Day 1 - Friday, May 8th 2009
Chair: Bruno Kaufmann (President, Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe)

11.00   Opening Address:

Objectives of the conference

Johannes W. Pichler (Director of the Austrian Institute for European Law and Policy):  

11.20   Presentation:

Towards the implementation of the European Citizens Initiative
Bruno Kaufmann Conference concept - issues and topics

11.40 First discussion, feedback and input round

Statement by Diana Wallis, Vice President of the European Parliament

12.30 Lunch break (reception at the venue)

13.30 Experiences and challenges, barriers and obstacles to validating a European Citizens Initiative:

Issue targeting, seed fundraising, campaigning, signature gathering,
administrative tasks

• organisational aspects regarding finances, marketing, internet activities, languages

• draft resolution on the organizational and technical support issues  such as ecampaigning and e-voting and what is to be supported by EU structures

• the need of a European Citizens Initiative office  ideas, design issues and   location options

• financial support requirements for ECIs from the EU-commission  discussion along the lines of the Pichler/Giese recommendations; other recommendation models are  welcome


Conclusion and suggestions

15.00 Global outlook session 

The European development as a worldwide trendsetter and its consequences
Remarks by Lee, Jung-Ok, Chairperson, Committee for International Cooperation Program Korea Democracy Foundation and Co-Host of the 2nd  Global Forum on Direct Democracy

Statement by David Altman, Professor of Political Science at Santiago University in Chile

Comment by Joe Matthews, New America Foundation, Sacramento

16.00 Coffee break

16.30 Presentation of the summit resolution addressed to the EU Commission challenging the EU-Commission to take an active
supportive role

First remarks - panel, statements by

Anne-Marie Sigmund (former president of the EESC) 

Johannes W. Pichler (Professor for European legal developments, co-author of the recommendations section in Pichler/Giese) 

Karim J. Giese (Professor for public law, co-author of the recommendations section in Pichler/Giese) 

Theo Schiller (Professor of political science at Marburg University
and Chairman IRI Europe)

17.30 Second discussion, feedback and input round

18. 30 Resumé and challenges for the next days debates

Evening: 

Dinner reception hosted by the Austrian Institute for European
Law and Policy