Conference on the Future of Europe

The European Citizens’ Panels are organised by the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the European Commission, in the context of the Conference on the Future of Europe. This document was prepared by 1 the deliberation group, which is composed of Missions Publiques, the Danish Board of Technology, Deliberativa, ifok, and Kantar, and in charge of the methodology and the roll-out of the Panels. Panel 1: “Stronger economy, social justice and jobs / education, culture, youth and sport/ digital transformation” Session 2 was led by ifok and supported by Missions Publiques.

 orientation 4: Great urgency in the implementation of EU guidelines in national law.  orientation 5: Other forms of families shall not be ignored. This also applies to families who look after disabled people.
issue 5: EU Action Plan on social rights  orientation 1: The Action Plan should be made legally binding so that national governments are obliged to implement it.  orientation 2: More information for citizens in these decisions.  orientation 3: Gender equality must be driven forward. This also applies to EQUAL PAY.
issue 6: Strengthen local economy  orientation 1: Tax exemption for locally grown or produced goods.  orientation 2: Protect SMEs better. An EU office could support here, e.g., with information, legal assistance.  orientation 3: Set better incentives for risky activities  orientation 4: Start-ups in the local economy: System of loans supported by large banks.
Also, support for local legal advice.
issue 7: Unconditional basic income  orientation 1: There should be a contract that takes into account different aspects. The European Union should monitor compliance.  orientation 2: It is of central importance to adapt this accordingly to the respective national context.  orientation 3: Before an unconditional basic income, the EU has to establish a minimum wage.  orientation 4: The basic income must be coupled to a regulation of migration.  orientation 5: The basic income is meaningful as a concept and has the potential to enable decent life.
Youth and Employment issue 1: The curriculum and experience during the studies are not well tailored to the rapidly changing labour market. Students have too little chance of gaining experience with that labour market.
 orientation 1: We propose to give students from high school the opportunity to gain different experiences in various work environments and / or in social projects so that they gain insight into the labour market. In a later study phase, we propose that this is more focused in function of their interest and training. In this way they learn the importance of responsibility and gain insight into their possible future and get respect for the different professions.  orientation 2: We propose to stimulate companies and organizations to provide internships by granting them tax and/or other benefits.
issue 2: The loss of non-digital skills and social competencies needed for the labour market.
 orientation 1: Social competencies are: learning to interact with each other, listening to each other, tolerance, encourage dialogue, resistance, understanding, respect and appreciation for others.  orientation 2: Train the trainer: Teachers must first be aware of these social skills and are trained to guide young people therein. Train the trainer  orientation 3: Human training such as classical literature and ethics must be taught again in countries where it is no longer done.  orientation 4: Young people must be encouraged to be independent in society. That is why they must be encouraged to permanently do self-study, thinking critically and remain curious. With attention to all the different layers in society.
issue 3: There are many barriers for accession to the labour market for young Europeans and non-Europeans due to lack of harmonization of training and their recognition, administration, knowledge about existing programmes in the EU.
 orientation 1: Education must be better tailored to the changing needs in the labour market. Therefore, teachers must gain a better understanding of those needs. We propose to organize regular consultations between policy, education and business to identify the needs.  orientation 2: Mutual recognition of diplomas and the standardization of training in the EU should be better harmonized.
issue 4: Which lessons can we learn for the future with regard to the missed training, internships and access to the labour market raised by the COVID19 crisis, which are more impactful to young people and the weakest in society.
 orientation 1: Proposal for the reactivation of the programmes that were already installed before the pandemic: Unfortunately, some links to these programmes, available on the EU website, are no longer up to date. Europe should also provide programmes for children under the age of 18.  orientation 2: The EU should communicate better about the various programmes that it launches for the pandemic recovery, e.g. The ALMA program  orientation 3: Due to the pandemic there is less mobility possible for young people to work in other Member States. That is why we must accelerate digital programmes to promote that exchange.  orientation 4: The disadvantages that the students have by prolonging their studies because they have not been able to do an internship should be minimized. Disadvantages are, for example: costs, study renewal, delays in accession to the labour market.  orientation 5: Governments must be able to respond faster and more flexibly when urgent circumstances such as a crisis arise. We propose that lessons are learned and new scenarios are made to be more flexible at the next urgency. (regarding work, education, ...) issue 5: It is difficult to organize enough various internships in remote areas  orientation 1: In remote areas, local schools, governments, organizations and companies must work closely together to realize that those internships are also effective.
Digitalization at Work issue 1: In Europe there is an ongoing jobs' loss process in favor of non-European countries due to outsourcing, relocation, digitization and smart working  orientation 1: Try to retain work in Europe.  orientation 2: Establish incentives and draft legislation that helps keeping jobs in EU / European countries based on the European recognized quality.  orientation 3: Try to achieve comparable levels of wages between producer countries at the international level.  orientation 4: Try to keep European, higher quality standards in work organization and workers' rights.  orientation 5: Encourage European companies take charge of a greater social responsibility while maintaining headquarters in Europe.  orientation 6: Tax the delocalization as a last resort.  orientation 7: Implement a growing coordination in labor policies between European countries.  orientation 8: Measure how many jobs can be relocated every year towards non-European countries.

