EUact2 Project: "Towards Democratic and Inclusive Europe - EP Elections and Active Citizens Participation and Contribution"

EUact2-“Towards Democratic and Inclusive Europe: EP Elections and Active Citizens Participation and Contribution” is a 2-year project funded by the European Union that aims to build a sustained level of citizens’ activism, especially among young people, so their voices are better represented in the European policymaking.

More than 90% of Europeans say that their voice should be taken more into account and 89% reply that democracy in the EU needs to be strengthened. The turnout to EP elections is consistently unimpressive, with a gap between women and men voters. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian war in Ukraine, and the energy and economic crises have presented a new mix of challenges. How to enhance citizens’ understanding of the EU, broaden ownership of the European project and build trust in the EU’s promise of a better future for all, with open, rights-based, democratic, equal, and inclusive Union-based rule of law?

What is the goal?

We aim to engage, connect, and empower EU citizens, especially young people. We want to ensure the sustainability of activism and participation in European policy-making, increasing the legitimacy of decision-making, while also contributing to an open, right-based, democratic, equal and inclusive Union, based on rule of law. 

How we will do it? 

Four partners GLOBSEC, Slovakia, European Movement Ireland, ELIAMEP, Greece, and the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM), Austria have developed a multidimensional project. 

We will use a bottom-up approach, involving citizens, especially young people, directly and giving them an opportunity to influence policies in the EU, through:

• conducting focus groups and assessing perceptions
• drafting policies and practical solutions with young leaders’ involvement
• creating and disseminating ‘vote for Europe’ public campaign across the EU
• organising public debates and informative sessions in various formats
• providing e-democracy open and safe space for discussion
• introducing policy recommendations to EU policymakers

Within the EUact2 there will be 31 activities, involving citizens, especially young people, experts, EU policymakers, representatives of NGOs, and media, primarily but not only from Austria, Greece, Ireland, and Slovakia. The direct participation for all events is estimated at 1500 people, with an indirect reach of around 200 000 people. The project aims to achieve equal gender participation in all activities.
 

Our work will lead to several outcomes:

• more educated, motivated, and engaged EU citizens, especially young people
• increased democratic participation, including a higher voting turnout in the European Parliament elections in 2024
• enhanced opportunities for citizens’ cooperation with decision-makers, with a contribution to European policymaking

A final set of recommendations will be presented and hand-delivered to relevant EU policymakers in Brussels in 2024.

The implementation period is from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2024.