As soon as the registration of the proposed initiative has been confirmed, organisers can start collecting statements of support from citizens. They have 12 months to collect the required number of statements of support (1 million overall including a minimum number in at least 7 member states – see Minimum number of signatories per member state below).

Data protection

During the whole procedure, organisers must comply with the legislation in force as regards data protection. This means in particular that before collecting statements of support, they may be required to notify the data protection authority(ies) in the member state(s) where the data will be processed. For more information on data protection, click here.

Statement of support forms

In order to collect statements of support, organisers have to use specific forms which comply with the models for the statement of support form set out in Annex III of the Regulation on the citizens' initiative, and which include all required information regarding the proposed initiative. That information must be identical to the information on the proposed initiative published on this website.

The data that signatories are required to provide in the forms varies according to the member state which they come from.

Organisers can download, from their organiser account on this website, pre-completed forms, which already include the relevant information on their initiative, and which can be customised for each country where they intend to collect signatures. The software developed by the Commission also provides online forms adapted to each country.

For more information on the data requirements in each country, click here.

Collection on paper and/or online

Statements of support can be collected on paper and/or online. Before collecting statements of support online, organisers have to have their online collection system certified by the relevant national authority and publish the certificate on their website.

Language of the statement of support forms

Statement of support forms include information on the proposed initiative and various fields to be completed by signatories.

The information on the proposed initiative can only be in one of the language versions of the initiative published on this site. For example, if a proposed initiative is only available on this website in English, then the text of the initiative on the statement of support form can only be in English.

The field names on the form can be in any official EU language.

Minimum number of signatories per member state

Organisers are not required to collect statements of support in all 27 member states. They will however need to have a minimum number of signatories from at least 7 member states.

NB: The statements of support collected in member states where the threshold has not been reached will also be counted to reach the 1-million target.

Conditions for signing

Signatories must be EU citizens (nationals of a member state) old enough to vote in European Parliament elections (18 except in Austria, where the voting age is 16).

For more information on signing up to an initiative, see How to sign up to an initiative?.

For more information on collection, see FAQ.