100 posts
Forcing ACTA on EU citizens
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Was it too much to tweet the following to @davidmartinmep – the new ACTA rapporteur in the European Parliament: 100 demonstrations this week & 1.8 million signatures against #ACTA cause for rejection of current IPR agenda? On the face of it, yes,...
ACTA: 1.717 million ”misinformed” citizens to ignore
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I was reminded by @alexanderhanff on Twitter that the EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht asked members of the European Parliament to disregard public opposition to ACTA (Infojustice). In my view De Gucht's attitude (letter at La Quadrature du Net)...
”Hollywood versus The People” ACTA causes flood of protest
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What the Pirate Party founder and inimitable digital freedom evangelist Rick Falkvinge calls the ”Hollywood versus The People” Anti-Counterfeiting (and much more) Trade Agreement ACTA has caused the biggest political protest storm ever among EU c...
ACTA text in 22 languages - Soon a million protesting online
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The Anti-Counterfeiting (and much else) Trade Agreement #ACTA is a hot subject on Twitter and the online public sphere in general. Different campaigns aim at defeating the treaty. A short while ago @Avaaz had reached 963,079 online signatures on a gl...
High hopes for the first European Citizens’ Initiative
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Less than ten weeks remain before EU citizens will be able to register the very first European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). From 1 April, citizens will be able to call on the European Commission to propose legislation on any issue where …...
A Surreal Proposal Comes From the EU Commission.
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TheE.U. Commission has a real job to win hearts and minds of Europeancitizens for this weeks launch of the European Citizen's Initiativeprogramme.Thisbrand new tool for participatory democracy....... will strengthen thedemocratic foundations of the U...
EASO Inaugural Consultative Forum: Preliminary Thoughts
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"We're here, tell us how to support you!" This was the civil society's battle-cry today at EASO's first Consultative Forum meeting, a repeated appeal to EASO by all present to establish the most effective structure within which to share experti...
Europe's crisis is an opportunity for democracy | Ulrich Beck
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Instead of Soviet-style German euro-nationalism, let us create a Europe of the citizens, a community of democraciesEurope already accomplished a miracle once before: enemies became neighbours. In the light of the euro crisis, the cardinal question mu...
Time for More Europe?
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A group of nine Spanish Bloggers have come together and written a Manifesto on things to improve Europe. There isn’t any political slant to this apart from trying to improve democracy within the European Union and improve the EU itself.
EU: Federal Union Now – or never?
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First reaction: Wow! The Federal Committee of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) has called for a Convention to ponder changes to the EU Treaties. The resolution sees the need for a further large reform. Read on and see that the 13 November 2011...
More Europe Manifesto: pan-European lists and elected Commission president
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In order to overcome the crises in the eurozone and the wider European Union, a group of Spanish eurobloggers has launched an appeal for More Europe.You can read and sign the appeal on the More Europe blog. You can participate in the Twitter discussi...
More Europe Manifesto proposes education on European integration
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A group of Spanish eurobloggers has launched an appeal for More Europe, in order to overcome the crises in the eurozone and the wider European Union. I have mentioned their initiative to start a virtuous circle of development for the citizens of the...
More Europe Manifesto: EU symbols represent values
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As I mentioned here and here, a group of Spanish eurobloggers has launched an appeal for More Europe, in order to overcome the impending catastrophe in the eurozone and the wider European Union and to start a virtuous circle of development for the ci...
Volunteering – it’s not as hard as you think
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The European Year of Volunteering tour came to the UK last week, and took up residence in the Coin Street Community Centre. While there I spoke to Stephen Crocker, who ran the Leeds City Council initiative to have a Leeds … Continue reading ...
Bertelsmann Future Challenges
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Via Scoop.it – The Great Transitionvery interesting initiative to build global governance from the bottom-upShow original...
In times of crisis Europe finds its solution
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I have made a translation of a chronicle on the website of the Swedish think tank Global Utmaning, here: “Malaga, summer 2011. The temperature is 34 degrees, but under the shading curtains above the inner city’s elegant shopping streets the...
The EESC’s 2011 civil society prize
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This morning, at the invitation of Vice-President Anna Maria Darmanin, I replaced the President (who is in Istanbul, at a meeting of the Committee’s EU-Turkey Joint Consultative Committee) in the EESC’s Communication Group in order to...
