European Citizens' Initiative
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The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is a
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
(EU) mechanism aimed at increasing
direct democracy Direct democracy or pure democracy is a form of democracy in which the Election#Electorate, electorate decides on policy initiatives without legislator, elected representatives as proxies. This differs from the majority of currently establishe ...
by enabling "EU citizens to participate directly in the development of EU policies", introduced with the
Treaty of Lisbon The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
in 2007. The initiative enables one million
citizens of the European Union European Union citizenship is afforded to all citizens of member states of the European Union (EU). It was formally created with the adoption of the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, at the same time as the creation of the EU. EU citizenship is additio ...
, who are nationals of at least seven
member states A member state is a state that is a member of an international organization or of a federation or confederation. Since the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) include some members that are not sovereign states ...
, to call directly on the
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
to propose a legal act (notably a Directive or
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) in an area where the member states have conferred powers onto the EU level. This right to request the commission to initiate a legislative proposal puts citizens on the same footing as the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
and the
European Council The European Council (informally EUCO) is a collegiate body that defines the overall political direction and priorities of the European Union. It is composed of the heads of state or government of the EU member states, the President of the E ...
, who enjoy this right according to Articles 225 and 241
TFEU The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) is one of two treaties forming the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU), the other being the Treaty on European Union (TEU). It was previously known as the Treaty Establishi ...
, respectively. The commission holds the right of initiative in the E

The first registered ECI, Fraternité 2020, was initiated on 9 May 2012 ( Europe Day), although the first submitted ECI (but second registered) was
One Single Tariff One Single Tariff (official name "Single Communication Tariff Act") is a European Citizens' Initiative against roaming in Europe. One Single Tariff's precise objective is to erase all barriers to phone calls within the EU by ending all roaming fees. ...
.


Historical background

The ECI has its origins in the Constitutional Convention on the Future of Europe in 2002–2003. Thanks to the campaign work of activists and Convention members the ECI was introduced in a last-minute act into the
Constitutional Treaty The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE; commonly referred to as the European Constitution or as the Constitutional Treaty) was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European U ...
. In 2005, the Constitutional Treaty was
rejected ''Rejected'' is an animated film directed by Don Hertzfeldt that was released in 2000. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film the following year at the 73rd Academy Awards, and received 27 awards from film festivals ...
by the citizens of
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and the
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in two national
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
s. As a consequence of that, Intergovernmental Conference prepared the
Treaty of Lisbon The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
. The treaty ratification was delayed due to referendum in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
where it was initially
rejected ''Rejected'' is an animated film directed by Don Hertzfeldt that was released in 2000. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film the following year at the 73rd Academy Awards, and received 27 awards from film festivals ...
in June 2008 by the
Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
electorate, a decision which was reversed in a second referendum in October 2009. On 13 December 2007, the
Treaty of Lisbon The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
was signed by all the
EU Member States The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
. On 11 November 2009, the European Commission published a
Green Paper In the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth countries, Hong Kong, the United States and the European Union, a green paper is a tentative government report and consultation document of policy proposals for debate and discussion. A green paper represen ...
on the European Citizens' Initiative, launching a public consultation process on the ECI. The council and the commission came up with a preliminary compromise on 14 June 2010. After it produced several drafts and opinions that were discussed in the Constitutional Affairs and Petitions Committees, the European Parliament, on 15 December 2010, finally voted on the ECI Regulation. After one year of negotiations, all three main EU institutions (the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament) agreed on a final ECI Regulation, on 16 February 2011. The initiative was inspired by
Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
, which is not a member of the EU. The country has several tools of direct democracy such as the
federal popular initiative In Switzerland, a popular initiative (German: ''Volksinitiative'', French: ''Initiative populaire'', Italian: ''Iniziativa popolare'', Romansh: ''Iniziativa dal pievel'') allows the people to suggest law on a national, cantonal, and municipa ...
(since 1848) and the
optional referendum The optional referendum is a referendum which comes from a request by governmental authorities or the public. The best known types of optional referendums is the popular initiative In political science, an initiative (also known as a popul ...
(since 1874).