issue 2: Conflict between work and private life in Smart Working
 orientation 1: Harmonize the smart working regulation at a European level and check its compliance.  orientation 2: Give decision-making power to employees in relation to their work organization at home (e.g., families with children).  orientation 3: Reduce working time and increase its effectiveness through technology.  orientation 4: Draft contracts with clear and standardized conditions indicating which tasks have to be done from home and which not.  orientation 5: Harmonize the smart working at a European level by providing the hours of operations, availability, rest (right to disconnection) and also check the regulations' compliance.  orientation 6: Harmonize and check availability even in periods of holidays in the event of emergencies.  orientation 7: Harmonize the smart working regulations at a European level and try to avoid the exclusion of smart workers from social life.  orientation 8: Harmonize the smart working regulation at a European level and check its compliance in workplaces.

issue 3: Instability of the labor market that generates stress and a different participation (young, young adults), Difficulty of adaptation in the digital transition in general (elderly), Rapid obsolescence of skills in the digitalization process that affects the adequacy of workers to new tasks, Gap between younger and older people in digitization
 orientation 1: Create a common framework of training courses at a European level through digital platforms.  orientation 2: Harmonize training courses contents at a European level to achieve an homogeneous educational level (e.g., languages).  orientation 3: Strengthening identity and European culture through digital platforms.  orientation 4: Increase people's access to digital devices, all children must have equal access to digitization.  orientation 5: Create platforms helping study of foreign languages connecting young people at a European level.  orientation 6: Create programmes to bring young people closer to businesses.  orientation 7: Create new jobs in platforms management.  orientation 8: Create digital exchange platforms for retired people.  orientation 9: Encourage digitalization for the reskilling of workers (i.e. maternity).  orientation 10: Enrich the digital training platforms with different contents, in different knowledge fields.  orientation 11: Create different platforms by topic and make it easy to use.
issue 4: Increased, excessive environmental impact to the control of European countries of new technologies  orientation 1: Encourage the production of primary energy from renewable sources to power digital devices.
 orientation 2: Invest in research, in European production, in recycling of devices (batteries, other).
 orientation 3: Establish incentives for widespread energy production (companies, families)  orientation 4: Encourage public transport.  orientation 5: Measure the impacts of digital technology on health and the environment  orientation 6: Check the impact of digital waste.  orientation 7: Stimulate citizens to recycle digital waste.  orientation 8: Establish also a compliance check of the legal framework on digital devices waste.
 orientation 9: Check the environmental impact of rare earth extraction.  orientation 10: Check the impact on labor of the extraction of rare earth, (in particular child labor).
 orientation 11: Explore the opportunity to extract raw material and produce digital devices in Europe closing the production chain.
 orientation 12: Evaluate the environmental impact of the cryptocurrencies that require waste of energy not produced in a sustainable way.

