JoiEU Gets Quoted in Official EU Report on the 2014 European Elections

 JoiEU became one of only three citizen projects specifically   mentioned as positive examples of citizen action in the Report on the 2014 European Parliament elections, a Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions

The Report on European Parliament Elections says:

“Civil society organisations were actively involved in efforts to mobilise voters, e.g. they informed citizens about the importance and benefit of participating in the European elections they made e-tools available to help voters select a candidate matching their preferences or worked towards more inclusive policies to ensure access for persons with disabilities…Examples of NGO projects funded by the Programme Europe for Citizens Enabling EU citizens to reflect on, discuss, exchange on European issues, including with candidates, and make an informed choice in the elections:
JoiEU: Joint Citizen Action for a Stronger, Citizen-friendly Union (European Citizen Action service – ECAS)”.

  Honestly, being noticed at this level is a bit of a surprise, but also a great honor and a challenge. I want to thank all our partners for making JoiEU a success. We’ve raised the bar, next time we have to be even better!

Petko Georgiev, Chairman of ProInfo, the leading organization of JoiEU

While JoiEU project activities ended in January 2015 with the Brussels Conference on Digital Democracy, many JoiEU  partners have continued their work together for active citizen participation in Europe in the U-Impact joint policy initiative. Follow us also also on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!

The Forward-looking Close Out: Digital Democracy in Europe!

On January 27, 2015 The European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) organized the final debate of the JoiEU Series in Brussels . Unlike most final events, it  looked forward, beyond the end of the project and into the future of participatory digital democracy in Europe.

 

The debate “Digital Democracy in Europe” attracted over 110 participants from a host of EU countries and focused on :

• Shaping Policies through E-participation;
• Shaping Policies through E-participation;
• Bridging E-participation and Co-legislating at EU Level.

See the Digital Democracy Conference agenda and watch the debate RELIVE HERE!

 

The Day of Citizens for Europe in Rome, Italy

Protecting Citizens’ Rights: Challenges and Opportunities for EU Passengers

On September 16 the JoiEU partner in Italy, Cittadinanzattiva (Active Citizenship) organized the latest of the series of trans-border debates, this time on  the issues of mobility and passengers’ rights.

Please see the Webinar and Workshop Agenda.

Watch the  Debate RELIVE here

 

What’s at Stake?

Transnational Mobility is the concrete application of one of the main citizens’ rights, the free movement of people, guaranteed by the Treaties to EU citizens’ since the beginning of the European construction. It is one of the factors which have contributed to the building of a common European identity.

Over the years, the EU has developed a strong policy in this area, which aims at fostering clean, safe and efficient travel throughout Europe, underpinning the internal market of goods and the right of citizens to travel freely throughout the EU.

“Civic Participation in Political Life, European Elections” Debate, Tallinn

“How to Make MEPs Talk to Citizens?”

On April 15, 2014 JoiEU partner Open Estonia Foundation organized this month’s debate on civic participation in political life and the European elections.

Watch the Debate ReLive here:

 

 What’s in it for me?

In a modern democracy, voting is only one of the many ways to participate in politics – it is equally important that citizens have a say in public decisions on a daily basis. Whereas the work
of national parliaments tends to be under our close scrutiny, we sometimes lose sight of
Members of the European Parliament once they’ve taken their cosy seats in Brussels and
Strasbourg. What could be done to make sure this doesn’t happen after the elections this May?
The debate on April 15 looked into the theory and practice of the European
Parliament’s work, presented cases and examples from different European countries and sought to
answer

The “Civil Society and the Non- Europe” Debate: What Breaks Europe?

On March 11  JoiEU partner Platforma de ONG de Accion Social, Spain carried out this month’s debate: “Civil Society and the Non- Europe Debate”.

The participant from Spain and the project partner states addressed the following questions :

• What are the forces trying to break Europe apart?
• How does that affect European citizens?
• What do Civil Society organizations do to address these threats?

Presentations form the debate:

New Media for Increased Citizen Participation : Debate in Denmark

The February 27 Debate in Aarhus, Denmark

On February 27,2014 the JoiEU partner in Denmark Global Citizen organized this month’s national and trans-border debate on role of new media in increasing citizen participation in Europe on the topic New Media for Increased Citizen Participation.

