General and specific objectives

The economic crises, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have impressively (and painfully) demonstrated how decisive a strong European Union is and how public services are needed through a stronger European dimension.

Within the Eurobarometer 96, worrying trends are rising in big and funding members of the European Union: lowest turnout rates in European elections, rise in Euroscepticism, less confidence in the EU, lower trust in the EU Institutions, citizens feeling not well informed about European matters. In the EB96 the trust index for three institutions (European Parliament, European Commission and European Council) has worsened compared to spring 2021.

The proportion of Europeans who believe that things are going in the wrong direction in the European Union outnumbers the proportion with an optimistic view. A majority of Europeans (52%) believe that their voice does not count in the European Union. The view, within the EB96, is that personal interests are taken into account at the level of the European Union remains the minority opinion in the non-euro area countries (47% vs 49%). As regards the euro area, despite a small increase (+2), respondents who believe that their voice counts in the EU remain a minority in this group of countries: 44% who “agree” vs 52% who “disagree”.

CESI wants to contribute to raising citizens’ awareness of the role and democratic values of the European Union by engaging with workers in selected countries to foster debates about democratic participation in the European elections 2024. The specific objectives are to build capacity activities and play an active role in the communication around the European elections and in mobilising others to vote taking also into consideration the trends in the last EB96 survey of winter 2021-2022 commissioned by the European Parliament.

Description of the action

The project will maintain political pluralism and engage with citizens and workers for the upcoming European elections 2024 and develop capacity-building activities mobilising the national networks to vote. The action will deliver:

1) Talks online with MEPs and EP experts

A series of interviews or joint conversations with MEP and/or EP experts shared on social media to inform and engage with the general public in different languages. The topics of the interview/discussion will be on the importance of voting during the European elections 2024, EP’s priorities on employment connected to digital and green transitions, trends emerging within the Eurobarometer and promotion of the together.eu platform.

2) Online trainings of change-makers on EU elections

Two online training sessions of 50 participants/ change-makers to equip with the best knowledge on the latest European trends and opinions, European Parliament communication services for civil society organisations (toghether.eu platform and useful communication tools), techniques to foster debates at local level about democratic participation and mobilising the workers to vote during the European elections 2024.

3) Information and engagement of workers at the national level

16 hybrid events organised at the national level in selected member States with the trained change-makers, workers representatives, youth representatives, affiliates of the trade unions, associated partners and citizens from the selected country.

• The first round of hybrid training events will be organized by CESI Project Team and the change-makers in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain (in EN and national language) for CESI Member Organisations and their affiliates to stress the importance and impact of the European legislation at the national level, address the specific issues that are highlighted in the Eurobarometer for the hosting Country, promote the eu platform, share useful tools developed by the EP DG Comm and mobilise the participants and their networks for the European elections in 2024.

• The second round of online information and engaging events closer to the European elections in 2024, will be organised by CESI Project Team and the change-makers in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain (in EN and national language) and extensively shared on different platforms to maximise the participation and engagement in that country. The topics of the events will mostly concentrate on the mobilisation to go voting, share activities of the community eu and start the national social media campaign. CESI and their affiliates will use this occasion to launch on their traditional media, followed by workers and social media the EP developed communication material and specific infographics targeting the workers.

All the events and additional activities organised by CESI members and change makers will be shared with the together.eu community.