Innovation and European Competitiveness
issue 1: The production processes and supply chain of raw materials are not secure, sustainable, and innovative enough  orientation 1: We recommend that the EU invests in research and innovation for developing new materials and resources, or those with the smallest environmental footprint.  orientation 2: We recommend that the EU focuses on and invests in ways to utilize existing resources in the most efficient way (for example recycling).  orientation 3: We recommend trying to shorten the supply chains and depend less on materials imported from other parts of the globe. Invest in local resources.  orientation 4: We recommend providing stronger support for companies that invest in lowering the environmental costs of their production process, as well as invest in developing less environmentally costly products.
 orientation 5 We recommend taxing environmentally harmful and unsustainable companies higher than environmentally responsible ones.
issue 2: Higher education, exchange of ideas and knowledge sharing are not accessible enough  orientation 1: We recommend that the EU adopts common values in education and a unified grading system for increased student mobility.  orientation 2: We recommend that professional qualifications (such as licenses) are fully transferable and recognized across all EU Member States.
issue 3: Access to technology is not equitable across the EU -some areas are missing crucial infrastructure  orientation 1: We recommend that the EU aims to make opportunities and technological development more equal across all member states.  orientation 2: We recommend sustainable and smart re-distribution of existing technology (i.e. devices).  orientation 3: We recommend taking action against "planned obsolescence".  orientation 4: We recommend that the EU takes an active role to prevent the rise of telecom monopolies and monopolies among internet providers.  orientation 5: We recommend that the EU puts effort into making technology more accessible to the older generations.
issue 4: There is not enough cooperation between universities within the EU -the potential for innovation is underutilized  orientation 1: We recommend that the EU directs more effort to implementation of research results, so that they don't remain on paper only.  orientation 2: We recommend that research results are organized into publicly available, free, and centralized databases. issue 6: Greenhouse gases are a hazard for climate: how to limit greenhouse gas emissions in production?
 orientation 1: Set greenhouse gas emission targets at the regional level.  orientation 1: We recommend a standardization of the European tax system.  orientation 2: Better education around the taxation issue and better information on how taxes are used.  orientation 3: We recommend the introduction of new taxes.  orientation 4: Use taxation on non-green energies to change production and consumption patterns and energy model.  orientation 5: We recommend taxing crypto currency.  orientation 6: We recommend taxing fuel.
issue 2: It is difficult economically and fiscally to create a new business: how to facilitate the creation of new companies through tax benefits?  orientation 1: We recommend the implementation of a tax benefit for new businesses to sustainable methods  orientation 2: Creation of a progressive tax system for small and medium-sized enterprises based on business income  orientation 3: A clearer European aid to the creation of new companies  orientation 4: Legalization of soft drugs like cannabis  orientation 5: Impose criteria for transparency on multinationals issue 3: Companies (private and public) do not conceive of their social and environmental responsibilities quite well throughout Europe.
 orientation 1: Uniformize how social and environmental responsibility is implemented by private and public enterprises throughout Europe.  orientation 2: Penalizing taxation for companies that do not meet these standards.  orientation 3: A reward for companies that meet these standards and adopt a sustainable transition.
Panel 1 session 2 -15 European Citizens' Panel 1: "Stronger economy, social justice and jobs / Education, culture, youth, sport/ Digital transformation" issue 4: Tax evasion: the relocation of companies looking for tax benefits.
 orientation 1: Establish a concrete tax to avoid relocation in favor of tax evasion.  orientation 2: European taxation of large international companies.  orientation 3: European business taxation (foreign) who do not pay a tax in the place of production of wealth.
Agriculture issue 1: The gap between food prices maintains eating quality gap. It causes a public health problem and a private individual care problem.
 orientation 1: Penalize less healthy foodstuffs (taxes).  orientation 2: Taxes on "luxury" type food.  orientation 3: Product evaluation should be based on 2 criteria (health and environmental sustainability).  orientation 4: Develop social and solidarity grocery stores reserved for low incomes.
issue 2: Labeling and quality control of products  orientation 1: Ensure more recyclable packaging.  orientation 2: Establish a fraud repression system at the European level.  orientation 3: Establish sanctions for products that do not have a compliant label.  orientation 4: Clearly state all ingredients all that is content in a visible way (allergies especially).  orientation 5: Use existing technologies to identify the production chain of foodstuff (be informed on the origin of all inputs). Carry out analyzes by independent agencies for feeding livestock (establish a monitoring system); Imported products should have the same quality requirements as European products.
issue 3: Support the transformation of agriculture to take care of the resources and environmental impacts.
 orientation 1: Develop and promote sustainable crops without reducing uncultivated preserved land portion (without GMO). Precision techniques, vertical techniques.
issue 4: Take into account the complementary productions of the countries of the Union and the local aspect.
 orientation 1: It would require coordination between farmers (production type choices, quantities, and financial impact of these choices).  orientation 2: Strike a balance between feature-based production and local production  orientation 3: Do not do everything everywhere, adapt to the field characteristics.  orientation 4: Research and development on what can be cultivated according to the regions (climatic conditions).  orientation 5: Supporting the local producers by organizing distribution methods (direct transaction from producer to consumers).
issue 5: The use of pesticides is a problem. How to find a product that is not harmful? Bees suffer and are considered as a quality indicator.
 orientation 1: Plant flowers in other places to encourage biodiversity.
 orientation 2: Reduce use of pesticides by precision techniques (e.g., use of drones) especially in large productions.  orientation 3: Implement late mowing systems on the maintenance of public spaces (roadsides, small green spaces). Wild meadows should have time to grow.  orientation 4: Planting plants that protect productions and promote insects that protect productions. Convince farmers to use these techniques.
issue 6: Food waste: How to reduce what is produced and that is not consumed? (Wastage in the different stages from production to the refrigerator)  orientation 1: Win-win schemes (supermarket surpluses sold at lower prices to solidarity grocery shops and then to lower income consumers) with tax benefits.  orientation 2: Planning, distribution and allocation (there was a feeling that something should be done on that level without being able on that moment to rise an orientation. The group was aware it wasn't understandable).  orientation 3 Aiming at changing consumers habits and demands towards products that can be produced sustainably (on terms of quantities). orientation 4: Educate from the youngest age on waste and consumption of local and seasonal products.  orientation 5: Legislate to prohibit the big box stores to throw away consumable food and let it benefit the people who need it.
Digital Infrastructure issue 1: Digital deserts. It is a problem that many services are too expensive. This creates inequality.
 orientation 1: Introduce an internet tax, for example, like the TV tax, and the state would force operators to provide internet to users. Let the states pay for the service from tax funding.  orientation 2: Free roaming in all European countries (access to the Internet and phone call services at the same price in another EU country).  orientation 3: Support/financial aids to low-income households.  orientation 4: Minimum service, basic at the lowest price possible.  orientation 5: Cyber centers: Computer relay points as free public services available to the inhabitants of the town (in buses, trains, libraries etc.  orientation 1: Awareness and information campaign initiative, training to develop their skills and competences.  orientation 2: Mutual support as a kind of power of attorney to someone who can handle administrative activities on the Internet on behalf of someone else.  orientation 3: Present the computer tools as a way to keep in touch with others including with grandchildren and children. Address trust with something more playful for seniors.
issue 3: Infrastructures. Access to the networks must be solved before the problem of costs. There are many inequalities.
 orientation 1: The objective should be to have no "white zones". There should be no area without access to network.  orientation 2: Promote operators who cover all territories (tax cuts, contributions). And even oblige to cover the entire territory to have the concession. With a goal in the calendar. Deadline for operators to provide network access in the entire territory. Ensure that the operator who holds the lines cannot be the operator who provides the service  orientation 3: Simplify and clarify operators and services available  orientation 4: Use road infrastructure to add digital infrastructures  orientation 5: Accept that there are areas without access issue 4: There is still a lack of confidence in the safety of online tools (pay online for example); Risks of hospital hacking, public services.
 orientation 1: Expert organization that can guarantee security, coordinated on a European level. Intervention brigade with very important powers.  orientation 2: Expert group developing a monitoring system to strengthen the prevention aspect. Private protection system and promote information on better use. Awareness raising, education.  orientation 3: Ensure the protection of privacy on the Internet. Problem of online anonymity and harassment on the internet.
issue 5: We are too dependent on the outside of Europe for the supply of certain components. Problem for access to some components and to get the tools.
 orientation 1: Finance work and research activities to adapt devices instead of replacing devices.

