In October 2005, the Commission presented a “Plan D”, where D stands for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate. This gave new impetus to the debate on the future of Europe by encouraging new ways to draw citizens into the debate. Plan D was triggered by the French and Dutch referenda, but it is not a rescue operation for the Constitution, nor is it limited in time to the reflection period: it is a starting point for a long term democratic reform process. The political thrust is to create a citizens’ ownership of EU policies, to make them understandable and relevant, and to make EU Institutions accountable and reliable to those they serve.