DEMOTEC

The project

DEMOTEC investigates the role of participatory budgeting in fostering greater and more informed citizen participation in policy-making and in engaging citizens that feel disconnected from political and policy processes. It focuses on citizen engagement in European regional and urban policies, combining in-depth research on participatory budgeting and mediated deliberation in the public sphere with real-world experiments. 

Regions: Ireland (Sligo), Scotland (Fife), Cyprus (Limassol), The Netherlands (Rotterdam), Poland (Wroclaw), Romania, Greece.

The objectives

• Analyse the determinants of effective citizen engagement in PB for regional and urban development policies (EU and domestic);
• Investigate the discourse on participatory budgeting of regional and urban development policies in the public sphere, via its representation in online news and social media;
• Apply different deliberative methods in practice, including piloting PB experiments and conducting PB events using digital technologies that involve different citizen groups, in regional and urban development policies in seven urban authorities across Europe;
• Identify lessons for effective and efficient methods for citizen engagement – specifically, increasing public awareness, understanding and involvement by citizens and the media in regional and urban development policies;
• Facilitate the sharing of knowledge and exchange of experience on democratic innovations among practitioners between countries and authorities at different levels;
• Draw conclusions (for both theory and practice) and recommendations for policymakers to improve citizen engagement in regional and urban development policies, including a policy handbook and policy guidance for applying deliberative methods (and specifically PB) to support replication across Europe at EU, national, regional and urban levels; and to promote awareness around the participatory budgeting process and project results among EU citizens and wider stakeholders through effective communication and dissemination.

The consortium

• Technologiko Panepistimio Kyprou (CUT)
• University of Strathclyde (USTRAT)
• Politechnika Wroclawska (PWR)
• Universitatea Babes Bolyai (UBB)
• The Democratic Society AISBL (Demosoc)
• Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam (EUR)
• Euractiv Media Network (Euractiv)

The activities

Euractiv, as leader of WP6, is involved in the following activities:

• Editorial Coverage to enhance awareness of the participatory budgeting process
  • Creation of DEMOTEC identity/logo/website (coordinate with CUT)
  • Dissemination and Exploitation Plan
  • 6 Special Reports
• Multimedia Products to illustrate the participatory budgeting process
  • Vox Pops
  • Video Reportages
  • Video Explainers
  • Infographics
• Forums and Workshops to publicise the objectives and results of the project
  • Mid-term Conference and Event Video
  • Workshop and Event Video
  • Final Forum and Event Video

The duration

The project started in March 2021 and will continue until February 2024. 

Follow Demotec on Twitter.

Find out more about the project here.

Check out the project on Euractiv.com here.

Disclaimer: “The content of this publication represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains”.