A Just Society
Social Security issue 1: Access to health and social security systems and differences between Member States.
 orientation 1: We recommend to ensure cooperation between EU Member States in health care research. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure communication and disclosure of progress in medicine at EU level.  orientation 2: We recommend common health and social policy and allocated budget at EU level to ensure the same health and social security conditions in all Member States, equal conditions for doctors.  orientation 3: Allow motion of patients to be treated in other countries where treatment is available -Ensure cooperation between EU Member States.  orientation 4: Full coverage of medications prescribed by doctors for socially deprived.  orientation 5: We recommend that the EU to deal with the dignified end of life: euthanasia  orientation 6: Pan-European right to decide on the life of an unborn child.  orientation 7: We recommend that the EU issued a directive that orders Member States to allocate a certain budget for social services.  orientation 8: We recommend supporting hospitals to specialize in order to limit patient transport to other countries.
 orientation 9: We recommend that the EU ensure access to health and social security for victims of domestic violence.
issue 2: Access to social security and subsidy benefits for migrants and unequal conditions for migrants and citizens.
issue 3: Homeless children: a lengthy adoption process within the EU, children grow up in children's homes, faster adoption from outside the EU, an impossibility for homosexual couples adopting children.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU ensures acceleration of adoption procedures.  orientation 2: Maintain a child's rights, ensure that they have a dignified home in society.  orientation 3: Unification of legislation between Member States: When is the child released for adoption?  orientation 4: We recommend to compare best practices from elsewhere (even outside the EU) and inspire.  orientation 5: Support organizations that work with young people and families (give them more resources and help to better exercise their work).
issue 4: Nursing Service Crisis and Problem Availability of Finance for Nursing Services.
 orientation 1: Focus on mental health protection for care providers.
issue 5: The European population is aging, which represents a number of problems.
 orientation 1: We propose that the EU introduces support means for increasing natality. The European Union should promote people's right to be parents, support them in parentingwork protection, parental support.  orientation 2: We need to ensure sustainability of the pension system, we propose to consider funding pensions from multiple sources.  orientation 3: We propose that pensions are linked to minimal income.  orientation 4: Harmonized pension system at European level for all.  orientation 5: We recommend affordable retirement homes and centers for older patients with specialized care (example people with Alzheimer).
issue 6: The concentration of wealth within a small group in the context of the economic downturn.
issue 7: In many countries less rich families have insufficient social support: it is financially challenging to have children, we have fewer children and population age.
 orientation 1: We propose that it is important to focus on social support for families as a whole: to ensure a "social bumper" so that young people can participate in active life as soon as possible and older people could retire. It is also needed to support younger members of the family who care about older family members, etc.  orientation 2: We propose to ensure support for socially weaker young families and ensure information about available support: support for education and digital literacy, education equipment, availability of interest and educational rings, etc., mention it in the media.  orientation 3: We propose to support women on maternity.  orientation 4: We propose to provide financial support for young people for housing (cheaper loans, etc.).  orientation 5: We recommend to ensure universal income and standard of living.
 orientation 6: The problem of social exclusion of persons who could be active in society: social support for disadvantaged and ill.
issue 8: Lack of available social housing and affordable housing.
 orientation 1: Regulation of rent prices and sales price of housing.  orientation 2: We propose to support housing in smaller cities and villages closer to large cities where there is access to work.  orientation 3: We propose a way of promoting social leasing, available for young people (an example of subsidies for Member States for the construction or subsidy to support rentals)not the construction of social flats to buy, which must be built, rather social support for rent.
issue 9: Mental health  orientation 1: It is important that preventive programmes exist.  orientation 2: Shortened working hours and programmes for aligning personal and working life  orientation 3: We recommend promoting research in the field of influence of legalization of marijuana to mental health.  orientation 4: Promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
Equal Rights issue 1: The European citizens' right to be different is not the same across the Member States and/or is not respected.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU creates a mechanism to ensure the monitoring and enforcement of minority rights (e.g., a portal or office where people might lodge complaints).  orientation 1: We recommend that the EU moves towards adopting a Europe-wide minimum wage.  orientation 2: We recommend that the EU establishes an institution to monitor working conditions in all Member States.

issue 4: Equality education is not appropriate at the European level (in the context of persistent opposing cultural values).
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU develops community-based programmes or projects for intercultural exchanges for young Europeans in school and companies (including through online interactions).  orientation 2: We recommend that the EU develops an equality curriculum to be studied by students from all Member States in common classes (including in online formats).
issue 5: Family rights (including for families with foster children) are unequal across Europe.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU takes steps to ensure that all families, regardless of the characteristics of their members, enjoy equal rights in all Member States.  orientation 2: We recommend that the EU improves the regulation and implementation of the minimum period of parental leave so that all EU citizens can benefit equally from it.  orientation 3: We recommend that the EU takes action to ensure uniformity of support measures for families with children across all Member States.  orientation 4: We recommend that the EU focuses on establishing a standard working time per week (shorter and uniform) to ensure improved and equal treatment of European citizens and their families.

