On June 17^th, 2022 The European Commission published a Communication called "Conference on the Future of Europe - Putting vision into concrete action" (COM(2022) 404). It follows the end of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a unique experiment on deliberative democracy at EU scale. This Communication is not only significant for us at the European Commission, but also for anybody working on citizen participation and deliberation, and signals a very positive step for the future of democracy.

In the closing session of the COFE, on 9th of May, the President of the Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, announced that "the Commission will enable Citizens Panels to deliberate and make recommendations ahead of certain key proposals, as part of its wider policy making and in line with Better Regulation principles". This is now enshrined in the new Communication from the European Commission: “Building on this success, the Commission will enable Citizens Panels to deliberate and make recommendations ahead of certain key proposals, as part of its wider policy making”. Furthermore, the Communication announces that the digital means through which citizens can be engaged in policymaking will also be enhanced by providing a one-stop-shop, “bringing together all information on citizens’ engagement mechanisms running in the Commission.”

This is such great news for participatory governance, not only in the European Union, but also for the rest of the world. Allowing for more deliberative and co-creation approaches in policymaking brings policy closer to citizens, ensuring that citizens are owners of our shared future, while rejuvenating and protecting our democracies from threats such as the brutal war that Russia is perpetrating in Ukraine.

The Competence Centre on Participatory and Deliberative Democracy will continue to support the new ways in which citizens are engaged in EU policymaking.