The corona crisis has severely slowed down the momentum in the developing debate on EU reform. The "Conference on the Future of Europe" had to be postponed. The corona crisis is basically managed by the nation states. But “Europa” must take the bull by the horns! Otherwise she will mummify like an aging diva in the back rooms of power.

Civil Society Organizations kick off a Citizens’ Conference on the Future of Europe. - This year’s Europe Day, the 9th of May, is marked by the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, by the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 2 and by the terrible Covid-19 pandemia. At a turning point for Europe, civil society organisations across the Union are taking the lead to organise a citizen-led Conference on the Future of Europe, and send out a message of solidarity, cooperation and democracy.

On 15th January the European Parliament adopted a "Resolution on the Conference on the Future of Europe". In it the Parliament describes its ideas on the scope, concept, structure, procedure and timetable of this conference, which was convened by the new Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. These proposals are, in terms of scope, differentiation, transparency and participation requirements, among the best ever decided by an EU institution. One might almost say that if even a fraction of them were to be implemented, it would be a giant step forward in the culture of participation at EU level. Moreover, these proposals also set standards for the participation culture in those member…