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The European Citizens’ Initiative

The European Citizens’ Initiative. Legal framework Rules and procedures The procedure at a glance Current state of play Further information. 05.04.2013 Charlotte Rive G.4 – General Institutional Issues Secretariat-General European Commission.

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The European Citizens’ Initiative

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  1. The European Citizens’ Initiative • Legal framework • Rules and procedures • The procedure at a glance • Current state of play • Further information 05.04.2013 Charlotte Rive G.4 – General Institutional Issues Secretariat-General European Commission

  2. - A European citizens’ initiative is an invitation to the European Commission to propose legislation. • - It must be in a field where the Commission has the power to propose legislation, for example environment, agriculture, transport, public health, etc. • - It has to be backed by at least one million EU citizens, coming from at least 7 out of the 27 Member States. • - 1st transnational tool of participatory democracy -> unique opportunity to bring the EU closer to citizens

  3. Legal framework Introduced by the Lisbon Treaty (Article 11(4) TUE): Not less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of Member States may take the initiative of inviting the European Commission, within the framework of its powers, to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the Union is required for the purpose of implementing the Treaties. The procedures and conditions required for such a citizens’ initiative shall be determined in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 24 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

  4. Legal framework (cont.) Article 24, 1st subparagraph, TFEU: The European Parliament and the Council, acting by means of regulations in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, shall adopt the provisions for the procedures and conditions required for a citizens’ initiative within the meaning of Article 11 of the Treaty on European Union, including the minimum number of Member States from which such citizens must come. • EU Regulation needed: • Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 on the citizens’ initiative • Adopted by European Parliament and Council in February 2011 and applicable since 1 April 2012

  5. Rules and procedures • Citizens’ committee (at least 7 EU citizens living in at least 7 different Member States) to launch initiative; • Registration in Commission’s online register (Commission’s answer within 2 months). ECI should not be: - Manifestly outside the Commission’s powers - Manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious - Manifestly contrary to EU values If it is  Commission rejects registration

  6. Rules and procedures (cont.) • Organisers responsible for collection of signatures • Collection possible in paper form and online • Online collection: specific security requirements set out in Commission implementing regulation (EU) No 1179/2011 • Organisers must build their online collection system and get it certified by the competent authority in the Member State where data will be stored • Commission has developed open-source software to help organisers build their system

  7. Rules and procedures (cont.) • Time-limit for collection: 1 year • Minimum number of Member States: ¼ (currently 7) • Minimum n° of citizens per Member State: N° of MEPs x 750 • Any EU citizen old enough to vote in the European Parliament elections (18 except Austria 16) can sign up. • Specific statement of support forms to sign up: varying data requirements according to Member State (example for AT and FI)

  8. Rules and procedures (cont.) • Member States responsible for verification of statements of support: free to decide how (e.g. random checks) - 3 months to answer • Final stage for successful initiatives: - Commission must meet organisers at appropriate level - Public hearing in European Parliament with Commission - Commission has 3 months to respond, explaining its reasons for taking or not taking action

  9. The procedure at a glance Collect statements of support in at least 7 Member States You wish to collect online? Get your system certified Register your initiative Get statements of support certified by Member States If the Commission decides to follow your initiative. The legislative procedure starts. Prepare your initiative and set up your citizens’ committee You have at least one million signatories? Submit your initiative to the Commission The Commission examines your initiative and replies

  10. Current state of play • Initiatives • 29 requests for registration: • 19 accepted, 5 of which withdrawn but 3 re-registered -> 14 are ongoing, 11 of which collect online • 8 rejected • 2 being analysed

  11. Current state of play (cont.) • Online collection • Difficulties for the first organisers to find affordable host providers to install the software and to provide the required documentation for the certification • Exceptional measures taken by the Commission: • Temporary and optional platform for hosting the organisers' online collection systems • Direct technical assistance to the organisers, including in the drafting of the necessary documents for the certification • Statements of support accepted until 1 November 2013 for all initiatives registered before 31 October 2012 • 9 initiatives currently hosted on the Commission servers (first one started to collect end October).

  12. Current state of play (cont.) • Origin of organisers: • All Member States are represented as Member State of residence or nationality of at least one organiser, except Malta and Latvia. • Most represented Member States: France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Italy. • The Netherlands, Sweden and Austria also well represented in proportion of their population

  13. Current state of play (cont.) • Signatories (information as published by the organisers): • Right2water: 1,350,000 (thresholds reached in 5 MS) • Uno di Noi: 178,000 • Stop vivisection: 126,000 • Fraternité 2020 - Mobility. Progress. Europe.: 60,000 • “30 km/h - making the streets liveable!": 17,000 • End ecocide: A Citizens' Initiative to give the Earth Rights: 16,500 • European initiative for media pluralism: 2,600

  14. Right2water: Distribution by MS Source: http://www.right2water.eu/sites/water/files/Latest%20figures%2012March2013.pdf

  15. Current state of play (cont.) • In the Member States • 2 national authorities already certified online collection systems (Centre des Technologies de l'Information de l'Etat in Luxembourg and Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik – BSI in Germany) • No authority has yet been asked to verify statements of support – soon all may be requested • Validation tool to be developed by Commission for interested Member States, on the basis of a tool developed by Germany – funded by ISA programme (Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations)

  16. Current state of play (cont.) • EU Pilot letters sent to 12 Member States asking clarifications on the implementing measures adopted. • National implementing provisions to be published on the ECI website • Commission expert group on the citizens’ initiative

  17. Further information:http://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative Point of contact for any questions on the citizens’ initiative: Europe Direct http://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/public/contact

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