(UTC+01:00) Brussels, Copenhagen, Madrid, Paris
  • Public web-streamed session

Opening address by Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission (video message)

Opening address by Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament (video message)

  • Public web-streamed session

Topic: As the cornerstone of any democracy, free, fair and resilient elections are essential to preserve the confidence of citizens in the Union and its institutions, and in ensuring representation and accountability.

The European parliamentary elections in 2024 will enable citizens to shape, in the most direct way, the future of the Union for the next 5 years. They are organised by the 27 EU Member States and the European institutions working together, to include over 400 million voters and elect future MEPs from tens of thousands of candidates.

The opening session of the high-level event will discuss the importance of supporting democracy, including high turnout and inclusive participation in the elections to the European Parliament. The session will also address key challenges around the next elections to the European Parliament, addressing topics such as elections’ integrity, disinformation, interference including by third countries and how technology has transformed the conduct of democratic processes.

Opening address by Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency

SPEAKERS:

  • Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency
  • María Lledó, Secretary General for the European Union, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation
  • Charles Goerens, Member of the European Parliament
  • Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions (remotely)
  • Federica Mogherini, Rector of the College of Europe
  • Franziska Schweitzer, Young European voter

MODERATOR: Florence Ranson

11:00 - 11:30

Coffee break

  • Closed session

TOPIC: The panel will discuss the intersections between European values, the people's voice, and developments in democracy in the European Union. Against a backdrop of evolving political landscapes, societal dynamics and recent crises, the discussion will look into the challenges and opportunities faced by the EU as it heads towards the next EP elections in 2024 and the EU initiatives to tackle those challenges.

SPEAKERS:

  • Christiana Xenofontos, Vice-President of the European Youth Forum
  • John Morijn, Fellow in law and Public Policy at Princeton University
  • Barbara Prainsack, Professor of Comparative Policy Analysis at the University of Vienna

MODERATOR: Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit for Democracy, Union Citizenship and Free Movement, DG Justice and Consumers

Intervention by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

12:30 - 14:00

Lunch

  • Closed session

TOPIC: Addressing covert interference in electoral processes has been at the centre of the EU agenda for years, focusing on transparency and accountability, which are key to protecting the EU’s democratic sphere from covert interference in democratic processes. This session will discuss challenges and best practices in this area.

SPEAKERS:

  • Naďa Kovalčíková, Senior Analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS)
  • Alexandre Alaphilippe, Executive Director of the EU DisinfoLab

MODERATOR: Irena Moozova, Deputy Director General, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

  • Closed session

TOPIC: Political advertising is a critical tool for political parties and candidates to reach voters and communicate their campaign messages during electoral campaigns. This session will discuss policy tools in this area.

SPEAKERS:

  • Sandro Gozi, Member of the European Parliament
  • Giacomo Lasorella, President of the Italian regulator AGCOM and ERGA Chair
  • Eliska Pirkova, Senior Policy Analyst and Global Freedom of Expression Lead at Access Now 
  • Karen Massin, Head Government Affairs & Public Policy – EU Institutions at Google

MODERATOR: Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit for Democracy, Union Citizenship and Free Movement, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

16:00 - 16:30

Coffee break

  • Closed session

TOPIC: These exchanges will review the importance of international cooperation, focusing on cooperation within the European Cooperation Network on Elections, between EU networks and with international partners to address threats to elections. The session will discuss identification of common challenges and increased awareness of the importance of international cooperation in addressing electoral threats, successful models of cooperation in countering disinformation, foreign interference and cyber threats.

SPEAKERS:

  • Srdjan Darmanovic, President of the Council of Democratic Elections (CDE) of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe
  • Tanit Koch, Member of the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity (TCEI) Columnist and Investor of The New European
  • Therese Pearce-Laanela, Head of Programme, Electoral Processes at the International IDEA

MODERATOR: Julien Mousnier, Director for Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

  • Closed session

TOPIC: Election observation including by citizens plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity, transparency, and credibility of electoral processes. Election observation supports democratic principles and promote fair elections. The session will discuss emerging trends and challenges in election observation in the EU context, particularly in light of technological advancements and evolving political landscapes as well as innovative approaches and technologies for enhancing election observation practices.

SPEAKERS:

  • Meaghan Fitzgerald, Head of Election Department, ODIHR
  • Armin Rabitsch, Chairperson of Election-Watch.EU
  • Ana Mihajlović, President of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO)

MODERATOR: Julien Mousnier, Director for Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

18:40 - 20:00

Networking cocktail

Closed
  • Closed session

TOPIC: Democracy relies on a free and plural media. Free and fair elections imply the possibility for voters to engage in public debate and have adequate information about parties, policies, candidates and the election process itself in order to make informed choices. Media acts as a crucial watchdog for democratic elections, safeguarding the transparency of the process. Exchanges will focus on initiatives to secure an open and pluralistic public debate supported by an independent media on which free and fair elections are based. Issues linked to parity of treatment and balanced media coverage during elections will be discussed.