From the USSR to Internet Voting
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“Just voted with my mobile phone on Estonian elections. That is so awesome. Two minutes and I am done!” a tweet, posted by colleague of mine has become an inspiration for me to once again think of the country which is truly full of surprises. Yea...
Towards 4
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New years, new books... Joasia allowed me to advertise one that may be of interest to those of you who study the more general aspects of consumer law: the 4th edition of Towards a European Civil Code.Happy new year!
Starting citizens’ initiatives is easier than stopping them
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First of all, there will be a lot of single issue politics, connected to lifestyle/hobby groups like hunting, bird watching or music downloading. A million signatures to abolish copyrights will be no match for them. There will be also a lot of emoti...
Call for Projects: Practice Forum "Learning Moral Courage", 29 January 2011, Berlin
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The Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung/bpb), the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities, Essen (Kulturwissenschaftliches Institut Essen) and the German Resistance Memorial Center (Gedenkstätte Deutsche...
On the Democratic Deficit: European Commission tells Greenpeace to Sod Off, Socialists to pick candidate for 2014
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The folks at Greenpeace can never be accused of a lack of voluntarism. The Lisbon Treaty, in one of its mostly weak attempts to improve democratic legitimacy, created provisions for a citizens’ petition: if 1 million signatures from around Euro...
DARE project meeting Nov 10, 2010: results and pictures
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On Nov. 10, about 20 representives of the European DARE project consortium met in Budapest to assess the 2010 work plan and discuss future DARE activities in 2011 ff.The meeting was hosted by the Active Citizenship Foundation and took place in the Eu...
New tool to Help NGO’s lobby in Europe
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Lobbying Europe for NGO's… where do you start? Many NGOs fail to realise the opportunities open to them to contribute to policy making, with the result that they become only actively involved in campaigning for or against a piece of legisla...
DARE Video 15: Anne Stalfort on Citizenship Education and EU Grants for Jobshadowing
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Anne Stalfort (AdB, Germany) has recently spent two weeks at the Citizenship Foundation in London. This job shadowing was financed through the EU Lifelong Learning Programme (Grundtvig Visits and Exchanges), a grant programme supporting transnational...
“European Citizenship: Myth or Reality” Public Debate, Cluj-Napoca, October 21st
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Join us on Thursday 21 at the Tailor's Tower (Bastionul Croitorilor) in Cluj-Napoca for a public debate on the concept of European citizenship, with a particular focus on the situation of the Roma in France. No related posts.
PdF – the European way
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For several years, Personal Democracy Forum has been my favorite conference. It’s been the place where I’ve gotten most inspiration, met most like-minded people, felt incredible welcomed and always got my mind challenged. This was also th...
We, the Citizens, suggest...
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Recently I had to write a short paper on the Citizens' Initiative (specifically, the admissibility procedures under the Commission's proposed regulation [PDF]). The EP is still considering the proposal, and a rapporteur's report is expected in Novemb...
One man CAN make a difference
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Last week I was one of the lucky ones that was attending Personal Democracy forum in Barcelona. And I am calling myself lucky not only because the location of the event (University of Barcelona) and because I was together with a great group of collea...
From fighting corruption, to reuniting refugees, to keeping councils accountable – Personal Democracy Forum Europe 2010
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The Personal Democracy Conference (PdF), which Fleishman-Hillard co-sponsored, took place last week in Barcelona. PdF is the biggest conference of its kind, leading the way in providing a forum for analysis of how technology is changing politics. We...
Personal Democracy Forum: Here I come… again!
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Last year I went to the fabulous Personal Democracy Forum (PdF) in Barcelona, the first edition of an event that had been taking place in the US for years. I had a good time with old friends, met lots of fascinating people, and came back loaded with...
1,700 people say YES to PES Primaries
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1,700 people say YES to more democracy in EuropeFollowing the successful visit that the Campaign made to Brussels last week we are very proud to announce this morning that membership of our Facebook Campaign page has soared past 1,700 supporters. Tha...
Over 1,600 Supporters on Facebook
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1,600 people say more democracy in EuropeOn the day that the Campaign for a PES Primay came to Brusels, we are delighted to announce that we have soared past 1,600 members on our Facebook campaign group.
Financial Times Deutschland covers the campaign
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The following article was carried in the Financial Times Deutschland this morning. It arose from an interview I gave when I arrived in Brussels yesterday and dicusses both the Campaign for a PES Primary as well as the likelihood that other European p...