A full recording of the debate can be watched below. The international part included presentations and interactions by Søren Winther Lundby –  Global Citizen, Denmark, Elisa Bruno – ECAS (European Citizen Action Service), Belgium, Savvas Charlambous – NGO Support Centre, Cyprus, Neda Milisic Buklijas – Cenzura Plus, Croatia, Berit Christiansen – Global Citizen, Denmark, Blerina Guga – Partners Albania, Albania and Petko Georgiev, ProInfo, Bulgaria.

Debate presentations, country examples and case studies will be made available on this site soon.

Some Background Info:

On the sites and links below you will find data, research and analysis of the impact new media has on increased  citizen participation on the EU level.

“The role played by social media in political participation and electoral campaigns” – a comprehensive overview of the topic with links to dozens of research papers and reports on new media and political participation in the EU from a variety of sources complied by the European Parliamentary Research Service.

Creating a public sphere in Europe
European Parliament resolution of 7 September 2010 on journalism and new media –  creating a public sphere in Europe (2010/2015(INI))

Women and New Media – European Parliament Policy Study

Mapping the EU digital public sphere(s) – a blog post on the “European Union 2.0″ blog by Tony Lockett.

Civil Society and the Economic Crisis: Debate in Cyprus

On January 21, 2014 the JoiEU partner in Cyprus NGO Support Centre organizing this third national and trans-border debate on the impact of the crisis on civil society.

As one of the EU member states hardest hit from the economic crisis civil society in Cyprus has a lot of lessons to share with its European partners. According to the organizers of the Cyprus debate… “we are dealing with a crisis that is not only Financial but also Social and Institutional. Cyprus and many European countries are experiencing multiple financial and social problems that range from spending cuts, reduction of social & welfare programs and benefits, increased unemployment and poverty. As a result, we are also observing a growing distrust towards local and European administrative bodies and institutions, enhanced civic indifference and increased outreach of extreme and undemocratic views.” The most important questions raised during the debate included:

How does that impact you and civil society at large?

What policies would be the relevant response to the crisis?

Participants in Cyprus were joined by international contributors physically present at the debate and by JoiEU partners in The Netherlands, Bulgaria, Romania and Belgium

Missed the debate?  Watch it here ReLive !

Documents and presentations from the debate:

Women and the Crisis – Debate Contribution by Atria, The Netherlands

Challenges CSO’s Face in Bulgaria as a Result of the Crisis – Debate Contribution by BCNL, Bulgaria

MORE coming soon!

The Zagreb Debate on the EU Structural and Cohesion Funds and Citizen Participation

On December 10, 2013 the JoiEU partner in Croatia Cenzura Plus organized a national and trans-border debate on the role civil society can play in shaping the EU structural and Cohesion Policy.

As the newest member of the EU and after a long and successful participation in the accession process Croatian civil society naturally examines with interest the opportunities and the experience of others in applying the EU funds for the further development of the country. The debate was attended fro participants from Croatia, Slovenia, Belgium and Bulgaria and was joined online by a number of JoiEU partners online.

Watch the Zagreb Debate ReLive !

Some Background Info

Check out the official site of the European Commission on the Cohesion Policy 2014-2020

See the Presentation Cohesion Policy 2014-120

Talking Partners

JoiEU is a diverse European network of citizen organizations engaged in…organizing the citizens in a very large variety of areas. (the official lingo describes these organizations as “resource centers for citizen participation and capacity building”). For better understanding what the separate organizations do, ProInfo asked some of their representatives on the Sofia launch event to briefly describe their work. They talk about civic participation, citizen rights, developing civil society, dialogue and Europe.

Civic Participation in the Decision Making Process on European Level: Launch Debate

Sofia, October 17-19

Bulgarians Eager to Have Their Voices Heard CC Georgi C

The opening event of this multi-country, trans-border, pan-European, omni-thematic citizen activism initiative took place in Sofia on October 17-19, 2013 and gathered together over 75 participants from 12 countries. The opening day of the initiative was dedicated to the (quite spontaneous) Bulgarian Year of the Citizen, to the (quite well organized) European Year of the Citizens but above all, to discussions about the effectiveness of citizen participation, a problem that has been bothering….