The European Citizens' House (ECH) concept is being developed by the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS).

The ECH is based on 3 Cs:

Citizen's rights;

Civil Society;

Citizen's Participation

Its aim is to contribute to the creation of a European public sphere and a more open and democratic European Union (EU) at the service of European citizens. 

The ECH will be a focal point for citizens and European civil society not yet structured in Brussels. This project is non- partisan and is targeting both th european organised part of civil society and individual citizens aiming to engage “the unengaged”.

The ECH will consist of a virtual web-based house and a physical house in Brussels.

The Virtual European Citizens' House

 The European Citizens' Virtual House is being built around the 3Cs:

C1 – Citizen’s Rights: The key service here is the EU Rights Clinic whose mission is to solve difficult cases through collective action. It also aims to contribute to improvements in European policy and legislation. 

C2 – Civil Society: This section of the website acts as a resource centre on European issues and civil society. Different types of databases and information will gradually be built up to bring together contacts, models of best practice and research results from across Europe. 

C3 – Citizen's Participation: The virtual house will be a repository for techniques of citizen participation. Here, one will be able to find an interactive space (both public and secured) where citizens will have the opportunity to participate in initiate and shape discussions between themselves and with the EU Institutions.  

 The Physical House 

The 'European quarter' in Brussels offers no place that citizens can call their own. Against this background, we have located a complex of buildings in a green area located at the edge of the European quarter for such a place – a physical house.

Some examples of on the spot services which will be available at the physical house include:

• Sharing of premises on a permanent basis between not for profit organisations with a mission related to EU citizenship in Brussels
• Temporary working places for CSOs that are not based in Brussels
• Seminar/conference/training space and facilities
• Help desk for CSOs on EU related issues
• EU Rights Clinic
• Resource centre for CSOs
• Civil society observatory in place
• Space and technical assistance for organising civil society fairs, cultural events, public debates etc.
• New (citizen, social) media production facilities

Acknowledgements 

The project has been partly funded by the Carrousel Project and the Rowntree charitable trust