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Computing and Information Technology, Communications and Networks, Politics, Political Analysis Theories and Methods, Public Administration and Policy

In this chapter, Nielsen et al. propose options for improvinge-participation at the EU level without changing underlying legal frameworks. Inresponse to the challenges to e-participation, which arise out of current institutionaldesigns, the authors make creative use of the research results presented earlier in thebook to suggest'low-hanging fruits'for practical reform. The challenges addressedinclude the relative weakness of individual citizens'participation compared to that ofCSO's, the weakness of the Parliament in the legislative process and the continuedde-coupling of the EU policy process from the will of the European citizens. Whilethe chapter proposes no easyfixes, it points to some obvious practical steps forward.To improve existing participation mechanisms, the authors recommend providingimproved support to citizens using the ECI, investing in the back-office supportneeded for the EP Petitions Portal to realize its potential and improving the scalabil-ity of Your Voice in Europe through advanced data analysis. They also make fournovel proposals,first among which is to experiment with participatory budgeting inrelation to the Regional and Social Funds. The chapter ends with a plea for a long-term vision of a unified European participation structure to gather and harness thepotentials of individual mechanisms.

Introduction -- The State of Scholarly Discussions: E-Democracy - Conceptual Foundations and Recent Trends -- E-Democracy and the European Public Sphere -- Experience with Digital Tools in Different Types of E-Participation -- Case Studies: Introduction to the Case Study Research -- Parliamentary Monitoring -- Informal Agenda Setting -- Formal Agenda Setting (National and Local Level) -- Formal Agenda Setting (European Level) -- Non-Binding Decision Making -- Binding Decision Making -- Conclusions: Assessing Tools for E-Democracy -- Options for Improving E-Participation at the EU Level

This open access book explores how digital tools and social media technologies can contribute to better participation and involvement of EU citizens in European politics. By analyzing selected representative e-participation projects at the local, national and European governmental levels, it identifies the preconditions, best practices and shortcomings of e-participation practices in connection with EU decision-making procedures and institutions. The book features case studies on parliamentary monitoring, e-voting practices, and e-publics, and offers recommendations for improving the integration of e-democracy in European politics and governance. Accordingly, it will appeal to scholars as well as practitioners interested in identifying suitable e-participation tools for European institutions and thus helps to reduce the EU's current democratic deficit. This book is a continuation of the book "Electronic Democracy in Europe" published by Springer.