 

SPEAKERS:

  • Koen Lemmens, Professor of European and International Human Rights Law, Constitutional Law and Media Law at the University of KU Leuven
  • Carlos Aguilar Paredes, Member of the Board of the Spanish National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMC)
  • Teresa Ribeiro, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media

MODERATOR: Florence Ranson

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

  • Closed session

TOPIC: Online and offline manipulative interference in the democratic debate and electoral process can be relatively cheap to carry out. Everyone has a role to play in combatting disinformation and other interference which can manipulate the electoral process. This session will discuss challenges and best practices in this area.

SPEAKERS:

  • Marisa Jimenez Martín, Public Policy Director and Deputy Head of EU Affairs at Meta
  • Giovanni Zagni, Executive Board of European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO)
  • Fatih Yilmaz, Director of Projects & Partnerships at Beyond the Horizon

MODERATOR: Julien Mousnier, Director for Rule of Law, Fundamental Rights and Democracy, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

11:00 - 11:30

Coffee break

  • Closed session

TOPIC: European elections continue to be dominated by debates over national issues. Voters are not always clearly aware to which EU party a national political party is affiliated. Different measures are implemented to reinforce the European dimension of EU elections, including measures to reinforce the voting rights of EU mobile citizens. Exchanges will address elements fostering the European dimension of the elections including in the context of electoral processes and explore measures bringing EU citizens closer to EU decision-makers, contributing to an engaged citizenship.

 

SPEAKERS:

  • Gabriele Bischoff, Member of the European Parliament
  • Maarten Vink, Chair in Citizenship Studies at the European University Institute (EUI)
  • Assya Kavrakova, Executive Director at the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS)

MODERATOR: Enrico Forti, Director for Interinstitutional Relations at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

12:30 - 13:30

Lunch

  • Public web-streamed session

TOPIC: This session will address the fostering of inclusive political representation, examining various perspectives and sharing experiences and strategies for enhancing inclusivity in EU democracies.

SPEAKERS:

  • Iliana Balabanova, President of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL)
  • Silvana Koch-Mehrin, President and Founder of Women Political Leaders (WPL)
  • Gabriela Hrabanova, Director of the European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network (ERGO)

MODERATOR: Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit for Democracy, Union Citizenship and Free Movement, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

  • Public web-streamed session

TOPIC: EU citizens with disabilities continue to face barriers when exercising their electoral rights, for example in terms of insufficient accessibility, such as the limited accessibility of voting premises and ballots or insufficiently accessible information on candidates and debates. The Commission is preparing a good practice guide in this area. Exchanges will focus on the issues at stake, necessary measures and best practices to enable all persons with all types of disabilities to enjoy their right to vote and stand for elections, including by providing accessible communication and facilities.

SPEAKERS:

  • Andreas Accardo, Head for Institutional Cooperation and Networks Unit at the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
  • Gunta Anca, Vice-President of the European Disability Forum
  • Christophe Lefèvre, President of the Permanent Study Group on disability rights at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

MODERATOR: Marie-Hélène Boulanger, Head of Unit for Democracy, Union Citizenship and Free Movement, DG Justice and Consumer

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

15:30 - 16:00

Coffee break

  • Closed session

TOPIC: This session will review key challenges and measures to be taken to address the resilience of entities critical for the organisation and conduct of elections, including cyber-security risks including in the perspective of a tabletop exercise to be organised in late 2023 in the framework of the European Cooperation Network on Elections. It will also discuss the Election Resilience Mechanism. This session will look into practices in the identification, mitigation and management of risks to the electoral process including from cyber-attacks at EU and national level.

SPEAKERS:

  • Evangelos Ouzounis, Head of Policy Development and Implementation Unit, European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)
  • Patrick Penninckx, Head of the Information Society Department at the Council of Europe

MODERATOR: Florence Ranson

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

  • Closed session

TOPIC: This session will focus on communication to citizens around elections and actions supporting turnout (with focus on young and first-time voters). Exchanges will focus on the communication activities by EU institutions in the 2024 turnout EP Campaign, as well as challenges related to electoral processes and empowering citizens to participate as voters and candidates in the democratic process.

 

SPEAKERS:

  • Antonella Valmorbida, Secretary General of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA)
  • Jaume Duch Guillot, Director-General for Communication and Spokesperson at the European Parliament
  • Ken Godfrey, Executive Director of the European Partnership for Democracy

MODERATOR: Giles Goodall, Head of Unit for Inter-Institutional Relations and Communication, DG Justice and Consumers

Interventions by Members of the European Cooperation Network on Elections

Intervention by Irena Moozova, Deputy Director General, DG Justice and Consumers

Conclusions by Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice

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