The Lisbon Treaty introduces a new form of public participation in European Union policy shaping, the European citizens’ initiative, which enables one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of Member States to call directly on the European Commission to bring forward an initiative of interest to them in an area of EU competence. Even three weeks before the Lisbon Treaty came into force the Commission published a Green Paper to start a consultation.
On 26th November 2009 the Network EM Germany and the Commission in Germany organised an EU-Analysis to discuss the elements of the Green Paper with more than 40 stakerholders, among them the former MEP Sylvia Yvonne Kaufmann who was the rapporteur for the "European Citizens Inititative" and former Commissioner and EM Germany Vice President Michaele Schreyer. The Network EM Germany will encourage its 170 members to participate in this consultation.