On 19 April, the co-chairs of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a Renew Europe initiative to promote grassroots EU reform, launched the citizens’ digital platform, a unique interactive and multilingual platform for Europeans to join the debate on the future of Europe, ahead of the formal launch of the Conference on 9 May.

The platform is open for all, to share and debate ideas, as well as organise and participate in events. Key ideas and recommendations from the platform will be used as input for European citizens' panels and plenaries during the Conference, and so that participants’ views on the European Union weigh in on the Conference conclusions. The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament will also plan a series of events related to the Conference, including an online consultative platform, over the coming months.

Commenting on the digital platform launch, Renew Europe President Dacian Cioloş, said:

“The real test of the Conference is to get as many people as possible actively engaged. This democratic exercise in dialogue with citizens is unprecedented in the history of Europe. This is a great ambition, and the success of the Conference on the Future of Europe depends on it. The EU is counting on the participation of citizens and politicians will have to know how to take their words into account.”

“I see this platform as a flywheel for the whole Conference,” explained Guy Verhofstadt MEP (Open Vld, BE), co-chair of the Conference Executive Board, “The Conference is drawing on all of the energy in the European debate – all of the hopes and fears, criticism and constructive ideas that people may have – and turning it into real political momentum. Such a two-track approach, with a wholly open digital platform and citizens’ panels, has never been tried before.”

Photo credit: Alain Rolland, European Parliament 2021.

Photo credit 2: Eve Van Soens, European Parliament 2019.