The European Citizens? Summit will take place in Brussels on the 10^th and 11^th of May 2009. On the first day participants will finesse the 15 recommendations and further debate their consequences for policy-makers, developing a European declaration summarising their key economic and social concerns and expectations towards European policy-makers. Participants will also embed the recommendations into a preamble, explaining the genesis of the results and detailing the ECC 2009 process. As with the Agenda Setting Event held as part of ECC 2007, participants from all Member States will be able to participate fully in this event by accommodating all 23 official languages of the EU.

On the second day, representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Council, the European Social and Economic Committee and the Committee of the Regions, as well as the European parties and foundations, will be invited to react to the recommendations and discuss them with the citizens ? just a few weeks before the European elections. European media and EU stakeholders will also be invited to attend.

"This is a key event at a key moment. It gives the Council the right roadmap at the right moment." G?rard Onesta (European Parliament Vice-President) 

"It is a milestone in the way we can link Europe with the people... This is the first time a way was found to give a voice to citizens." Jean-Luc Dehaene (MEP and former Vice-Chairman of the Convention on the Future of Europe)

For more information about the Synthesis Event 2007 and to find out more about European and national decision makers' reactions click here.