Simulation of a European Citizens’ Panel at the Faculty of Law
On April 16, students from group 02 of the European Union Law course took part in a simulation of a European Citizens’ Panel, an activity jointly organized by the Faculty of Law and the European Documentation Centre of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
The session was led by Carlos Pérez Padilla, an official of the European Commission and a UAB alumnus, who introduced the citizen participation mechanisms promoted by the European Union and facilitated the activity.
During the simulation, students experienced first-hand how European citizens’ panels operate—an instrument of participatory democracy that enables the collection of proposals and recommendations from citizens. After an initial introduction, participants worked in teams to develop recommendations on a discussion topic, which were later presented and put to a vote in a plenary session.
This initiative helps foster a practical understanding of how the European Union works, as well as the development of key skills such as deliberation, teamwork, and decision-making.
The activity is part of the European Documentation Centre’s efforts to bring EU institutions and participatory processes closer to the university community.