Legal basis

The legal basis of the citizens' initiative is set out in Article 11, Paragraph 4 of the
Treaty on European Union The Treaty on European Union (2007) is one of the primary Treaties of the European Union, alongside the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The TEU form the basis of EU law, by setting out general principles of the EU's pu ...
(TEU) and Article 24, paragraph 1 of the
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) is one of two treaties forming the Treaties of the European Union, constitutional basis of the European Union (EU), the other being the Treaty on European Union (TEU). It was previously ...
(TFEU). Both articles were newly introduced with the
Treaty of Lisbon The Treaty of Lisbon (initially known as the Reform Treaty) is an international agreement that amends the two treaties which form the constitutional basis of the European Union (EU). The Treaty of Lisbon, which was signed by the EU member sta ...
. The ECI complements the existing right of petitioning the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
and the right of appeal to the
Ombudsman An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
as set out in the Treaty of Maastricht (1993). Petitions and the ECI are fundamentally different however in terms of function, addressees and conditions. The practical arrangements, conditions and procedure of the ECI are determined in the Regulation 2019/788 on the European citizens' initiative, which has been applicable since 1 January 2020. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2019/1779 lays down technical specifications for the ECI's online collection systems. The regulation 2019/788 replaced the original regulation 211/2011. Initiatives that were registered until 31 December 2019 are still partly governed by the old rules: • General rules – Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 • Online signature collection – Regulation (EU) No 1179/2011 The new Regulation requires a review by 1 January 2024, and every three years thereafter. In the review process, the commission presents a report on the implementation of the ECI regulation with a view to its possible revision, to which the European Parliament reacts in a report with further recommendations.


Initiatives


Before entry into force

Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...
collected one million signatures in December 2010 for a petition, hosted by
Avaaz Avaaz is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization launched in January 2007 that promotes global activism on issues such as climate change, human rights, animal rights, corruption, poverty, and conflict. In 2012, ''The Guardian'' referred to Avaaz as ...
, against the authorisation of new
GM crops Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of ''Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of s ...
in Europe. Although Greenpeace has called the petition an ECI in the media, it has never been formally registered with the commission, which would not have been possible before 1 April 2012, and so can therefore not be regarded an ECI, as introduced by the Lisbon Treaty.


First registered initiative

The European Commission chose the symbolic date of 9 May 2012 ( Europe Day) to officially launch the first ECI. It turned out to be Fraternité 2020. It was officially registered on 9 May and boasts registration number ECI(2012)000001. The initiative failed to reach the required number of signatures.


First six successful initiatives


Right2Water

On 21 March 2013,
Right2Water Right2Water is a campaign to commit the European Union and member states to implement the human right to water and sanitation. It has three stated goals: # Guaranteed water and sanitation for all in Europe. # No liberalisation of water services. ...
became the first ECI to collect more than a million signatures and it reached the minimum quota of signatures in seven countries on 7 May 2013. It stopped collecting signatures on 7 September 2013, with a total of 1,857,605 signatures. The initiative was submitted to the commission in December 2013 and its public hearing at the European Parliament took place on 17 February 2014. In March 2014, the commission adopted the Communication in response to the Right2Water initiative. On 1 July 2015, the commission published the Roadmap for the evaluation of the Drinking Water Directive and in February 2018, a proposal for the revision of the Drinking Water Directive. In December 2020, the European Parliament and the Council adopted the revised Directive, which entered into force in January 2021. The commission has also carried out a number o
other actions
in response to this initiative.


