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14mai 2009

Margot Wallström, shared her impressions and faith about the citizens' recommendations

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At the end of the European Citizens' Summit, the Vice-President of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, shared her impressions and faith about the citizens' recommendations, as well as about the European Citizens' Consultations initiative.

 
Please find below an excerpt from Margot Wallström's closing speech:
“You can all influence and contribute to European democracy and better European policies. You just need to have the right channels and the right tools. That is the purpose behind this Citizens' Summit. And that is the purpose behind this Commission's communication policy. Plan D, as decided by the Commission in 2005, was not mission impossible, but a possible dream of democracy, dialogue and debate. That dream is coming true! […] I'm proud of the results and I'm very hopeful for the future!
 
What was originally the concern of only the small political elite of Governments and Heads of State, is now becoming the home turf of the citizens. And the formula is actually very simple: we have to listen better, to explain better, and to go local. First dialogue – then decision. That's democracy – 21st century democracy! […]
 
I suspect some of these recommendations may come as a surprise to some politicians and to some Member States; including the idea of a European identity card. That's good! Without ideas and visions, suggestions and solutions like the ones you have discussed, politics won't develop.
 
Public support for the EU will not be increased by conducting negotiations behind closed doors. Public support will come only through a lively and open debate, and by getting citizens actively involved in designing the European project. Just like you here today.
 
So what do we do we do with what you have said loud and clear? What do we do with what we have heard? 
In front of you, you just had 3 Presidents. They have listened. I know they will act. But you will have to continue putting pressure on them as well. And the Citizens' Consultations don't stop here. This is not a one-off exercise. And I, of course, want this initiative to continue under the new Commission.
 
First of all, this is a very timely conference. In just a few weeks time another Summit will take place in Brussels. Your recommendations will be taken forward to that and […] after the elections to the European Parliament in less than a month's time. In the autumn there will be special regional outreach activities focussing on the newly elected Members of the European Parliament. So there will be a channel directly into the new European Parliament.
 
This will ensure that what you have discussed here, and the conclusions you have reached, will be disseminated and debated more widely. And they will be remembered and acted upon by the Members of the European Parliament you have voted for.
 
The challenge is to move the debate and discussion along with it:
- To create more of a European political culture
 - To develop more of a European media culture – we hear more about the US than about our own part of the world
- And to create the European meeting places for citizens as well – virtual and/or geographical.
 
So that is why it is so important we develop the tools for democracy. Like the Citizens' Consultations.
 
We who are European decision makers have a responsibility to close that gap – to put up the power lines/cables from Brussels and Strasbourg, to Brno and Slough: from institutions to citizens and content, from monologue to dialogue, from history to future. You, the citizens have the power. Your responsibility is to put power into those cables. To make them active.
 
Thank you all for having participated in this Citizens' Summit and for shaping and helping 21st century democracy! 
Perhaps it's all as simple as one of the participants in the previous Citizens' Consultations said: "I got interested in the EU when the EU got interested in me".
 
And perhaps in the future we will no longer look at the EU as Brussels, bureaucracy and institutions, but as Tony from Neerpelt, Katerina from Nicosia, Sassan-Senebb from Bonn, Anna Maria from Bari and Mariana from Kullavik.
 
Thank you all – and don't forget to make your voices heard also in the European elections!”

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