Table of Contents Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Spring 1996 Bascarsija... 17 Antonella Valmorbida Foreword... 19 Oriano Otočan Jean Marc Roirant Chapter 1. Objectives of This Volume... 25 Antonella Valmorbida 1.1. From a Representative Democracy to a Participative Democracy: Practices and Evaluation... 25 1.2. What is the Added Value of the Citizen Participation Practices Put in Place in the Last Years?... 26 1.3. At the End of the 2007 2013 Programmes, What Did We Learn from the Programme Supported by Europe for Citizens?... 26 Chapter 2. The Approach of the Association of Local Democracy Agencies to Citizen Participation... 29 2.1. Territorial Approach and Local Communities at the Core of the Action... 29 2.2. Local Authorities and Civil Society Working Together: a Comprehensive Form of Decentralisation... 30 2.3. Project Based Approach... 33 2.4. The Local Democracy Agencies Concept... 33 2.5. Features of Cooperation in the LDAs... 34 2.6. Definitions... 38 2.7. Citizen Participation to Develop a Sense of Ownership and Responsibility to the Community and Inclusive Society... 39 2.8. Participatory Democracy: a Fundamental Element for Building a Democratic Society... 39 7
2.9. Citizen Participation: a European Value within the EU and in the Enlargement and Neighbouring Countries. Eastern Europe and Western Balkans in Transition... 40 2.10. The Southern Policy of the European Union... 41 2.11. Assessment of Our Action... 43 Chapter 3. Data and Figures from a Seven Years Implementation Period... 45 3.1. Methodologies Adopted... 45 3.2. Analysis of the Data... 46 Chapter 4. Citizen Participation in Europe. Focus on the European Year of Citizens, Practices and Trends Introduction: Trends and Development... 53 4.1. Citizen Participation and the European Union Policies... 54 4.1.1. The Lisbon Treaty and the Opportunity Offered by the Art 11... 55 4.1.2. European Citizens Initiative, Start up, opportunities and Difficulties... 58 4.1.3. Other Possibilities with Consultations and Structured Dialogues and Networks at the EU Level... 63 4.1.4. Civil Society Forua... 69 4.2. Local Authorities and Civil Society Networks... 70 4.2.1. The European Alliance for Citizen Participation... 73 4.3. Individual Participation: One by One... 78 4.4. The Role of the European Economic and Social Committee... 80 4.5. The Europe for Citizens Programme... 83 4.6. Council of Europe s Practice in Matters of Citizen and Civil Participation: Code of Good Practice for Civil Participation in the Decision Making Process and other Mechanisms... 85 Biljana Zasova Friederich 4.7. Final Considerations... 91 8
Chapter 5. Citizen Participation at the National Level General Frameworks of Consultations and Partnership... 93 5.1. The Power of Partnerships: Latest developments with the Compact between the Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector in the UK... 96 Oliver Henman 5.2. Civil Society Participation in Latvia... 101 Rasma Pipike 5.3. Citizen Participation in Georgia How Does It Really Work?... 108 Davit Melua 5.4. Citizen Participation. The Case of Sweden, from My Perspective... 116 Ludvig Sandberg 5.4.1. The Framework...117 5.4.2. The National Level...119 5.4.3. The Regional and Local Level...120 5.4.4. Challenges...121 5.5. The challenges of Citizen Participation in Transitional Societies of Western Balkans... 122 Zoran Stojkovski 5.5.1. The Challenges of CSOs in Fostering Citizen Participation in Western Balkans Countries...124 5.5.2. Some Promising Models and Examples That Positively Influence Public Participation at the National and Local Level...126 Chapter 6. Citizen Participation at the Local Level and Best Practices Introduction... 129 6.1. Training and Problem Solving Modules on Active Citizenship Proposed by ALDA... 130 6.2. Council of Europe and Practices for Citizen Participation at a Local Level... 138 6.3. Citizen Participation Practices at a Local Level... 141 9
