The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) celebrates its 10th anniversary this summer at the Prinsjesfestival in the Netherlands
The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) allows EU citizens to directly participate in the European democracy. During the Prinsjesfestival, from 14 to 20 September in The Hague (Netherlands), we will celebrate its 10th anniversary. At a dedicated ECI stand, on 17 September, a Dutch ECI representative will comment on the latest citizens’ initiatives. You will find the stand in front of Europe House, at the Lange Vijverberg. At Europe House, you can also take part in a quiz, visit an online interactive escape room and ask your questions, while enjoying a cup of barista coffee.
More than 800 EU citizens have already started 91 European Citizens' Initiatives in the past ten years. In total, more than 17 million signatures for initiatives have been collected from across the EU. Over 255 000 of these were from the Netherlands.
Currently there are 11 European Citizens’ Initiatives collecting signatures on various topics, among which climate change, rules on animal protection, sports, EU trade policy, or banning fossil fuel advertising. The most recently registered initiatives include: ‘Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030’, ‘Every European house equipped with 1 kW photovoltaic and 0,6 kW wind turbines using EU funding through the municipalities alone’, and ‘Protect the EU’s Rural Heritage, Food Security and Supply’.
Background
First deployed in 2012, the European Citizens’ Initiative is the first tool enabling citizens from all EU countries to come together and call for legislative change at the European Union level on issues they find important. The ECI allows EU citizens to engage across borders on issues of common concern.
The scope of this tool covers policy areas where the European Commission has the power to propose legislation. This includes the environment, agriculture, transport, consumer protection, social rights, and other areas that impact people’s daily lives. Once an initiative has received 1 million signatures and been verified by national authorities, the Commission issues an official reply to the initiative deciding what action to take or not, and why. The initiative is then labelled ‘successful’.
Know more about the European Citizens’ Initiative
To learn more about the European Citizens’ Initiative, you can listen to the CitizenCentral podcast (also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Soundcloud). The latest episode features two initiative organisers from ‘ReturnThePlastics’ and ‘Green VAT’ who take different approaches to sustainability and consumer behaviour.
The European Citizens' Initiative in key figures (Europa. EU)
Initiatives collecting signatures now: Home | European Citizens' Initiative (Europa. EU)
Communication materials available in all EU languages: Communication material to spread the word.
