Support an effective European Citizens' Initiative

At the end of 2015 we were promised a victory for the citizens of Europe. The European Parliament voted in absolute majority for a powerful European Citizens’ Initiative to give people real political influence in the EU.

But since then nothing has happened. The Commission is supposed to answer, but they are taking an awfully long time. Given the dangerous spread of populism and anti-European rhetoric right across Europe, it is all the more crucial that the EU builds its democratic legitimacy and gives a stronger voice to its citizens.

We have written to the President of the Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, his special advisor on citizens Luc Van Den Brande, and Frans Timmermans, the Dutch Commissioner responsible for the ECI. We told them that they need to act fast in order to keep the citizens on board, and that they must grasp this last chance to save the ECI from irrelevance. Given the gradual erosion of Europe, EU politicians must not shirk from their responsibility to do everything in their powers to defend European democracy.

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) could give people a voice in the EU, but in its current form it is unusable and powerless. We want the Commission to take up our proposals on how to save the ECI: more Europeans need to be informed about their right; it must be made easier to start ECIs; and successful initiatives must have a true political impact. Learn more about the changes proposed by the European Parliament and what action by the Commission is necessary.

We need your support to be watchdogs for EU democracy. Even 5 Euros will help us make a difference. Please support our work with a donation to pressure the Commission to act fast.

Thank you for your valuable support!

With best regards,

Sophie von Hatzfeldt
European Program Manager

PS. When we handed over our petition with 76,397 signatures to the EU Parliament for a stronger ECI, and when they voted in overwhelming majority for our demands, we had a glimpse of victory. But until the Commission takes action, our fight is not won.
Please support us to fight for a real victory for EU democracy!

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Are you one of the 76,397 people who demanded a more powerful European Citizens’ Initiative and signed our petition “Save the ECI” in 2015?

The good news is that our signatures successfully convinced the EU Parliament to strengthen our democratic right to propose new EU laws. In October 2015 it adopted with full majority most of our proposals for improving the ECI.

But here comes the bad news: The Commission refuses to take legal action to implement these democratic reforms, even though the EU Parliament urgently compelled it to do so. This is a democratic scandal and we will not tolerate it.

Our call: Revise the ECI now !

Today the ECI is turning four years old. On this occasion we must protest and fight for citizens to have a say in the EU. We are convinced that the EU can only proceed with the citizens if it is to guarantee stability and solidarity in Europe. Together with our friends Mehr Demokratie Germany and WeMove we were successful last time, now we need to win again. For this we need your help: together we must demand that the EU Commission revises the ECI now. The more we are to demand this, the stronger our momentum will be.

The EU Commission claims it needs more time before making any legal improvements to the ECI. But this is absurd! We, as an independent civil society organisation, and even the EU Parliament have closely analysed the ECI and its weaknesses. More time and studies by the Commission will only reveal that the ECI has - at the latest by then - become completely discredited and obsolete. We cannot wait until it’s too late.

Sign the petition now !

We are deeply worried about the trajectory of Europe and we want to have a chance to change it. The European Citizens’ Initiative is the only tool that lets people have a political influence, but it must urgently be improved. Please sign the petition.

Sophie von Hatzfeldt
Democracy International

Today (July 6) the European Parliament has once more voted in favour of democracy and participation in Europe. Our EU representatives adopted a Resolution calling for a strengthening of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) and explicitly urging the European Commission to include this in its work programme for next year.

The result of the Brexit vote has shown: it is now more important than ever to promote ways that allow people to participate in and shape EU politics. The ECI is for now the only instrument of direct citizen participation that exists at EU level, however it must be reformed if it is to fulfil its potential and if the EU is to regain trust from the people.

Thank you for taking action to support this campaign. Please help us get even more support by spreading the petition “Save the ECI now” via email and social media:

www.democracy-international.org/eci-final-call