6.3.1. Engaging New Voters : Recently Naturalised Swiss Citizens and Young People... 141 Katja Blanc 6.3.2. To Increase Citizen Participation, There is a Strong Need to Educate and Inform Citizens, Youth in Particular... 142 Jean Claude Mairal 6.3.3. Social Capital and the Way Citizens Are Involved Are the Central Aspect of the History of Reggio Emilia. The Municipality Coordinates Decentralisation and Participation in Deliberative Processes... 143 Serena Foracchia 6.3.4. Active Citizen Is the One Who on His/Her Own Free Will, Is Involved in the Accomplishment of Tasks Benefiting Society without Wishing for Any Kind of Economic Reward... 148 Chrissa Geraga 6.3.5. The Dominant Vision of Active Citizenship in Croatia Is Promoting and Developing Civil Society... 152 Patrizia Bosich 6.3.6. Working on The Environmental and Social Fields and Introducing Critical Historical Consciousness to Encourage Active Citizenship... 155 Steluta Purcaru Chapter 7. Citizen Participation in Enlargement and Neighbouring Countries: Comparing Frameworks, Experiences and Outcomes... 163 7.1. Citizen Participation at a Local Level in Eastern Partnership Countries An Essential Element of Democracy Building and Sustainable Development Introduction... 163 7.1.1. The Role of the Civil Society Forum for Eastern Partnership and Its Subgroup about Local Government and Public Administration Reform... 164 7.1.2. Activities of the Local Democracy Agencies and Related Projects by ALDA... 167 10
7.1.3. Conclusions... 168 7.1.4. Additional Documents... 168 7.2. Local Democracy Agencies in the Western Balkans. Paving the Way towards EU Integration. Introduction... 173 Stanka Parac 7.2.1. The Role of Parliaments... 175 7.2.2. The Role of Local and Regional Democracy... 176 7.2.3. The Role of Civil Society... 177 7.3. The Tunisian Spring or the Democratic Transition from Representation to Participation... 182 Moncef Ben Slimane 7.3.1. The First Steps of the Democratic Transition... 182 7.3.2. The Tunisian Spring: from Representative to Participative Democracy... 183 7.3.3. ALDA and LAM ECHAML Working for Citizen Participation... 184 Chapter 8. Experience of the Local Democracy Agencies in Citizen Participation... 187 8.1. LDAs Analysis... 192 8.1.1. LDA Albania... 192 8.1.2. LDA Armenia... 193 8.1.3. LDA Subotica (Serbia)... 194 8.1.4. LDA Central and Southern Serbia (LDA CSS)... 195 8.1.5. LDA Georgia... 197 8.1.6. LDA Kosovo... 197 8.1.7. LDA Montenegro... 198 8.1.8. LDA Osijek Operational Partner of ALDA... 200 8.1.9. LDA Sisak Operational Partner of ALDA... 201 8.1.10. LDA Verteneglio/ Brtonigla Operational partner of ALDA... 202 8.1.11. LDA Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina)... 204 8.1.12. LDA Zavidovići (Bosnia and Herzegovina)... 205 8.1.13. LDA Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)... 206 8.2. Experience of the Local Democracy Agencies in Citizen Participation Case by Case... 209 11
8.2.1. The Local Democracy Agency in Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina)... 209 Dženana Dedic 8.2.2. LDA Georgia... 212 Joseph Khakhaleishvili 8.2.3. The Green Agenda in Niksic Participative Development and Implementation of the Local Sustainable Development Strategies and Plans... 216 Kerim Medjedovic 8.2.4. LDA Zavidovići... 218 Sladjan Ilic 8.2.5. Youth Participation at a Local Level: the Experience of LDA Verteneglio... 225 Umberto Ademollo 8.2.6. LDA Armenia... 226 Lusine Alexandryan 8.2.7. Why Talk about Active European Citizenship and Citizen Participation?... 230 LDA Osijek, Croatia, Miljenko Turniski 8.2.8. Local Democracy Agency for Central and Southern Serbia... 235 Sasa Marinkov 8.2.9. Democracy and Citizen Participation in Today s Global World... 239 LDA Sisak, Paula Raužan 8.2.10. LDA Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina)... 243 Dragan Dosen 8.2.11. Promoting Democratic Governance in Local Multicultural Community... 247 LDA Subotica, Serbia, Silvija Patarcic Chapter 9. Citizens Panels: an Innovative Approach for Enhancing Participation... 251 Marco Boaria 9.1. Citizens Panels in Practice: Introducing the Key Components... 251 12
