A study by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for citizens’ rights and constitutional affairs, this study identifies difficulties faced by organisers when setting up and running a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). It analyses possible solutions and proposes recommendations to improve the ECI as an effective tool for participatory democracy in the EU.
The aim is to propose measures to ensure a straightforward ECI process with less costs and burdens for EU citizens.
The ultimate goal is to define concrete actions to empower EU citizens to actively participate in shaping the future of Europe.

European Citizens’ Initiative – First lessons of implementation

This annual publication is the authoritative source for accurate and relevant information on the state of education around the world.

Featuring more than 150 charts, 300 tables, and over 100 000 figures, it provides data on the structure, finances, and performance of education systems in the OECD’s 34 member countries, as well as a number of partner countries.

What’s new in the 2014 edition?

• New indicators on private institutions, on what it takes to become a teacher, and on the availability of, and participation in, professional development activities for teachers.
• Data from the 2012 Survey of Adult Skills, on attainment, employment, intergenerational education mobility, earnings, and social outcomes related to skills proficiency.
• Data from the 2013 OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) and the 2012 OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in several indicators.
• Analysis of the impact of the recent economic crisis on the interplay among educational attainment, employment, earnings and public finance.
• More in-depth information related to upper secondary completion rates and the types and use of student loans.
• For the first time, data from Colombia and Latvia.

Highlights:

EUNET welcomes the fact that citizenship is part of the same portfolio as education, culture and youth as laid out in the new structure for the next European Commission.
After a five years period in DG COMM the Europe for Citizens programme will most probably return back to DG EAC. In our opinion it belongs there, but there is a risk that the programme will be overwhelmed by the big programmes of DG EAC like Erasmus+ etc..

The fact that the Citizenship portfolio has been given to a member of Fidesz raises some questions about the willingness of the European Commission to tackle this important issue.
As stated in M. Navracsics’ mission letter making sure “Europeans can fully participate in society and empowering them to engage” is a sine qua none condition to build mutual trust and support with civil society.