Civil Society Europe, the Coordination of civil society in Europe, composed of 23 European Platforms and Networks of association and NGOs representing citizens, has launched yesterday afternoon a Civil Society Convention on the future of Europe through a joint declaration currently endorsed by nearly 70 organisations active at pan European level, and open for signatures until the end of February.

The online event, attended by 200 participants, has been co-hosted by Domènec Ruiz Devesa, S&D Spain, and Sandro Gozi, Renew Europe, France/Italy, members of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament with the participation of Mattia de’ Grassi, advisor of the Vice President of the European Commission, Dubravka Šuica, responsible for the Conference on the Future of Europe.

“The Civil Society Convention fills a gap in the Conference on the Future of Europe to be launched in May: the active participation of civil society organisations in which 1 out of 5 Europeans volunteer and are part of” – says Jean Marc Roirant, President of Civil Society Europe – “only civil society organisations can make EU institutions and national governments accountable for a truly participative and democratic conference, but also for its follow up through policy, legislative and if needed Treaty change”

The Convention will work with the European Institutions and will send two representatives to the Interinstitutional Plenary of the Conference on the Future of Europe. It will also have a spokesperson.

The next meeting will be organised in March to define the agenda, and timeline, as well as establish working groups on priority topics. The Convention will also establish processes for interaction with national civil society organisations and the citizens and Youth agoras.