Could citizens have a direct communication line that enables active participation in the EU decision-making process?
In response to the pressing need for a communication channel across the European Union, the launch of innovative e-democracy tools, such as The Citizens’ Engagement Platform, marks a significant step forward. The platform is designed to enhance democratic participation, ushering in a new era of engagement and transparency in the decision-making process.
Based on the open-source participatory democracy platform Decidim on Amazon Web Services (AWS), the development of the Citizens’ Engagement Platform started in June 2023, with a consortium of leading technology companies paving the way.
Tremend – Publicis Sapient was one of the key contributors, ensuring the development of a robust, highly scalable, and secure user experience regardless of the number of participants. One of the most notable features developed by their team of engineers is the platform’s multilingual interface, with real-time translation in all 24 official languages of the EU, ensuring coherent participation, commentary, and advocacy for European citizens regardless of linguistic barriers.
The platform also offers seamless integration with EU-Login, prioritizing secure access and safeguarding citizens’ data integrity. Furthermore, the introduction of European Citizens’ Panels stands out as a solution for enabling diverse perspectives in policymaking. By gathering citizens from all EU nations to offer policy recommendations, these panels result in more equitable and comprehensive policy formulation.
The Citizens’ Engagement Platform was launched in February 2024 and can be accessed by EU citizens everywhere who wish to actively participate in consultations, support or promote a wide range of initiatives.
With citizens’ expectations evolving, technology proves once again that it can play a key role in facilitating access to a truly inclusive democracy that directly addresses voters’ concerns. By building digital services around the nuanced needs of citizens, governments everywhere can take the crucial steps needed to regain their trust and remain ever-relevant.
