Citizen — invitation to apply

For a citizen who has been randomly drawn from EU population registers — the first step of a stratified-lottery citizens' assembly.

Why a paper letter

Sortition recruitment must reach citizens with low or no digital access — they're disproportionately under-represented in deliberative bodies, even though their lived experience of energy policy is the most acute.

What the orchestrator decided

Channel: postal, national-post stationery + EU crest.
Co-signers: Sortition Foundation, European Commission, European Citizens' Panel Secretariat.
Language: mother tongue, ~grade-6 reading level.
Tone: "you've been chosen" — not "you're invited to a survey".
Compensation made explicit: €150/day, travel paid, childcare provided.
Return: stamped envelope + QR fallback + free phone line.

Next step

Applications go to the assembly-organiser dashboard, where the stratified lottery runs against EU demographic targets to select 160 citizens.

EU
EU CITIZENS' ASSEMBLY · INVITATION TO APPLY
organised by the Sortition Foundation, with the European Commission and the Citizens' Panel Secretariat · Magyar Posta delivery
To: Mária Kovács
3214 Nagyvisnyó, Petőfi u. 12
Ref: ECA-EPBD-HU-001234
Date: 15 July 2026
Kedves Mária néni,

This letter is not a survey. Your name was drawn at random from the 449 million citizens of the European Union.

Will you apply to join the European Citizens' Panel on heating and energy?

The European Commission is preparing new rules on heating, insulation and energy costs. Before deciding, they have asked 160 citizens — chosen by lottery from people like you — to come together and write a set of recommendations.

We need an assembly that looks like Europe: men and women, young and old, city and village, rich and poor. That is why your name was drawn — and why we are asking you, personally, to apply.

If selected, this is what you receive
  • 6 weekends in Brussels · October to December 2026
  • All travel + accommodation + meals paid
  • €150 per day for your time
  • Childcare, mobility aid and personal-assistant support if you need it
  • Translation into Hungarian (and 23 other languages) at every session
  • Your recommendations go directly to the European Commission

To apply, please return this page in the stamped envelope.

Yes — I would like to apply
No — please remove me from this list
Your age
72
Your gender
Male Female Other Prefer not to say
Highest education
Less than secondary Secondary Higher education
Where you live
Village (under 5 000) Town City
Languages you speak
Magyar, kicsit szlovák
Disability or access need
None Yes — please contact me

These details are used only for the stratified lottery — to make sure the 160 citizens reflect Europe's diversity. They will not be published and will not be shared.

How to apply: fold this page, place it in the brown envelope, drop it in any postbox. The stamp is paid.
Or scan the code and apply on your phone. Or call 06 80 555 333 free of charge — Eszter at the village library can help on Tuesday and Friday mornings.
With warm thanks for considering this,
Ágnes Horváth
Lottery coordinator · Sortition Foundation
on behalf of the European Commission · the European Citizens' Panel Secretariat · funded by Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme
If you would prefer this letter in Slovak, Romani or Romanian — please call us, we will send you a new one for free.
Deadline to apply: 15 August 2026. The lottery is on 16 August. We will write to you by post no later than 30 August to tell you whether your name was drawn. · Confidential under GDPR. Your data is destroyed after the lottery if you are not selected.