European Parliament scraps citizens’ prize in cost-cutting drive – Firstpost

The European Parliament’s leadership has decided to discontinue an award granted to EU citizens as part of cost-cutting efforts, according to a Politico report.

Launched in 2008, the European Citizens’ Prize recognised citizen-led initiatives that promote European cooperation and uphold EU values, with 50 projects honoured annually.

Following a pause in 2024 due to the European elections, the prize was placed on hold.

Its formal discontinuation was confirmed on Monday evening during a bureau meeting attended by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and her 14 vice presidents.

“Despite significant investment over the years and multiple changes of its rules, the Prize has proven to be a complex, resource-intensive process that has delivered minimal outreach results, including negligible measurable media impact,” Politico quoted internal note signed by the Parliament’s Secretary-General Alessandro Chiochetti as saying.

“The experience has shown that the projects distinguished with the Prize failed to attract sufficient attention at local and regional levels, which in turn prevent the Prize from contributing meaningfully to the Parliament’s visibility on a large scale,” the note reads.

The move is expected to save about €200,000 annually, largely from the communications budget. The funds will be redirected to more cost-efficient activities, the note said, without detailing which initiatives would benefit.

In the note, Chiochetti also flagged that the prize “occasionally” poses reputational risks for Parliament, citing “perceptions of political influence in some nominations, ethical issues or allegations of misconduct involving some prize winners.”

The decision forms part of a wider restructuring effort led by the secretary-general to reduce the €127 million communications budget, as previously reported by Politico in June.

With inputs from agencies