Participatory and deliberative innovations for the construction of european public spheres

Beginning with the debate on the EU's democratic legitimacy and the deficitary transnational public sphere in Europe, the authors of this paper review some of the initiatives of the UE-Civil Society social dialogue and different processes of transnational deliberation and participation promoted by the Community authorities in the last 10 years. This will allow theoretical and historical analysis of the implications that this initiatives have had in the democratization process of the EU and the possibilities oppened for the action of european civil society with the European Citizens 'Initiative, that will be launched in April-2012.