With 850 labelled citizens' consultations, the debate in France on the future of Europe is in full swing, according to the French authorities. Two tendencies have emerged: the participants see Europe as too complex and the initial cost to access European funding discourages project owners.
“There is much criticism flying around”, some of it “very harsh”, said Arnaud Magnier, the secretary general for citizens' consultations on Europe at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in Brussels on Wednesday 26 September.
Declining to be drawn on the feedback until the in-depth scientific analysis of the National Council of Public Debate is complete, he said that there was “genuine massive exasperation about the alleged nature of the complexity of the 'Brussels' system”. People see it as “too complicated, therefore it doesn't work or is hiding something”, he observed, adding: we get very quickly to the question of values and citizens' feelings.
Another cause for concern, this time expressed by local MPs and the owners of SMEs, is that it is prohibitively expensive to apply for aid. On other topical matters, such as migration, environmental protection or tax evasion, these came back equanimously, Magnier observed, adding that on such matters, “you hear 'more Europe, but better or only if…'”.
These consultations, which have been ongoing since spring in all member states except the UK, by initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, aim to give citizens their say about what they expect from Europe. A common methodology was drawn up to enliven the debate as much as possible. In particular, a local initiative that was just a conference of experts with no real discussion between participants would not receive the French authorities' label.
Europe at the helm. Participating for the first time are people who are not used to debating, such as “young people trying to find their way into society”, Magnier said. At Baumettes prison in Marseille on Tuesday 16 October, the association Les Têtes de l'Art will make the case for and against Europe and this theatrical representation will lead to a reflection by the participants.
“The debate is compulsory. We are listening, we are making restitution. We are not organising ourselves”, Magnier said.
With the citizens' consultations to go on until possibly the end of 2018, the French authorities will close their labelling process at the end of October. Each member state must send in its national report to the European level by Monday 19 November so that the European Commission can draft a joint report. This final report will be used as a basis for the discussions of the European leaders at the European summit in mid-December.
Another question raised during the debates: is there any point to his? “We will see after the European Council”, Magnier replied. He said that in his speech at the Sorbonne on the re-foundation of Europe, Macron spoke of the creation of a European revalidation group bringing together member states and the European institutions and aiming to identify “without taboo” the areas for EU reforms (see EUROPE 11870).
The Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU of the first half of 2019 also be highly attentive to the results of the process underway, with a particular view to the Sibiu summit of 9 May, when the Twenty-Seven will discuss the European elections campaign, with Brexit imminent. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)