The European
citizens' initiative

Photo01

The Treaty of Lisbon introduced the European Citizens' Initiative, a new means of citizens' participation in the elaboration of European Union policies. It allows at least one million European citizens, from at least one quarter of the Union's Member States, to call directly on the Commission to submit a proposal with regard to issues that are of interest to them and which come within the fields of EU competence.

As required by the Treaty, on a proposal from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a Regulation which defines the rules and procedure governing this new instrument (Regulation (EU) No. 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council 16 February 2011 on the citizens' initiative).

The European Commission has adopted the technical specifications for online collection systems on 17 November 2011 (commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1179/2011 of 17 November 2011 laying down technical specifications for online collection systems pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the citizens’ initiative)


In accordance with the Regulation, it will only be possible to launch the first European Citizens' Initiatives from 1st April 2012.



1 - The Initiative in the Lisbon Treaty

Photo02
TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION

TITLE II
PROVISIONS ON DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES
Article 11

1. The institutions shall, by appropriate means, give citizens and representative associations the opportunity to make known and publicly exchange their views in all areas of Union action.


2. The institutions shall maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with representative associations and civil society.


3. The European Commission shall carry out broad consultations with parties concerned in order to ensure that the Union's actions are coherent and transparent.


4. 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.



Photo03
TREATY ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

PART TWO
NON-DISCRIMINATION AND CITIZENSHIP OF THE UNION
Article 24
(ex article 21 TCE)


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.


Every Union citizen has the right to petition before the European Parliament in line with the measures included in article 227.


Every Union citizen can turn to the ombudsman in line with the measures included in article 228.


Every Union citizen can write to any institution or body targeted in the present article or article 13 of the Treaty on European Union in one of the languages mentioned in article 55 paragraph 1 of the said Treaty and receive an answer written in the same language.


2 - The Commission's Proposal

Photo04

Download the document containing the draft proposal on the part of the European Parliament and the Council with regard to this initiative HERE.


Download HERE the European Commission's Green Paper on a European Citizens' Initiative (11.11.2009)



3 - European Parliament Documents

Photo05

Download the European Parliament's working documents on the draft regulation with regard to this initiative here.


Document1
Document2
Document3
Document4
Document5

4 - The Council

During an Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting on 14th February the Council adopted a regulation that will enable EU citizens to ask for legislative proposals to be put forward on specific issues. This regulation defines the procedures and conditions for the implementation of the citizens' initiative. Specifically an initiative proposal must feature amongst the EU's competences and must be in line with the Union's values.


Download the Council's press release HERE



Download the regulation : document 1 and document 2



Download the regulation 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on the Citizens' Initiative here.



5 - Other documents

Questions and Answers on the European Citizens' Initiative


General Q&A on the European Citizens' Initiative


Link to the special section of the "Toute l'Europe" website devoted to the European Citizens




Europe
The Woman's Continent

femmes en europe

Europe is the leading continent in terms of the number of women who participate in the governance of their country. See the ranking of EU Member States according to the number of women holding posts in government and Parliament.


action 2009

National
Campaigns