How to Better Involve Citizens in the European Integration Process: Evaluations and Proposals in View of the Upcoming European Parliament Elections

The project aimed to develop analyses and proposals to strengthen European democracy and renew the approach of citizens to EU institutions in view of the June 2009 European Parliament elections. The project addressed four main topics: the powers of the European Parliament; the role of European parties; the priorities of the next European legislature's agenda; and the involvement of EU citizens in selecting the new President of the EU Commission. The research was coordinated by the IAI in cooperation with the CSF (Turin), the Federal Trust (London), the IEP (Berlin), Notre Europe (Paris) and TEPSA (Brussels). A workshop held in Turin on January 22-23, with the support of the Institute of European Democrats (IEP) of Brussels, discussed the preliminary results of the research. Afterwards the institute's project members drew up a position paper opened to endorsement by prominent European figures. The document was presented and debated in a conference organized by Tepsa in Brussels. It was also widely circulated through the media.