Public hearing in the European Parliament

Draft programme

PUBLIC HEARING – THE EUROPEAN CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE

IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATION 211/2011 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL OF 16 FEBRUARY 2011

26 February 2015 – Room ASP 3G2 – 9H00-12h30

INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

9h00-9h05: Presentation of the hearing by the AFCO Chair Ms Danuta Hübner

9h05-9h10: Introductory remarks by the PETI Chair Ms Cecilia Wikström

9h10-9h15: Introductory remarks by Mr Frans Timmermans, 1st vice-President of the Commission

9h15-9h20: Organizers of a successful ECI – Right to Water

9h20-9h25: Organizers of a failed ECI – Prisca Merz, director of the ECI End Ecocide in Europe

9h25-9h30: Ernst Johansson, Lawyer representing the rejected ECI – the Minority SafePack case

9h30-9h40: Replies to the organizers’ questions by Vice-President Timmermans

9h40-9h50: Speech by Mr Ian Harden, Secretary-General, European Ombudsman

9h50-10h00: Speech by Ms Anne-Marie Sigmund, Economic and Social Committee

1st PANEL: LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

Introduction of the first panel by Chair Hübner

10h00-10h10: Prof. Jean-Luc Sauron, associate professor of International law at the Paris-Dauphine University

10h10-10h20: Dr Tamás Molnár, adjunct professor, Corvinus University of Budapest, Institute of International Studies

10h20-10h30: Prof. Philippe Poirier, holder of the Chair in parliamentary studies at the University of Luxembourg

10h30-10h55: Debate

2nd PANEL: TECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE

Introduction of the second panel by Chair Wikström

10h55-11h05: Mr Carsten Berg, General Coordinator of “The ECI Campaign”

11h05-11h15: Mr Francisco Polo – Country Director, Spain and Director of Global Expansion, Madrid, Spain), International petitioning platform Change.org

11h15-11h25: Dr. Susana del Río Villar, PhD, author and director of the EU project: Upgrading Europe

11h25-11h50: Debate

3rd PANEL: EP RAPPORTEURS

Introduction of the third panel by Chair Hübner

11h50-11h55: Mr Alain Lamassoure, former EP rapporteur on the ECI Regulation

11h55-12h00: Ms Diana Wallis, former PETI rapporteur on the ECI Regulation

12h00-12h05: Mr Carlo Casini, former AFCO Chair

12h05-12h20: Debate

12h20-12h30: Concluding remarks by the AFCO and PETI rapporteurs Mr György Schöpflin, EP rapporteur on the implementation of Regulation 211/2011 and Ms Beatriz Becerra, PETI rapporteur on the implementation of Regulation 211/2011