CES/06/57
Brussels, 2 June 2006
EESC’s Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Budapest (Hungary) "Bridging the Gap: how to bring Europe and its citizens closer together?" Hotel Sofitel (in Pest), Budapest, Hungary 9-10 June 2006
On 9 and 10 June 2006, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Hungarian Economic and Social Council will be holding jointly a Regional Stakeholders' Forum on “Bridging the Gap: how to bring Europe and its citizens closer together?” in Budapest. The resulting recommendations of the participants will contribute to the consultation processes envisaged in the European Commission's October 2005 Communication on Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate and its February 2006 White Paper on a Communication Policy.
The regional forum in Budapest aims to bring together ‘receptors’, ‘multipliers’ and other stakeholders from various countries, in particular from Hungary's three neighbouring EU member states, Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia. The intention of the Forum is that, through the use of "Open Space" methodology a free and creative exchange of views should take place. The methodology used at the Forum involves a highly flexible approach and builds on the maximum involvement of participants in a creative, constructive atmosphere.
The content of the Forum - within the broad frame of the notion "Bridging the Gap: how to bring Europe and its citizens closer together?" - is entirely determined by the participants. All are agreed that new approaches and renewed efforts are needed to overcome the current impasse in the European Union's development, particularly with regard to public knowledge and support for the integration process.
The representatives of the European institutions, including the European Commission and the European Parliament, will be present primarily to listen to what the stakeholders have to say. Mr László KOVÁCS, EU Commissioner, Ms Anne-Marie SIGMUND, President of the EESC, Mr Pal VASTAGH, President of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Parliament as well as Dr. Endre SZABÓ, incoming President of the Hungarian Economic and Social Council will all attend and participate in the Regional Stakeholders' Forum.
Note: on 7-8 November 2005 the EESC, in close cooperation with the European Commission and the other EU institutions, initiated and hosted in Brussels a highly successful Stakeholders' Forum designed to explore the nature of the relationship between the European Union and its citizens and to identify ways and means of bringing the two closer together. One of the strong recommendations of the November 2005 forum event was to "go local", by seeking to organise similar stakeholders' forums at a decentralised level. This theme has since been stressed in the Commission’s ‘Plan D’ Communication and the White Paper.
Further information on the Forum in Budapest, programme and registration form are available on our website: http://eesc.europa.eu/stakeholders_forum/09_06_2006/index_en.asp
If you wish to contact us directly in Budapest during the Forum, please contact Christian Weger, EESC Press Office, on the following mobile phone number: 00 32 475 753 202.
For further information please contact: Karel Govaert or Christian Weger , EESC Press Office 99 rue Belliard , B-1040 Brussels Tel.: 02 546 9396/9586; Mobile: 0475 753 202 E-mail: press@eesc.europa.eu
Website: http://eesc.europa.eu/activities/press/index_en.asp
The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 317 members. Its members are appointed by the Council. 