Fairness issue 1: Salary gap (for geographical reasons or gender salary gap)
 orientation 1: Promote fair salaries (also taking into account the offshoring of companies within the EU).  orientation 2: Reduce the gender salary gap.
issue 3: Lack of equity in access to quality education  orientation 1: Promote equity and gender equity in education.  orientation 2: That the EU academic degrees are validated in all EU countries  orientation 3: Equity in access to quality and comparable education in different states.
issue 4: Difficulties to access the first job  orientation 1: Promote the access to the first job, and internships for professional education and higher education Access to Sports issue 1: Lack of access to sports and physical activity: facilities, diversity, prioritization.
 orientation 1: Reduce social and gender gap in access to sport and physical activity.
Encourage the use of the body in everyday life.
 orientation 2: Awareness of the importance of physical activity. Ensure that public institutions offer quality and diversity in sports services. EU: Generate guidelines for countries to go in this direction.
 orientation 3: Integrate sports and physical activity within the National Health Service (Physical and Mental Health).
 orientation 4: Diversity of sports for the development of different capacities  orientation 5: Look for creative ways to link technological leisure and physical activity (applications that allow gathering different people to practice sports, face-to-face or online).

Learning in Europe
European Identity issue 1: Achieving a sense of belonging in Europe.
 orientation 1: We recommend strengthening the sense of belonging through cultural, professional and social exchanges (including sports), e.g. through work camps and meeting places.  orientation 2: We recommend strengthening the sense of belonging through more information about European institutions and member states.  orientation 3: We recommend more participation opportunities, e.g. through citizens' forums.  orientation 4: We recommend that there are common success stories (e.g. fighting pandemics, achieving peace) and benefits from things the EU has done so far are promoted as educational materials in schools.  orientation 5: We recommend that the EU promote cultural programmes and exchanges more.
issue 2: Education is not accessible to all (e.g. Erasmus+).
 orientation 1: We recommend developing programmes and offers which are made accessible for all age spectrums (regardless of background, age, education) of the population.  orientation 2: We need even more exchanges (culture, music, discovery) and funding.  orientation 3: We recommend more digitization in classrooms (e.g. transnational classes coming together in virtual space). issue 1: Creation of a good digital infrastructure.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU must ensure that all citizens have technical access (network and terminals) and that the digital infrastructure is developed in the countries (taking into account the purchase of equipment that can be reused)  orientation 2: We recommend that the EU enshrine the right to the internet.  orientation 3: We recommend that the subject must be subjected to the aspect of sustainability.
issue 2: Enable access to digitization for everyone.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU promotes materials and training for all citizens, especially for citizens who do not have IT skills.  orientation 2: We recommend that the EU makes tools (writing programmes, educational platform) freely available for use. For this purpose, either own programmes should be developed or existing programmes (e.g. Office) should be made available for all.
issue 3: Need for regulation of digital education and work.
 orientation 1: We recommend to promote round tables with schools, companies, politics, health department, psychologists, sociologists and to regulate online education and online work by law.  orientation 2: We recommend that, in addition to digital literacy, citizens' critical faculties need to be promoted more. Citizens must be able to deal with content critically.
issue 4: Preventing the negative impact of the digital world.
 orientation 1: We recommend raising awareness of the dangers for young people through IT training and apprenticeships, as a school subject.  orientation 2: We recommend that innovations become part of digital education and are promoted more strongly.  orientation 3: We recommend that large IT platforms be held more accountable.
Cultural Exchange issue 1: Too few people can access European exchange programmes.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU helps enable people from less privileged economic backgrounds to have access to exchange through scholarships and budgetary support to schools.  orientation 2: Improve information available in schools.  orientation 3: We recommend a Common EU platform for coordinating exchange, including information on school systems of other countries, and involve companies in the structure, as they could be taking students as interns.  orientation 4: Build a programmes for schools or classes to visit other EU countries.  orientation 5: A Common EU format for exchange "classes".  orientation 6: We propose that the EU develops a handout for information on educational systems of member states.
issue 2: Not enough options or knowledge on how to go on exchange at different age groups and professions.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU should use people who already went on exchange to actively promote it as ambassadors.
Environmental Education issue 1: There is a lack of involvement from EU citizens in climate change and sustainability.
 orientation 1: We recommend that the EU does more to facilitate knowledge sharing on best practice in sustainable practices. Exchange of knowledge and technology across educational, government and business organizations.  orientation 2: We recommend that more concrete advice comes from the EU level to citizens, on what is actually a sustainable choice as a consumer/individual.  orientation 3: We recommend that more concrete and local knowledge on how citizens' behavior affect their environment is shared with them directly.  orientation 4: We recommend that the EU hosts a challenge on sustainability for schools from all member states.

