The European Commission is seeking views from interested parties on EU policy developments and actions. These public consultations offer EFC members an opportunity to contribute to the definition of future EU priorities. Open consultations at present relate to:

• EU Culture Programme. As part of the mid-term review of the programme, the European Commission is seeking input from programme beneficiaries as well as from other stakeholders to assess whether the programme objectives are still relevant, how the programme works and the impact of projects funded in the framework of the programme.  
  It is an opportunity to raise awareness about your project, its results as well as your opinion. The results will be available during summer 2010. Read more

• Future universal service principles in electronic communications networks and services. European Commission Directorate General on Information Society and Media has launched a public consultation on future universal service principles in the area of electronic communications networks and services. The Commission will report on the results in a Communication, which it may follow with legislative proposals before the end of 2010, if necessary. A public workshop on this matter will be also held in Brussels on 30 March 2010. Deadline: 07/05/2010. Read more

• Review of customs legislation on enforcement of intellectual property rights. The proposal would impact on several policy areas, notably customs union, and IPR related areas such as trade, internal market, justice and home affairs, agriculture, competition, consumers, culture, development, enterprise, public health and research and technology. Deadline: 25/05/2010. Read more

• Public debate on the future of European agriculture policy. On 12 April, the European Commission launched a public debate on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the European Union which is due to be reformed by 2013. A formal public consultation on the CAP post-2013 will be undertaken later this year when the Commission will publish a policy paper setting out different options for the future CAP. Deadline: June 2010. Read more

• Strategic Choices for the Implementation of the New EU Competence in the Field of Sport. The Commission has launched an online consultation on the EU's strategic choices for the implementation of the new EU competence in the field of sport. The Lisbon Treaty calls on the EU to promote European sporting issues and to develop the European dimension in sport. The European Commission is preparing concrete policy options in view of the implementation of this new EU competence. Deadline: 01/06/2010 Read more
• “EU Citizens’ Rights – The way forward”: Consultation on how to strengthen the rights stemming from Union Citizenship. The aim of this consultation is to identify concrete actions to take in order to remove the administrative and procedural obstacles created by national boundaries in the effective exercise of citizens' rights, with particular reference to issues such as free movement of persons, diplomatic and consular protection, electoral rights, free movement of civil status documents and consumers' rights.  The ideas put forward in this consultation will inform the policy debate at a conference which will be organised by the Commission on 1– 2 July 2010 and the preparation of the Communication on Citizenship scheduled for October 2010. Deadline: 14/06/2010 Read more
• Public consultation regarding a future proposal for a new European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the future of the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP), a 400M euro initiative between the Commission and Member States. The initial funding period is due to expire at the end of 2010.Deadline: 15/06/2010. Read more 
• Stakeholder consultation on Smart Regulation. This stakeholder consultation aims to collect input for a Communication which the Commission will produce on Smart Regulation this autumn. The Communication will present the Commission's priorities for Smart Regulation, as announced in the President's political guidelines of autumn 2009. Deadline: 25/06/2010. Read more
• Protection of Europe's forests against climate change. The European Commission has launched a public consultation to seek stakeholders' views on the protection of forests and possible EU action in the field. Input received will inform and guide Commission considerations regarding any additional action at EU level to better prepare EU forests for climate change, and enhance the fulfilment of their functions. It may also provide input for discussions concerning the possible update of the EU Forest Strategy on climate related aspects. Deadline: 31/07/2010. Read more