One of Us

On 28 February 2014, One of Us was submitted to the commission as an ECI, having gathered 1,896,852 signatures (so far the highest number of signatures per ECI). The initiative sought that the EU "establish a ban and end the financing of activities which presuppose the destruction of human embryos, in particular in the areas of research, development aid and public health." A public hearing on the initiative took place at the European Parliament on 10 April 2014. On 28 May 2014 the European Commission adopted the Communication on the European Citizens' Initiative "One of us". The commission decided not to submit a legislative proposal since it considered the existing legal framework, as decided by Member States and the European Parliament only a few months before the submission of the ECI, as appropriate. In its Communication, it explained extensively why it considers that there is no need to modify the legal framework. The One of Us initiative subsequently sued the European Commission, arguing, among other things, that the Commission's refusal to act was not properly argued. The initiative lost before the General Court in April 2018 and on appeal before the Grand Chamber of the
European Court of Justice The European Court of Justice (ECJ, french: Cour de Justice européenne), formally just the Court of Justice, is the supreme court of the European Union in matters of European Union law. As a part of the Court of Justice of the European Un ...
in December 2019.


Stop Vivisection

On 3 March 2015, the third European Citizens' Initiative to gather the required number of signatories, Stop Vivisection, was submitted to the commission. The campaign collected 1,326,807 signatures. On 11 May 2015, a public hearing at the European Parliament took place. On 3 June 2015, the European Commission adopted the Communication on the European Citizens' Initiative "Stop Vivisection" proposing a series of non-legislative follow-up actions.


Ban glyphosate and protect people and the environment from toxic pesticides

The initiative was submitted to the commission on 6 October 2017. By that date, 1,070,865 signatures from 22 Member States had been checked and validated. The commission adopted a communication on 12 December 2017, setting out the actions it intends to take in response to the initiative. On 11 April 2018, the commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation on transparency and sustainability of the EU risk assessment in the food chain. The Regulation was adopted by the European Parliament and Council in June 2019. The new legislation started applying on 27 March 2021.


Minority Safepack

A package of 9 proposals (initially 11, 2 blocked by the commission) aiming "to improve the protection of persons belonging to national and linguistic minorities and strengthen cultural and linguistic diversity", and submitted to the commission on 10 January 2020. Supported by FUEN. The European Parliament organised a hearing on 15 October 2020. On 14 January 2021 the commission responded by referring to a series of non-legislative follow-up actions.


End the Cage Age

Over the course of one year, many scientists, companies and more than 170 NGOs supported the ECI, aiming at a phase out of caged farming in the European Union. They succeeded in collecting almost 1.4 million signatures, by emphasising the need for a prohibition of cages for farmed rabbits, pullets, broiler breeders, quail, ducks and geese. Furthermore, the organisers demand a prohibition of farrowing crates for sows and sow stalls, as well as a prohibition of enclosed calf pens. Almost 1.4 million signatures have been gathered, as certified in October 2020.


On-going ECIs

The updated list of initiatives registered by the commission and currently collecting support is available in the commission's ECI registe


Refused ECIs

While most ECIs have been approved, a few have been refused, as they did not meet the requirements for registration. Out of 99 ECIs requests for registration submitted between 2012 and 2020, 76 initiatives were registered (with three registered after a court sentence after an original refusal) and 26 were refused. Three of the originally refused initiatives have been registered after a court sentence annulled the initial refusal. The updated list of refused requests for registration ECIs is available in the commission's ECI register Examples: * A European Citizens Initiative campaigning to phase out nuclear energy in the EU – My voice against nuclear energy; * A European Citizens Initiative to recommend singing the European Anthem in
Esperanto Esperanto ( or ) is the world's most widely spoken constructed international auxiliary language. Created by the Warsaw-based ophthalmologist L. L. Zamenhof in 1887, it was intended to be a universal second language for international communi ...
; * A European Citizens Initiative to stop
TTIP The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) was a proposed trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, with the aim of promoting trade and multilateral economic growth. According to Karel de Gucht, European ...
. The alliance of organisations behind the petition have submitted a complaint in the European Court of Justice against this decision of the European Commission. On 10 May 2017, the
European Court of Justice The European Court of Justice (ECJ, french: Cour de Justice européenne), formally just the Court of Justice, is the supreme court of the European Union in matters of European Union law. As a part of the Court of Justice of the European Un ...
ruled the petition legitimate. The
European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...
approved the initiative's registration on 4 July 2017 and reopened the signature collection on 10 July 2017.


Withdrawn ECIs

A number of ECI's have decided to withdraw after being approved, for various reasons. Their list is available on the commission's ECI register.


Procedure

There are a few steps absolutely necessary to organise an ECI: *Step 1: Prepare the initiative and set up a citizens' committee: the members of this committee (at least 7 EU citizens, who must live in at least 7 different EU countries, old enough to vote in European Parliament elections) designate from among them a representative and a substitute to speak and act on its behalf vis-à-vis the commission; *Step 2: Registration of the ECI in one of the 23 official EU languages on the commission's website (answer of the commission within two months); *Step 3: For the use of an online signature collection get your system certified (by national authorities, answer within 1 months); *Step 4: Collection of statements of support (max. 12 months): you need to have a minimum number of signatories in at least seven EU countries on the way to 1 million (see the thresholds for each country in the table below). This minimum numbers correspond to the number of the Members of the European Parliament elected in each Member State, multiplied by 750.Regulation of the EP and of the Council
Retrieved 30 January 2021.
*Step 5: Get statements of support in each EU country certified by the national authority (answer within 3 months); *Step 6: Submit the ECI to the commission.


Weaknesses

Problems in the design of the ECI have heavily burdened ECI campaigners in the process. These include legal constraints (such as liability issues over data protection and insufficient advice regarding the appropriate legal basis of ECIs), technical issues (the online collection system is not user-friendly and does not let campaigners access email addresses of signatories to keep them informed), and bureaucratic hurdles (each member state has different data requirements and signature forms). Very few citizens are aware that the ECI exists. Moreover, there is little guarantee that a successful ECI will have an actual impact on EU legislation, as the three first 'successful' ECIs have shown. The review process will offer a reflection over the successes and failures of the ECI during its first three years. Many civil society organisations, ECI organisers and Members of the European Parliament are advocating for a major reform of the ECI regulation. The ECI Campaign, an organization exclusively working for the successful introduction and implementation of the European Citizens' Initiative right, has propose
12 concrete ways to make the ECI work
Those suggestions were the result of the publication entitled "An ECI That Works. Learning from the first two years of the European Citizens' Initiative". In order to support and help ECI organizers The ECI Campaign offers a new and improved software to collect signatures calle
OpenECI
The ECI Support Centre, a joint initiative of Democracy International, the European Citizen Action Service and the Initiative and Referendum Institute Europe, has developed an 'App' for Android smartphones, which informs users of the latest European Citizens' Initiatives. The Centre recommends the EU Commission to develop an ECI-App, which should enable mobile signing and can help raise public awareness of the ECI.


The on-line signature collection system

The ECI process allows organizers to also collect statements of support on-line. The first versions of the software provided by the European Commission have been heavily criticized by some developers. Some organisers have also criticized the security regulations regarding the ECI collection process and the number of technical errors during the collection period. In 2016, a new, fully bottom up online collection software has been provided by The ECI Campaign.


Reform process 2015–2016

According to the ECI Regulation 211/2011 every three years the commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and the council on the application of the Regulation. In mid 2014, the European Parliament presented a new ECI study entitle
"European Citizens‘ Initiative – First lessons of implementation"
The analysis was conducted at the request of the AFCO and PETI Committees, and tried to identify difficulties faced by organisers when setting up and running an ECI. In October 2014 Mr. Frans Timmermans became the newly elected commissioner responsible for the ECI. During the question and answer session in the European Parliament he avoided giving any concrete answers regarding the use or reform of the ECI. A few weeks later The ECI Campaign organised a workshop "An ECI For the Next Generation". Many participants felt that the ECI was "at a crossroad" and needed reform. In December 2014 the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organised a conference entitled "ECI Legal Framework – Need for Reform?". During the conference the findings and recommendations of a study undertaken by ECAS and the law firm
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (informally Freshfields, or FBD) is an international law firm headquartered in London, and a member of the Magic Circle. The firm has 28 offices in 17 jurisdictions across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Nor ...
on the legal basis of the refused ECIs were presented and discussed. The overall conclusions of the study are that the legal admissibility requirements are applied in a too narrow fashion by the commission, that decisions to refuse registration were arbitrary and that reasons given for rejection were often incomplete. On 26 February 2015, the Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) and Petitions (PETI) committees of the European Parliament organised a public hearing on the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI). This marked the official start of debate on the review of the ECI regulation. Despite security restrictions limiting attendance, the hearing attracted a standing-room only crowd. Present were key ECI stakeholders: the European Commission, Parliament and Council, EESC, civil society organisations and ECI organisers. Three and a half hours of discussion led the participants to the conclusion that the ECI needed reform. Speaking at the hearing, Frans Timmermans, First Vice-president of the European Commission, stated that the ECI has not worked well enough and took personal responsibility to improve it so that it would not disappear. In March 2015 the
European Ombudsman The European Ombudsman is an inter-institutional body of the European Union that holds the institutions, bodies and agencies of the EU to account, and promotes good administration. The Ombudsman helps people, businesses and organisations facing ...
,
Emily O'Reilly Emily O'Reilly is an author and former journalist and broadcaster who became Ireland's first female Ombudsman in 2003, succeeding Kevin Murphy. On 3 July 2013, she was voted European Ombudsman by the European Parliament. She was re-elected ...
, made proposals to strengthen the role that ECI play in democratic political debate at the European level. The
Ombudsman An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
called for better guidance for ECI organisers, a stronger involvement of the European Parliament and the council and increased pressure on the Member States to make sure that all EU citizens can sign an ECI, regardless of where they reside. Emily O'Reilly explained in her statement: "The Commission has done a lot to give effect to the ECI right in a citizen-friendly way. However, more can be done to ensure that ECI organisers feel that their efforts to mobilise one million signatures are worthwhile and that political debate at the European level takes account of their initiatives, even if specific initiatives do not lead to new EU legislation. We need a more effective dialogue with ECI organisers at different stages of an initiative as well as more transparent decision-making as regards what action the Commission takes on ECIs." The Ombudsman's full list of suggestions is available online. On 31 March 2015, the commission adopted th
Report on the application of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 on the citizens' initiative
which constitutes an important element of potential ECI reform. On 13 April 2015, third edition of the "ECI Day" took place in the
European Economic and Social Committee The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is a consultative body of the European Union (EU) established in 1958. It is an advisory assembly composed of "social partners", namely: employers ( employers' organisations), employees (trade ...
. The conference was entitled "Review, Renew, Reset!" and focused on the EC's and Ombudsman's reports. During the event The ECI Campaign presented an open letter to European Commission First Vice President
Frans Timmermans Frans is an Afrikaans, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish given name, sometimes as a short form of ''François''. One cognate of Frans in English is '' Francis''. Given name * Frans van Aarssens (1572–1641), Dutch diplo ...
, signed by 21 ECI campaigns. It called on the commission to propose a deep and meaningful amendment to the ECI's Regulation 211/2011. In consequence of the above-mentioned conferences and reports Members of European Parliament (MEPs) on the Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) and Petitions (PETI) committees started to draft a report calling for a motion of the European Parliament on the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI). It asks the commission to consider several ways to make the ECI both more impactful and easier to use. AFCO Rapporteur MEP
György Schöpflin György Schöpflin (also known as George Schöpflin) (24 November 1939 – 19 November 2021) was a Hungarian politician who served as Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Hungary. He was a member of Fidesz, part of the European People's ...
presented th
draft ECI report
for discussion on 16 April 2015 AFCO committee meeting. During a lively 45 minute debate, many MEPs expressed their commitment to reform and strengthen the ECI. In consequence, after 2 months of in-depth analysis over 20 members of the AFCO committee came up with 127 amendments to the draft report. Additionally, PETI and JURI committees presented their own opinions on the ECI. On 16 June 2015, the Latvian Presidency of the
Council of the EU The Council of the European Union, often referred to in the treaties and other official documents simply as the Council, and informally known as the Council of Ministers, is the third of the seven Institutions of the European Union (EU) as ...
, the Council General Secretariat and The ECI Campaign brought together stakeholders from EU institutions, member states and civil society to reflect on the future of the ECI. This was the first ECI conference hosted in the premises of the EU Council. Stakeholders expressed deep concern that ECI use declined dramatically since 2013 and that no ECI led to a legislative proposal. All agreed that the ECI is unnecessarily complex. Participants noted that significant changes to ECI procedures are urgently needed if citizen confidence in the ECI is to be restored and it is to fulfil its promise of participatory democracy.


