Participation of European citizens in the EU legislative procedure

European citizens need their own permanent participatory mechanisms in the legislative procedure to exploit the full potential of citizens’ participation to strengthen EU democratic legitimacy. The European Citizens’ Initiative is a unique transnational tool for participatory democracy, but it is an agenda setting instrument, challenging to use and with limited legislative impact. EU consultations and other potential channels for citizens’ input, such as the REFIT Platform for Better Regulation, are too technical to ensure citizens’ participation. The Conference on the Future of Europe represents an opportunity to pilot innovative methods of citizen engagement, sustainable into the future.