Dialoghi di cittadinanza sul futuro dell’Europa

Within the Conference on the Future of Europe, launched in 2020 by the European Parliament and the Commission, the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) will set up three Citizens’ Dialogues to engage citizens in a conversation on the future of Europe. The Citizens’ Dialogues aim at stimulating an open, inclusive and innovative debate between experts and citizens in order to facilitate an active participation, providing food for thought on the Italian priorities vis à vis the EU. The general idea is to contribute to downplay a widespread euroskepticism by having an informed conversation on the future of the Union with participants.

In this respect, in cooperation with national and European foundations and think tanks, the IAI aims to involve a broad spectrum of civil society in the project. That will include citizens at large, but also NGOs, universities, local authorities and the media.

In line with the four priorities of the European Strategic Agenda 2019-2024 (protecting citizens and freedoms, developing a strong and vibrant economic base, building a climate-neutral, green, fair and social Europe, promoting European interests and values on the global stage), the Dialogues will focus on the following macro-themes:

• European legitimacy and the role of the institutions in boosting citizens’ participation in the process of European integration;
• Differentiated integration and common challenges, economic governance (also in relation to the economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic), climate, migration, rule of law;
• The future of European integration and solidarity in a post-Brexit and post-COVID-19 era;
• European foreign policy and the role of the EU in the global arena with a specific focus on the Mediterranean and transatlantic relations.

Funding: Compagnia di San Paolo Foundation, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation