There is a Europe beyond the crisis of its economy and currency – and beyond fear. There is a Europe which pioneers democracy by strengthening the participatory rights of its citizens. Since April 1 this year one million people across the European Union have the right to propose transnational legal initiatives, “European Citizens Initiatives” (ECI). This first direct, transnational and digital process – which allows for gathering signatures on the internet in addition to traditional paper collections – is a highly encouraging implementation of the most recent EU Treaty. This puts indirect and direct democracy on equal footing as complementary parts of a modern representative democracy. More…

These days many individuals and organizations across Europe are assessing how to start a European Citizens’ Initiative. But only a few of them have officially announced their European Citizens’ Initiative projects so far. Find below a preliminary overview of the expected ECIs to come*. More…

Brussels – Starting on Sunday, April 1, 2012 the regulation to implement the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) will ultimately be applicable: a new tool created by the Lisbon Treaty which gives 1 million citizens the right to ask for changes to European law. According to Carsten Berg, ECI Campaign Director “We warmly welcome the introduction of the ECI. It is the first transnational instrument of participatory democracy in world history. With it, Europe enters a new territory of citizen participation. It is the result of nearly a decade of work which will open up new perspectives for democracy building in Europe.”  More…

Less than three weeks left until the launch of the first real European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECI) on April 1st all relevant stakeholders – citizens, institutions and media – are getting prepared for the start of the first transnational instrument of participatory democracy in world history. Please find an up-date on ECI related events, how to prepare an ECI Campaign and about some courageous citizens who are just about to run an ECI. 

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Xavier, who is a tech expert will launch an ECI in April, but is facing problems with the provided ECI software. Please read his analysis and feel free to make proposals how to overcome these obstacles, so all future ECI organizers can benefit from it! The ECI Campaign is stimulating debates how to make ECI as citizen-friendly as possible. We have approached several tech experts and plan to spread further views on how to make the online collection workable and efficient. Please also check the ECI-Facebook site for comments and up-dated links for ECI practitioners.

The time has now come for the final countdown towards the launch of the first real European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). More and more people across Europe are already preparing the first official transnational ECI campaigns on a very diverse range of issues – from environmental to social to institutional topics. At the same time EU member states are still in the process of implementing the juridical and practical arrangements at the national level to make the ECI work. More…

If you are serious about organising an ECI, you will need assistance and should calculate at least half a year to prepare and another full year to collect signatures. The ECI Campaign wants to see many citizens lifting their voices through the new ECI instrument and offers an ECI Help Desk. We advise you to consider the following check-list before you start an ECI. More…

The ECI Campaign believes the single greatest weakness of the final ECI regulation is that member states may require their residents to provide ID card numbers in order to support a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI).  Most  member states (18 countries) currently plan to do so. Fortunately, countries may remove this ID card requirement at any time and for any reason. However, they are unlikely to do so without pressure from pro-ECI activists working at the national level.

Speaking at “The European Citizens’ Initiative – A First Assessment” workshop at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium on 25 January, MEP Diana Wallis, co-rapporteur for the ECI, said it was the intention of the European Parliament that, over time, most member states will drop the ID card requirement. However, she said it is unclear how exactly this will happen.

According to Mr. Pecsteen, representative of the Belgian EU Presidency, More…

During recent months and years, the ECI Campaign has diligently worked for a truly citizen-friendly and usable ECI — so this tool can fulfill its potential in democratizing the EU. Read more about what has been reached as well as the next steps and events to come in 2011.

We have succeeded in reducing severe hurdles that would have made the ECI unattractive and extraordinary difficult to access for ordinary citizens. Specifically, our lobbying succeeded in convincing EU officials to: More…

However signature collection and verification rules are still excessively bureaucratic and a serious response from the European Commission is not guaranteed.

Strasbourg - Today the European Parliament approved the regulation to implement the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI): a new tool created by the Lisbon Treaty which gives 1 million citizens the right to ask for changes to European law.

According to Carsten Berg, ECI Campaign Director “We warmly welcome the introduction of the ECI. It is the first transnational instrument of participatory democracy in world history. More…