issue 2: We don't have enough practical experience with what the environment and climate is and what it means to us.
 orientation 1: We recommend that educational teaching programmes focus more on projects that bring kids into contact with the environment and climate, and also try to develop solutions.  orientation 2: We recommend that sustainability is integrated into the curricula of other subjects in schools across the EU.
Quality, Finance and Access to Education issue 1:  orientation 1: A uniform regulated standard of teaching across Europe. At primary and secondary level.  orientation 2: There should be one single European language taught across all primary schools in the EU, funded and paid for by the EU member states.  orientation 3: The Erasmus programme should be easily accessible to all.  orientation 4: Equal access to all for third level education. Lack of this interferes with equal access issue 2:  orientation 1: Equality of access to free education across the EU.
issue 3:  orientation 1: We recommend that life skills including sexual health issues, should be taught in schools at all levels. Opposing voices should be countered with voluntary classes providing factual sexual education.
issue 4:  orientation 1: Funding and access to funding or scholarships across the EU is vital to ensure equality of education and access equal technology.
issue 5:  orientation 1: Greater support to teachers as individuals.
Harmonization of Education issue 1:  orientation 1: There should be a uniform standard of education across all European schools.
issue 2:  orientation 1: We recommend that education on the environment is part of school curriculum from an early age and for every person within the EU.
issue 3:  orientation 1: We recommend that one common European language English was taught which would make education on the environment and all other matters across Europe much easier to deliver.

An Ethical and Safe Digital Transformation
Democratization of Digitalization  orientation 1: We need clearer and more explicit pedagogy to educate people about the use of the Internet (see issue 1 on education). We recommend ethics courses on internet use  orientation 2: We must act on the subject of Fake News, and misinformation. We recommend multiplying actions such as "verified websites".  orientation 3: We need to strengthen the fight against abuse on the Internet. We recommend creating an organization close to the police, specialized in digital aspects, and that can identify people on the Internet, and detect unacceptable behaviors.  orientation 1: Teach how to use digital tools at school, but also include the media on these issues because they have an important role to play in digital awareness.  orientation 2: Have a single Internet network in all EU countries.
 orientation 3: Any information present online must be able to be reported offline.
issue 5: Citizens have too little information about the use that is made of their personal data, and in particular on the sale of their personal data  orientation 1: It is necessary to limit the number of personal information required to access the Internet and the digital platforms must be held responsible for their use of the data.  orientation 2: Create a common cloud for European companies.  orientation 3: Create a European social network, made by Europeans for Europeans.
issue 6: Lack of clarity on the algorithms of the AI  orientation 1: Simplify and explain the algorithms used by the AI to ensure better social acceptance.
Cyber Security issue 1: Lack of rules and transparency on multinational companies that use data, such as social networks.
 orientation 1: We need an entity to represent consumers, to support people's interests against companies using their data.  orientation 2: We need to create one voice in Europe against digital giants who have so much influence, it should be possible to judge these companies in Europe and not only in the United States, and to force them to apply European laws.  orientation 3: We propose to make the texts of consent on the use of personal data, clearer and shorter when connecting to a website. orientation 4: Take example of countries that have experienced solutions that have worked (example of the education system in Finland) issue 2: Cybersecurity is a complex subject and there is a lack of clarity on how this topic is managed and at what level.
 orientation 1: We suggest more cooperation between companies and countries of the European Union, and to put in place global actions and a global agreement on cybersecurity.
issue 3: As Internet users, we are exposed to multiple risks (Fishing, piracy, etc.  orientation 1: We propose to strengthen collaboration between websites / platforms and authorities to identify and follow these acts of cybercrime more systematically. It is important to make visible the work of all "behind the scenes" actors.

