"From Observing to Cooperation"

Ways to Direct Citizens Participation in the Democratic Life of the EU [1]

The project refers to the following articles of the new European Constitution: I-10 d; I-47 1-4; I-49; II-103; II-104. Possibilities and strategies for direct citizens participation according to the new European Constitution will be discussed by meetings of representatives of NGO´s from app. 15 European countries. These partner organisations as the Europahaus Burgenland itself are informally connected in a network Inter Citizens Conferences (ICC).

Two meetings are going to take place - in Strasbourg from 28. September - 1. October 2005 and in Vienna from 11. - 14. May 2006. The meeting in Strasbourg was for a seminar with the European Ombudsman and other European authorities responsible for the dialog with citizens and NGO´s; the Vienna-Conference - open for public interest - will deal with the problem "How to create a citizens initiative on European level".

As a result a guideline for citizens participation on the European level will be published and distributed: this dossier will answer theoretical and practical questions like: how to start a citizens initiative on European issues? and facilitate the information work of NGO´s - and it should be valuable as a tool for adult education too.

The project aims to generate transnational citizens activities on European issues and strengthen the networking capacities of NGOs and it should improve the knowledge of the European constitution as a framework to develop direct democracy on the European level.

The project is coordinated by the Europahaus Burgenland and carried out in cooperation with several organisations connected within a loose and informal network. It is supported by the European Commission Program "Partnership with Civil Society"

Informations and Registration:
Hans Göttel
Europahaus Burgenland
Campus 2
A-7000 Eisenstadt
Tel.: + 43 2682 704 5933
Fax: + 43 2682 704 5931