Brussels, 13/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - Last week, the European Civil Society Forum adopted a proposal of opinion on European government drafted by its rapporteur, Raymond van Ermen, with a view to the presentation this summer of the Commission's White Paper on governance. The Forum mainly affirms that the Commission should adopt a strategy based on a "broad definition of governance" allowing synergies to be developed between European institutions, the market, the civil society and the trade unions. As the European Commission is taking care to "enlarge and enrich the public debate on European issues", the Forum should be involved in reflection on the Commission's strategy regarding information and communication, says a press release.
According to the Forum, the Commission's White Paper should, moreover, be included in the "2004 perspective" (Ed.: hence, the discussion on the future of Europe, but President Prodi warned on several occasions that it was question of two separate exercises, albeit with several points in common), and should propose "arrangements for negotiation, with trade unions and civil society also", for:
- a Charter/Regulation on European participatory democracy, which would be drafted jointly with the representatives of the Council, the Commission, the European Parliament and the Civil Society (and which should, above all, introduce a right of own initiative on legislative matters collectively exercised by the EU citizens);
- a new Social Contract based on the sustainable development strategy (which should be endorsed by the Gothenburg Summit), covering environmental and social themes such as poverty and exclusion, public health and ageing.