Data protection
issue 1: Lack of access and control over data that citizens share (by citizens themselves).
 orientation 1: Create an EU body that is easily accessible to citizens and that requires transparency and provides shared norms among EU states.  orientation 2: Create a possibility for people to select what data is sensitive and which one is not.  orientation 3: Introduce digital EU ID (not just national digital ID).  orientation 4: Phones, home applications (Alexa) should have more transparency in what they collect, store and share (and with whom) and that owners should have an option to erase/limit data access.
issue 2: Insufficient mechanisms to control data giants (i.e. Facebook) as they are even more powerful than political decision-makers.
 orientation 1: Clear checks and balances by the EU body (non-political but expert-based) that is independent and funded by the member state.  orientation 2: New regulations on digital advertisement.  orientation 3: EU certification of data protection compliance mandatory for all tech companies/providers and that should be incorporated visibly in the web presence of an organization.  orientation 4: Reward companies that comply with data protection, transparency, and security regulations.
issue 3: Insufficient digital education for citizens.
 orientation 1: Tailored classes for older citizens and provide assistance services.  orientation 2: Specific curriculum for younger generations (in schools and at home).  orientation 3: Support of non-native tech users in acquiring up-to-date knowledge about tech use.  orientation 4: Establish universal baseline of what minimum digital literacy should be.  orientation 5: EU should support educational (intergenerational) programmes where younger people teach older people how to operate in the digital sphere.  orientation 6: Create special educational programmes and communication campaigns on cyber-crime.
issue 4: The (legal and technological) language used in the digital sphere is too complex for citizens to understand.
 orientation 1: Introduce criteria for certification for tech companies: have simplified summaries of information about the use of data that would be understandable by anyone.  orientation 2: Introducing non-authorization (except for explicit consent) or limited authorization of personal data use as a primary principle.  orientation 3: Improve communication about changes in GDPR and data protection in general.
issue 5: Insufficient research of data protection.
 orientation 1: EU funding to expand the research efforts. issue 2: How do we fight all the damage generated by the combination of "fake news", the power of algorithms and poor data privacy?
 orientation 1: Educate people to think critically  orientation 2: Algorithms automatically show you the most contrasted/consensus versions of a topic as well as other points of view (fake news) so you can compare.  orientation 3: Processing and storing data on local devices, without sharing it in the cloud  orientation 4: Use the majority consensus of the scientific community as the point of view that we consider to be true and that we use to contrast other points of view.  orientation 5: An organization or institution that verifies and checks the news and says whether they are real or not.  orientation 6: The media cannot be private, they must be public so that they do not make money by spreading lies.  orientation 7: Set up a 2-year pilot project that applies the Finnish educational model in all Member States and then evaluate its results.  orientation 8: Create a European online platform displaying verified news.  orientation 9: Set up a European digital platform that offers information and also training and education (not only about the healthy use of the Internet, but on many other aspects) and that also offers resources and professionals on mental health issues. Objective 2: the citizens finalized the orientations and justifications.

Plenary 2
Objective 1: group rapporteurs reported on the discussions in subgroups Objective 2: citizens gave feedback on session 2 Objective 3: main moderation gave an outlook on session 3

B Detailed Process of Generation of Orientations
 Initial situation: During session 1, each European Citizens' Panels raised between 75 and 78 topics linked to their Panel's overarching topic. These topics were organized into 5 working streams composed of substreams. The topics raised by each Panel served as the basis of citizens' work during session 2. Prior to session 2, citizens were assigned to a specific stream as well as to the substream they will work on.
 On Saturday morning, citizens began the day by participating in one stream plenary according to their assigned stream. For each stream, one stream plenary exists composed of the three subgroups working within the respective stream. During the stream plenary, the moderation presented the topics of the substreams and the panelists heard one or two experts giving input on each substream. Experts' inputs were followed by short Q&As. At the end of the stream plenary, 20 minutes were dedicated for subgroups to collectively engage in an initial broad discussion on how they understand linking the topics to issues.
 Following the stream plenary, citizens went into subgroup work. The objective of this first subgroup work was for citizens to use their own knowledge, the experts' input and the topic from their substream as a working basis and guide for discussion in order to formulate clear issues. An issue is a problem/thing that needs to change/challenge. If one of the topics was close to being an issue already, it could be reused as a basis. If a topic was very broad, it was possible to make an issue out of it.
 The citizens could raise as many issues as they wanted in this first time slot of 45 minutes. After the stream plenary on Sunday, they had the possibility to rearrange the remaining issues, as the new expert input could bring a new perspective.
 Citizens remained in subgroups for the rest of Saturday and started drafting orientations on the issues they had raised. Orientations are the first step towards drafting recommendations, which will be the objective of Session 3. The orientations produced in session 2 will be the basis to develop the recommendations in session 3.
 At the end of the day on Saturday, subgroups received the work produced during the day by another subgroup in their stream and were asked to react and provide their feedback.
 Sunday began with a stream plenary. The objective of this stream plenary was for each subgroup to present the draft orientations they had developed so far. Additionally, they received input from new experts on topics they had already worked on, or new topics depending on the stream.
 Following the stream plenary, citizens went into subgroup work to either finalize their orientations from Saturday, integrating the expert's feedback or raised new issues and formulated new orientations.
I4: Welke lessen kunnen we leren naar de toekomst met betrekking tot de gemiste opleiding, stages en toegang tot de arbeidsmark die er zijn door de COVID19 crisis, en die sterker zijn voor de jongeren en de zwakkeren in de maatschappij.

Innovation and European Competitiveness (Group 2 (English))
I1: The production processes and supply chain of raw materials are not secure, sustainable, and innovative enough O1: We recommend that the EU invests in research and innovation for developing new materials and resources, or those with the smallest environmental footprint O2: We recommend that the EU focuses on and invests in ways to utilize existing resources in the most efficient way (for example recycling) O3: We recommend trying to shorten the supply chains and depend less on materials imported from other parts of the globe. Invest in local resources O4: We recommend providing stronger support for companies who invest in lowering the environmental costs of their production process, as well as invest in developing less environmentally costly products O5 We recommend taxing environmentally harmful and unsustainable companies higher than environmentally responsible ones I2: Higher education, exchange of ideas and knowledge sharing are not accessible enough O1: We recommend that the EU adopts common values in education and a unified grading system for increased student mobility O2: We recommend that professional qualifications (such as licenses) are fully transferrable and recognized across all EU Member States

I3: Access to technology is not equitable across the EU -some areas are missing crucial infrastructure
O1: We recommend that the EU aims to make opportunities and technological development more equal across all member states O2: We recommend sustainable and smart re-distribution of existing technology (e.g., devices) O3: We recommend taking action against "planned obsolescence" O4: We recommend that the EU takes an active role to prevent the rise of tele-com monopolies and monopolies among internet providers O5: We recommend that the EU puts effort into making technology more accessible to the older generations

