The 461st EESC Plenary Session on participatory democracy
with the EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and the European Parliament Vice-Presidents Libor Rouček and Isabelle Durant
The 461st Plenary Session of the European Economic and Social Committee was held in Brussels on 17 and 18 March 2010.
The EESC Members discussed with the Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and the European Parliament Vice-Presidents Libor Rouček and Isabelle Durant on the participatory democracy, the role of the civil society and the new Lisbon Treaty. The discussion was based on the following opinions of the EESC:
SC/031 Civil society organisations and EU presidencies
The Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, has brought significant changes to the institutional set-up of the European Union, including the new permanent post of European Council president. At the same time, the Lisbon Treaty created a legal basis for the “trio” presidency, in which three Member States assume the presidency of the Council over 18 months on the basis of a programme agreed on in advance.
From the perspective of civil society, Article 11 of the Lisbon Treaty is particularly relevant, since it is essentially concerned with strengthening participatory democracy, stepping up and structuring dialogue with citizens, carrying out in-depth consultation on the framing of EU policies and making provision for citizens' initiatives. All of this should help to strengthen civil dialogue.
This document has set itself the task of discussing the issues mentioned in the above paragraphs. To this end, it highlights the special role played by the EESC as the institutional representative of organised civil society at European level, sets out proposals to strengthen that role and, at the same time, expresses support for the provisions of the Lisbon Treaty intended to enable the EU to work more effectively, in greater transparency and with enhanced legitimacy.
SC/032 The implementation of the Lisbon Treaty: participatory democracy and the citizens´ initiative
As well as parliamentary (indirect) democracy, the European democratic model is expanded and strengthened, but certainly not replaced, by participatory (direct) democracy being enshrined in the EU Treaty (TEU).
Specifically, the provisions on participatory democracy relate to: horizontal civil dialogue; vertical civil dialogue; the Commission's existing consultation practices; and the new European Citizens' Initiative.
The nature of the EU Treaty means that the provisions of TEU Article 11 merely created a framework, and this now needs to be defined, fleshed out and put into practice with appropriate legal arrangements and it is up to the parties involved to bring it to life.
With regard to the European Citizens' Initiative, the Commission has already taken a sensible step and published a Green Paper; following the consultation procedure, it will publish a proposal for a regulation implementing TEU Article 11(4). In doing so it is sending out a clear signal in favour of dialogue to prepare for implementation of the new instruments, taking particular account of those organised civil society stakeholders and members of the public from throughout the EU who will later be the initiators of the European Citizens' Initiative.
In the attendance of Mr. Carlos Garcia Cortázar, counsellor with responsibility for employment and immigration, Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union, the members discussed on the following opinions developed on the request of the Spanish Presidency in the EU:
- SOC/ 350 The Road map for equality between women and men (2006-2010)
- SOC/363 People with disabilities: employment and accessibility by stages for people with disabilities in the EU
- SOC/354 Integration of immigrant workers
The Plenary Session has discussed and adopted the following opinion important for the business community:
TEN/412 European Transport policy in the framework of the post-2010 Lisbon Strategy and the sustainable development strategy
The European Economic and Social Committee emphasises that competitive, reliable, free-flowing and profitable transport is a condition for the economic prosperity of Europe and that the free movement of persons and goods constitutes one of the fundamental freedoms of the European Union. Transport will therefore be called upon to make a major contribution towards achieving the objectives of the strategy for 2020. It would also point out that the transport sector as a whole has been hit hard by the current economic crisis. It is, however, aware that the sector lacks sustainability.
It supports the action taken to bring about effective co-modality and optimisation and the inclusion of different modes of transport in one network to establish an integrated transport system and ensure maximum transport fluidity. However, it would stress that the ambition to encourage modal transport must not be abandoned; otherwise, the development of low-carbon modes of transport will stagnate and congestion and emissions will continue to increase.
The EESC notes the transport sector’s dependence on fossil fuels, with the consequences that this has as regards emissions and security and independence of supply, and is well aware that resources, particularly oil, are limited; it therefore considers that future European transport policy, while maintaining the sector's competitiveness as part of the strategy for 2020, must pursue four main objectives: the promotion of low-carbon modes of transport, energy efficiency, security and independence of supply and the reduction of traffic congestion.
Vladimíra Drbalová
International Organisations and EU Affairs
Member of the EESC
