On Thursday 13 January, citizens from 12 municipalities and regions from 8 different countries successfully gathered online for a unique multiplex citizen dialogue to contribute to the future of Europe.

This novel multilingual event was organized by the Renew Europe Group in the European Committee of the Regions (Renew Europe CoR) and its members as part of the Conference on the Future of Europe. It connected and gathered citizens from 9 different municipalities and 3 regions/counties from 8 different Member States to discuss the most important issues and how they can be solved at the local/regional level as well as with the help of the EU.

The event, hosted by Renew Europe CoR President François Decoster, Mayor of Saint-Omer (France), kicked off with an introduction by Sandro Gozi MEP, was followed by individual citizens dialogues and ended with a joint concluding session, where citizens reported back the conclusions of the individual discussions and presentations of the possible suggestions and recommendations. The proposals and conclusions of the event will be submitted to the Conference on the Future of Europe, to be included in the final recommendations.

The event, a first of its kind, allowed Renew Europe CoR members and members of the Liberal Mayors Network to involve their citizens in a truly European dialogue and actively contribute to the future of the EU.

List of participating municipalities/regions and their Renew Europe members:  

• Finland: Mirja Vehkaperä, Chair of the City Board of Oulu
• France: Vincent Chauvet, Mayor of Autun; François Decoster, Mayor of Saint-Omer; Jean-Noël Verfaillie, Mayor of Marly; Jean-Francois Barnier of the Municipal Council of Chambon-Feugerolles and Arnaud Michel, Councilor for European Affairs, city of Arras
• Greece: Andreas Kondylis, Mayor of Alimos
• Ireland: Fintan Phelan, Mayor of Carlow County
• Romania: Clotilde Armand, Mayor of Bucharest Sector I.
• Spain: Paula Fernandez Viaña, Regional Minister for Cantabria
• Sweden: Jonny Lundin, Member of Västernorrland County Council
• The Netherlands: Robert Van Asten, Alderman in The Hague

ALDE Party has been engaged in raising awareness on COFOE amongst European citizens throughout the Conference. Starting in September 2021, ALDE Party has hosted several town hall meetings on the future of Europe with the aim of bringing European citizens closer to the Conference and putting them in the spotlight by allowing them to share their worries and ideas to reform Europe. Find out more here

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