It is intended that the Conference should involve citizens, including a significant role for young people, civil society, and European institutions as equal partners and last for two years.
[1] Citizens' Dialogue conferences took place, involving the President of the Commission, the Commissioners and some staff members of the Commission,[20] "town-hall style debates carried out in line with Juncker's invitation to members of the College of Commissioners to be politically active in communicating the common agenda to citizens and listening to common concerns coming from them".
Same as the Joint Report on European Citizens' Consultations, initiated by Emmanuel Macron, which took place from April to October 2018 at national level, as debates or other formats.
[23] In her political guidelines,[2] President-Elect Ursula von der Leyen described the Conference as follows: In her "mission letters", which von der Leyen assigned the nominated Commissioners, three members of the new College of Commissioners were made responsible for the Conference on the Future of Europe: Věra Jourová, Maroš Šefčovič, and Dubravka Šuica.
[28] It is tasked with preparing "a proposal on Parliament's approach to the Conference on the Future of Europe, including, inter alia, the scope, the governance, the duration, the structure, the stakeholders, the objectives and the expected actions and outcome.
"[27] In parallel to the sessions of the Working Group on the Future of Europe, the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) is in a process of deliberation.
On the involvement of citizens, some have underlined that the criteria for selection would be important in ensuring inclusive participation in respect of diversity and gender balance.
Given the huge scope of the effort, which could potentially lead to proposed changes to the EU treaties, Parliament is expected to wrestle a bit with the Commission and Council for control of how the process plays out.
"[39] Financial Times called the Conference "one of the big projects for Ursula von der Leyen ... Its goal is to make recommendations for new policies and institutional changes.
"[40] The Swiss NZZ concluded: "After all, a few days ago Berlin and Paris took up the idea of a Citizens' Conference on the Future of Europe which they advocated in a joint proposal.
"[41] The Washington Post called the Conference proposal "a trial balloon", noting the "ambitious reforms" desired by France and Germany, and observing that "it's possible that the EU may have learned in the meantime from national citizen assemblies like those ... in Ireland."