioned, which have already finalised their recommendations, some 200 randomly selected Europeans of different ages and backgrounds from all EU-member states met to discuss and agree on recommendations on how to address the challenges that Europe is facing today.

The first panel, which took place in Florence in December, adopted 39 final recommendations. The second one, which was held in Warsaw in January, submitted as many as 51 recommendations.

The final parts of the remaining two citizens’ panels have been postponed due to the pandemic situation.

A panel focused on the EU’s position in the world and migration will take place in Maastricht on February 11. The other panel, which will summarise views on the economy, social justice, education, culture, the digital transformation, youth and sport, will be held in Dublin on February 25.

The 90 recommendations summarised from the first two panels will be discussed at the aforementioned January CoFoE plenary at the EP in Strasbourg. The participants in the plenary will also deal with related contributions received via the multilingual digital platform. The plenary will agree on proposals to be submitted to the CoFoE Executive Board.