With the clock ticking towards the European Parliament elections the European Commission has invited EU citizens to take part in the Future Of Europe debate as part of concerted moves to increase engagement.
 
In a tweet, the Commission said “Only 5 months to go to the EUelections 2019… Take part in the FutureOfEurope debate by sharing your concerns, hopes and wishes,” and provided links.
 
These invite citizens to contribute to an online consultation drafted by citizens themselves.
 
They can also react to the White Paper on the Future of Europe, and participate in Citizens’ Dialogues organised by the European Commission or in other debates in their respective countries.
 
EU leaders are committed to a Europe that brings real results in issues that matter most to people, the Commission said.
 
The European Parliament has been hosting heads of government to plenary sessions to participate in this debate with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Finnish Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte due to present their views in the next few months.
Ahead of a dedicated EU Summit in Sibiu, Romania, and the European elections in 2019, national leaders agreed on a Leaders’ Agenda on pressing issues and challenges where solutions are needed.
 

The debate on the future of Europe is not about drafting EU rules and regulations.

 
“This is about making your voice heard by EU leaders to help them steer the right priorities for the years ahead. This questionnaire was created by a panel of citizens selected on a random basis. It complements other initiatives from the European Commission on the Future of Europe,” it said.
 
Questions include: What decisions taken at European Union level would make you prouder of belonging to the Union? On immigration in Europe, what should now be prioritised for the benefit of Europeans in 20 years’ time? What should be prioritised in Europe to protect the environment?
 
How could education and training be improved in Europe? What should be the priorities for the EU to make life safer for its citizens? On reducing inequalities, what areas do you think the European Union should prioritise? What do you think should be done to improve access to healthcare for all Europeans?  What do you think should be done to provide European citizens with economic security?
 
For link to the survey: https://ec.europa.eu/consultation/runner/Future-of-Europe?surveylanguage=en