When: Thursday, 20 February 2014 @ 11:00

Where: Room ASP 5G2, European Parliament, Brussels

Who: Gerald Häfner MEP, Chairperson of Democracy International

Democracy International will officially launch an alliance of organisations from all over Europe under the banner of "Democratic Europe Now". Together, the group is calling for an EU Convention under Article 48 of the Lisbon Treaty, so that proposals for democratic and other reform can be debated in an open forum.The EU is suffering from a crisis of legitimacy that must be addressed. We must have a Convention and the Convention must be democratic, participatory and transparent. The EU needs to bring the big issues out of the back rooms of technocratic decision-making and open up the debate on the future of Europe", said Gerald Häfner MEP, Chairperson of Democracy International.PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: A photo-event with representatives of "Democratic Europe Now" will take place in front of the European Parliament entrance on Place Luxembourg at 13:00.