Exploring technology & politics at the Personal Democracy Forum, Barcelona
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The Personal Democracy Forum Europe is taking place in Barcelona on October 4th and 5th. We’re co-sponsoring the event so a few of us will be heading down to mingle with the best and the brightest minds in the “internet + politics” space. Why a...
Should we save ‘sovereignty’ or the Europeans?
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On the blog Se former à la communication européenne, Michael Malherbe opined that the Roma crisis has mobilised pro and anti-Europeans more than it has improved understanding of the European Union, in: Quels sont les effets d’opinion de la crise...
International Day of Democracy - 15 September 2010
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Democracy vital tool for achieving development, UN Secretary General Ban says on International Day15 September 2010 – Democracy is an “indispensable” tool to better the lives of people around the world, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today,...
FH Europe Podcast #2: Interview with Andrew Rasiej of the Personal Democracy Forum
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The Personal Democracy Forum, which Fleishman is co-sponsoring in Europe this year, is the world’s largest conference on how technology is changing politics. This year’s event is taking place in Barcelona on October 4th and 5th, with a great se...
US organisation funds groups in Europe to destabilise governments
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Well, not really, but an article in the Guardian about the Washington-based Freedom Works, which is advising the Taxpayers' Alliance on Tea Party-style tactics has a great line:"The Taxpayers' Alliance, an influential campaign group that calls for ta...
European Commission: Start by publishing Reding’s ‘communication revolution’ plan!
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The information leaked to EurActiv remains the main basis for the public discussion about the communication ‘revolution’ planned by commissioner Viviane Reding for the European Commission, but the information is far from complete. The College of...
Six weeks to gain 3,000 to 5,000 supporters. Yes, it really is that important.
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Many thanks to you for all of your support for the Campaign for a PES Primary and for helping us to reach over 1,000 supporters on Facebook. In less than six weeks we have attracted the support of PES activists, public representatives and progress...
Who is a European citizen?
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The American constitution, which is arguably the most frequently cited federalist model, asserts that “All persons born or naturalised in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and of the State w...
TRANSEUROPA NETWORK
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Applications now open for founding meeting of TRANSEUROPA Network – a network of activists from throughout Europe working together for the emergence of a new and genuinely transnational European politics, culture and society. No related posts.
Brussels Establishes a New Fund to Promote European Citizenship
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Daniel John Hannan Member of the European Parliament for South East England While urging its member nations to constrain their expenditure, the EU is simultaneously demanding that they cough up more in order to proselytise for the deeper integration...
Guest Blog: Why should European democracy matter?
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Activists of the Party of European Socialists (PES) are campaigning for the PES to hold pan-European primary elections to choose the party’s candidate for the Presidency of the European Commsison in 2014. Declining turnout in European elections, de...
Europäische Sozialdemokraten fordern Vorwahlen für die nächste Kommission
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europaeum, a German-language blogger, is writing on the Campaign for a PES Primary. europaeum raises some important questions about possible resistance from national parties and their leaders to the campaign demand that individual members of PES nati...
Language barriers challenge online campaigning in Europe
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The grass root campaigners for a PES Primary we are following have to shovel away without explicit endorsement from the Party of European Socialists (PES) or the formidable resources of its member parties at national level. Lacking a seal of approval...
Eurocité think-tank reproduces 27roses.eu article
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Eurocité, le thinktank européen progressiste, has reproduced the article published by 27roses.eu on the Campaign for a PES Primary. Eurocité is a team of young researchers, senior government officials, lawyers, political and private practitioners...
Ralf Grahn discusses on-line campaigning
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Ralf Grahn discusses the issues facing on-line campaigners on his blog. He writes,A political online campaign for Europe has to contend with two attitude challenges: inertia and prejudice (even hatred).The Campaign for a PES Primary is an example of...
Online campaign challenges in Europe: Inertia and hostility
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Online media, or social media, potentially cross national and linguistic borders, but both attitudes and languages present formidable challenges for Europe-wide campaigns. Here we take a look at attitudes. In a blog post on Europaportalen, the Swedi...
800, going to 900
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A couple of days ago we passed the 800 members mark on our group (we are now at 853). These numbers, in August, are a great success for our initiative.Lets try and get to 1.000 before September... ;)...
