The Citizen's Agora meeting gathered more than four hundred associations from European civil society. During two days at the European Parliament, part...

The Citizen's Agora meeting gathered more than four hundred associations from European civil society. During two days at the European Parliament, participants from all over Europe discussed the Reform treaty and the future institutional challenges of the European Union.

The differences among the issues and interests which have been raised testify to the complex reality of civil society in Member States. Although defining a common framework could be a difficult game to play, there's a good reason for trying to do that. This would considerably help all these fragmented claims to converge and share a common vision when dealing with European issues and making all their important links with local realities enriched by stronger links with other European actors. Agora could be seen as a valuable tool toward the socialization of European civil society, thus strengthening the participation process of citizens in European politics. Nonetheless, Agora - as it has been repeated by many - is not meant to become a second European Parliament nor a substitute of the latter. Could it be a step toward democracy? Even if there is no democracy until the EP doesn't have real powers, the Agora somehow testifies the willing of some MEPs to get advantage of new democratic tools, like the consultation of civil society. This also means a quite strong desire of the MEPs to act autonomously from the intergovernmental game.

Some concerns deal with the selection of participants as well as their representativeness, but the first test of this forum should be considered as positive. What has to be outlined is the strong desire of almost all the associations for a more democratic and transparent way of taking decisions in European politics. This widespread feeling will help federalist solutions to be better listened to. There is a growing awareness of the need to make European institutions closer to the citizens, being the only way to build any further integration. The question dealt with all through the two days was exactly this one: how to make it a reality? The Agora declaration pointed out some important suggestions. One certainty we can retain once back home is that the EU, as a unique experiment of supranational democracy, needs new tools to develop its transparency. Therefore associations throughout Europe should be active in putting them forward. And next time, they will maybe listened to again by the MEPs.

One of the Agora workshops dealt with the democratic deficit of the EU and with the future stages of European integration. The main points on the agenda were: the structure of European civil society and the ways in which it can act; simplifying the machinery of Europe's institutions and making their workings more transparent; a new power enabling the EP to amend the treaties; ways of consulting and informing the people and enabling them to take decisions. Several arguments were raised both in favour and against the institutionalisation of this kind of forum. A minority of the participants thought Agora was not representative of The Citizen's Agora: A Step toward European Democracy? European citizens and thus unable to become a permanent body. On the contrary, with many others we consider this initiative a valuable step toward a more concrete recognition of the role of civil society in Europe. Although not being a representative forum, further Agora meetings could be useful in order to meet a part of European citizens and to let the organisations have a more effective role in the political process. Finally, we agreed on the idea of making the Agora a permanent way for the European Parliament to consult civil society. This should consequently lead to provide a common framework to define what a European association is. The lack of communication in Europe has been outlined and the debate mainly covered the question of the role of the media in fostering European news. On this point, the need of an educational programme to be adapted in each Member state has also been raised.

An interesting point was the request that the EP should convoke a Convention tasked with drafting a social pact for Europe in order to develop more coherent policies on common market, sustainable development and social protection. The final text could be submitted to the citizens through a European consultation in the same day in all the European member states. The working group also discussed the European citizens' initiative as a valuable tool of direct democracy in Europe. The EP was asked to guarantee its full application as well as to state more concretely its procedures. At the same time, the EP should ask for more power and for sharing with the European Commission the presently exclusive right of initiative.

A huge concern of the participants was the unequal application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights: the EP has been encouraged to issue a declaration asking for uniform application. Another fundamental right has been mentioned: the right for citizens to be consulted on any important change of the current treaties. The EP should call for this right and a consultation should be held on the same day all over Europe in addition to national ratifications. It becomes clear that a new way of consulting citizens in Europe should be found. Our previous message of a pan-European referendum assessed the right direction. This need is more acutely perceived on the question of the Constitution. Some participants were simply sceptical about the idea of obtaining a Constitution in the future. The concern is now basically how to succeed in making the next Constitution approved by the people. The only answer is that no government can oblige its citizens to accept it if unwilling, and vice versa. The way out is to abandon the unanimity rule that is at the very basis of national ratifications. Mr. Carlos Carnero, Member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the EP, agreed on this point.

All these reflections should help JEF Europe in being more confident of its role. The whole meeting turned around the question of democratic deficit in Europe, the method of the Convention has been claimed as the best way so far to achieve common results and the idea of consulting people on fundamental issues for Europe has been retained by many other associations. At a time of ever growing challenges for Europe and of weak consensus toward European institutions, the role of our organisation is far more important. Agora is there to show how much our voice is relevant.