Around 1,500 randomly selected citizens from each of the 27 member states convened, on four weekends during February and March 2007, in their countries to discuss their visions and ideas on the future of the EU.
An agenda-setting event in October had defined the themes, namely:
- Energy and environment;
- social welfare and family, and;
- a global role, outside borders and immigration.
The debates explicitly evaded the 'big' questions on an EU Constitution and 'more or less Europe', focusing rather on tangible policies close to citizens' everyday reality. In a video conference with the participants of the Swedish consultation, Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström, in charge of Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy, said: "Ever since the Constitution was voted against in the Netherlands and France, we have gradually understood that the EU is a top-level-project. A project that is not supported by the citizens will not survive. That is why the European Citizens' Consultation process is so important."
The event is sponsored as part of the Commission's Plan D on European Communication Policy. In each member state, a national report was produced in that country's language and in English. These documents will serve as the basis when, on 9 and 10 May 2007, citizen representatives from all 27 member states meet in Brussels to synthesize the national results.
The consortium of organisers, led by the Belgian King Baudouin Foundation, hopes that the final document will serve as an inspiration when EU leaders enter into debates on the future of Europe after the 'Reflection Period' that followed the defeat for the EU Constitutional Treaty in France and the Netherlands.
