Plenary Session of the Conference on the Future of Europe held
The plenary session discussed recommendations of the citizens’ panels
The third Plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe was held in Strasbourg on January 21 and 22 to discuss 90 recommendations that resulted from two of the four Citizens’ Panels of the Conference, composed of 200 citizens’ representatives of different ages and backgrounds from all Member States, including Malta. held in the previous weeks in Poland and Florence.
During the Strasbourg Plenary, the 39 recommendations of the citizens’ panel on democracy, values, rights, rule of law and security as well as the 51 recommendations on climate change, environment and health were discussed. The two citizens’ panels met in December 2021 and January 2022 in Florence and Warsaw respectively.
In his intervention during the Plenary in Strasbourg, Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Carmelo Abela, referred to the recommendation to establish criteria on anti-discrimination in the workplace and to create a framework that supports work-life balance, particularly through investment in child-minding facilities. He explained that Malta is already adopting this measure through the provision of free childcare, and that the results have been very positive; both towards increasing participation of women in the workforce, but also to ensure a greater and better work-life balance.
Minister Carmelo Abela also referred to Servizzi Ewropej f’Malta (SEM), as an agency that can serve as a model that can work in all Member States to keep citizens informed of what is going on in the EU, to involve them in the decision-making process and to exploit the benefits of EU membership, in particular through assisting organisations in tapping into EU-funding opportunities.
The Conference Plenaries
The Conference Plenary debates the recommendations from the national and European Citizens’ Panels, and the input gathered from the Multilingual Digital Platform, grouped by themes, without a predetermined outcome. After these recommendations have been presented by and discussed with citizens, the Plenary will on a consensual basis put forward its proposals to the Executive Board. The latter will draw up a report in full collaboration and full transparency with the Plenary.
The Conference Plenary is composed of 108 representatives from the European Parliament, 54 from the Council, 3 from the European Commission, 108 from national Parliaments on an equal footing, and 108 citizens: 80 representatives from the European Citizens' Panels, 27 from national Citizens' Panels or Conference events (one per Member State), as well as the President of the European Youth Forum. 18 representatives from the Committee of the Regions and 18 from the Economic and Social Committee, 6 elected representatives from regional authorities and 6 elected representatives from local authorities, 12 representatives from the social partners and 8 from civil society also take part.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is invited when the international role of the EU is discussed. Representatives of key stakeholders may also be invited.
The meetings of the Conference Plenary are presided by the three Co-Chairs of the Executive Board and held in the European Parliament premises in Strasbourg.