Differences from referendums

Citizen initiatives are democratic mechanisms that let citizens propose and vote on laws and policies. By gathering a certain number of signatures, citizens can demand a binding vote on a proposed policy or legislation. With the European Citizens' Initiative, citizens can invite the commission to look at the proposed policy or legislation; it is not obliged to act. Citizen initiatives differ from referendums in which citizens only can accept or reject a law or policy proposed by parliament. Also, it has been stated by the European Commission that an ECI can only be the subject of the acceptation/creation of a law, but it cannot ask to reject a law.


See also

* European Referendum Campaign


References


External links


ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative
– European Citizens' Initiative on the European Commission's website *
reform process of the European Citizens' Initiative
* European Citizens' Initiative on the initiators' websites: *
citizens-initiative.eu
(also
ecicampaign.org
– ''European Citizens' Initiative (ECI)'' on the ''ECI Campaign'' web *

– ''European Citizens' Initiative (ECI)'' on the ''Democracy International'' web *

– ''Europäische Bürgerinitiative'' on the ''Mehr Demokratie (More Democracy)'' web * Further, other websites: *
clicknsign.eu
– ''ClicknSign, "the first social platform dedicated to citizens' empowerment through the ECI"'' * Websites of (some) European Citizens' Initiatives (in order of registration): *
fraternite2020.eu
– '' Fraternité 2020'' *
right2water.eu_Right2Water
.html" ;"title="Right2Water">right2water.eu Right2Water
">Right2Water">right2water.eu Right2Water
*
oneofus.eu
– ''One of Us'' *
endecocide.org
– ''End Ecocide on Earth'' *
stop-ttip.org
– ''Stop TTIP'' * ECI/s o
citizens-initiative.eu
(also
ecicampaign.org
one of the ECI initiators' websites: *
European Citizens’ Initiative
– in that section: ''What is the ECI? / Open ECIs / Closed ECIs / Rejected ECIs / An overview of the first 2 years of the European Citizens' Initiative'' * ECIs on the commission's website: ** Closed (finalised) initiatives: **
Collection closed
– collection is closed, not (yet) submitted to the commission **
Submitted to the Commission
– reached the required number of signatures, Commission's answer pending. **
Answered by the Commission
– Commission's conclusions already presented ** Obsolete initiatives: **
Withdrawn
– withdrawn by the organisers **
Insufficient support
– did not gather the required number of signatures within the 1-year time limit ** Refused initiatives: **
Refused requests for registration
– did not comply with the conditions according to Art.4(2) of the Regulation on the ECI, with the negative commission's replies {{Authority control 2011 in law Direct democracy European Union constitutional law Politics of the European Union Initiatives Articles containing video clips