I4: There is not enough cooperation between universities within the EU -the potential for innovation is underutilized
O1: We recommend that the EU directs more effort to implementation of research results, so that they don't remain on paper only O2: We recommend that research results are organized into publicly available, free, and centralized databases

I5: Technological and scientific innovation is underfunded. As a result, money dictates what gets researched and what doesn't
O1: We recommend that there is a system for scientists who research similar phenomena to pool their resources together O2: We recommend that the EU reserves funds to finance specific areas of research Panel 1 session 2 -42 European Citizens' Panel 1: "Stronger economy, social justice and jobs / education, culture, youth, sport/ digital transformation"

I6: Quality of education and teaching methods are often outdated and not modern/progressive enough. Innovation is born at the level of schools!
O1: We recommend that teachers receive continuous training and share best practices across borders. It could happen through conferences, digital platforms, etc. (on a EU level). These solutions should be heavily promoted and publicized. O2: We recommend incorporating up-to-date scientific findings about the most effective ways of learning into teaching practices across the EU, as well as continuous research into it O3: We recommend creating a coherent, European system of quality control with regards to teaching practices

I7: Big companies often don't want to operate in Europe and they move their operations elsewhere
Panel 1 session 2 -43 European Citizens' Panel 1: "Stronger economy, social justice and jobs / education, culture, youth, sport/ digital transformation"

I1: Nos méthodes de production sont trop polluantes. Comment revoir nos techniques de production pour les rendre plus vertueuses?
O1: Nous suggérons de nouvelles réglementations des techniques de production (sur la durée de vie des produits, émissions de gaz à effet de serre, adaptation aux limites du système vivant), et notamment des subventions pour encourager les entreprises qui souhaitent développer les techniques vertes J: Il y a trop de pollution lié aux industries de la pêche, de la viande, du textile, etc. Il n'y a pas assez de sanction pour les industries polluantes. Il n'y a pas assez subventions ou d'incitants pour les entreprises qui souhaitent passer aux techniques vertes
I3: Falta de equidad en el acceso a una educación calidad O1: Promover la equidad y la equidad de género en la educación J: Falta de concienciación en relación a la equidad y a la equidad de género. Diferencia del estado de la cuestión de la equidad y de la equidad de género en diferentes países de la UE (algunos países más concienciados que los otros). Brecha digital de género. Estudios y profesiones STEM con ausencia de mujeres. FAlta de instrumentos y marco legal para la equidad. Falta de inclusión para tener igualdad.

Annex III: Feedback from the Conference Plenary The Conference Plenary
In Session 2, during the opening plenary, the panels' respective 20 representatives were invited to take the floor and give feedback to their fellow Panellists on the first Conference Plenary, in which representatives from the European Citizens' Panels participated. on 22-23 October 2021. Their presentations were followed by a Q&A.
The Plenary is composed of a total of 449 representatives: Members of the European Parliament (108), representatives of the Council of the EU (54, or two per Member State), Commissioners (3), national parliaments (108), European Citizens' Panels (80), representatives from national events or panels (27), the European Committee of the Regions (18), European Economic and Social Committee (18), social partners (12) and civil society (8) and elected local (6) and regional representatives (6).
The 80 representatives of European Citizens' Panels, 27 representatives of national panels and events and the President of the European Youth Forum form one single component in the Plenary, referred to as the citizens' component.
The Conference Plenary debates and discusses the recommendations from the national and European Citizens' Panels, and the input gathered from the Multilingual Digital Platform. 9 thematic working groups have been established based on the topics on the Digital Platform and will give input to prepare the debates and the proposals of the Conference Plenary. The Conference Plenary will decide on a consensual basis (at least between the representatives of the European Parliament, Council, Commission, and the national parliaments) to put forward its proposals to the Executive Board. If there is a clear diverging position from representatives of citizens from national events and/or European or national citizens' panels, this should be expressed in the report by the Executive Board.
The October Plenary was the second Plenary, yet the first one with citizens representing the European Citizens Panels. It was the first-time citizens from the national events/panels and European panels and the President of the European Youth Forum came together to form the citizens' component.
On Friday 22 October, two citizens' component meetings were organised to introduce citizens to the rules of procedure of the Plenary, prepare the Working Groups and the Plenary and designate speakers. In-between, citizens participated in their first Working Group meetings with other members of the Plenary. On Saturday 23 October, the Plenary discussion kicked-off in the Strasbourg hemicycle with the presentations by eight citizens of the results of the first session of the four European Citizens' panels. 13 representatives of the European Citizens' Panels took the floor in the morning debate on the European Citizens' Panels and seven in the afternoon in the debate on the Multilingual Digital Platform.
In their intervention in the plenary hemicycle, many European Citizens' Panels representatives expressed their gratitude to take part in the exercise: for most of them it was the first time attending a political event of this magnitude. Similarly, almost all panellists stressed the importance of citizens' participation in the Conference. However, many citizens (both from national events/panels and the European Panels) regretted the insufficient level of real dialogue between Panels' representatives and