9.2. The Experience of the Association of Local Democracy Agencies... 255 9.3. Lessons Learned. Analysis of the Outcomes... 266 9.3.1. A Question of Numbers... 266 9.3.2. A Question of Time... 267 9.3.3. A Question of Trust... 267 9.3.4. A Question of Method... 268 9.3.5. A Question of Levels... 268 9.3.6. A Few Key Questions... 268 Chapter 10. Contributions About Citizen Participation in Europe... 271 10.1. Democracy Means Construction... 271 Jo Spiegel 10.2. Analysis of Citizen Participation Projects by the Foundation for Partnership and Civil Society Development of the Istrian Region, Croatia... 272 Andrej Pevec 10.3. The Local Economic Development Agency of the Vlora Region in Albania, a Practical Example from the UNDP Art Programme in Albania... 279 Giancarlo Canzanelli 10.4. The Experience of Developing the Mechanisms of Civil Society s Participation in the Eastern Partnership Initiative: the Civil Society Forum of Eastern Partnership and Its National Platforms... 286 Andrei Yahorau, Alena Zuikova 10.4.1. Civic Participation in Contemporary Authoritarian Systems. The Case of Belarus... 287 10.4.2. Belarusian National Platform as a Form of Developing the Participation Mechanisms... 289 10.4.3. In the Direction of a Further Growth... 292 10.5. Practices and Prospects for Citizen Participation at the Local Level in the EU. The Committee of the Regions Point of View... 293 Mercedes Bresso 13
10.5.1. Re-building the Lost Trust in the Political Institutions of the EU by Reinforcing Citizens Awareness of the Rights Linked to EU Citizenship... 293 10.5.2. The Key Role of Local and Regional Authorities... 294 10.5.3. What Are the Rights Which Constitute the EU Citizenship?... 295 10.5.4. Case Studies. Examples of Good Practices by LRAs All around the EU... 296 10.5.5. A Tip for the Future: Cultural Foyers vs EU InfoPoints... 299 10.5.6. Conclusion... 300 10.6. Decentralised Cooperation Serving Citizens... 300 Ivana Dimistrovska 10.6.1. Citizen Participation in Macedonia and France... 301 10.6.2. Decentralised Cooperation for Better Local Governance... 301 10.6.3. Citizen Participation in Actions for Local Development: Case Studies... 302 10.6.4. Challenges Faced in the Promotion of Citizen Participation... 304 10.6.5. Conclusion... 304 10.7. Youth Participation in EuroMed: Illusion or Reality?... 305 Bernard Abrignani 10.8. For a Year of the Real European Citizen, Policy Paper on the European Year of Citizens... 312 Giovanni Moro 10.8.1. Which Citizenship... 313 10.8.2. Which Citizens... 316 10.8.3. What to Do... 319 10.9. What Kind of Post-National Democracy?... 321 Giuseppe Gangemi 10.10. Participatory Democracy in View of the Reorganisation of EU Constitutional Order... 331 Pier Virgilio Dastoli 10.11. Citizen Participation in the Decision Making Process: Some Reflections... 338 David Kode and Danny Sriskandarajah 14
10.11.1. Lessons Learned... 340 10.11.2. What Needs to Change?... 341 10.11.3. Conclusion... 342 10.12. The Congress An Active Promoter of Citizen Participation... 343 Andreas Kiefer 10.12.1. Treaties The Legal Basis... 343 10.12.2. Recommendations for Political Practice... 344 10.12.3. Participation of Civil Society... 345 10.12.4. Findings and Perspectives for a New Era... 346 Chapter 11. Conclusions... 349 Chapter 12. Annexes... 353 12.1. WTD Partners Take Position on Human Development Policies... 353 12.2. Empowering Citizens and Strengthening Local Governance in Neighbouring Countries: Lessons Learned and Opportunities from East to South. June 7th, 2012, Region Friuli Venezia Giulia, Udine, Italy... 356 12.3. Volunteering for Democracy: Dangers and Opportunities for Good Governance and Active Citizenship... 358 12.4. ALL.4.EU ALDA Charter of Citizens Panels... 363 12.5. EYCA Recommendations Towards Democratic European Citizenship... 365 12.5.1. EYCA Manifesto... 369 15