Europe for citizens

In order to allow all interested parties and stakeholders to submit their responses to its public consultation on a new European citizenship, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)'s.has extended the deadline for the submission of contributions to 5 August 2011.

 

The results of the consultation will notably allow for CEMR to put forward recommendations for the future post-2013 European programme 'Europe for citizens".

 

Questions include the following: What does a 'Europe without borders" mean? What kind of political decision would help to strengthen your feeling of belonging to Europe? What role can citizens of immigrant origin play at local level to promote intercultural dialogue and tolerance? How can we prepare the citizens and local actors from countries heading towards European Union accession and promote mutual understanding between the citizens from EU and non-EU members?

 

Consultation –> green paper –> Congress –> white paper

 

Once the consultation comes to a close, CEMR will compile a green paper presenting the contributions received as well as the findings of the three regional seminars organised by CEMR in 2010. These regional seminars notably allowed for the identification of the different approaches and practices relating to twinning and citizenship in the north, south and central-eastern parts of Europe.

 

The aforementioned green paper is to be launched at the occasion of the Congress on citizenship and twinning, organised by CEMR, the Association of Polish Cities and the City of Rybnik, which will take place from 29 September to 1 October 2011 in Rybnik, Poland. The Rybnik Congress conclusions will then be incorporated into a 'White paper for a new European citizenship", which CEMR plans to present to the European Commission before the end of 2011.

 

Should you wish to contribute to the consultation, please send your contributions in French or in English by email to manuella.portier [at] ccre-cemr.org or by post to the following address:

 

Council of European Municipalities and Regions
Secretariat General
15 rue de Richelieu
F-75001 Paris