"European Citizens’ Initiative Newsletter" Newsletter Issues

10th Successful citizens’ initiative to meet with Commission representatives (20/07/2023)

Organisers of ‘Fur Free Europe’ call for banning fur farms in the EU and farmed fur products from the European market. They collected 1,502,319 valid signatures, with thresholds reached in 18 countries. They met with Vice-President Věra Jourová and Commissioner Stella Kyriakides on 20 July and will get an official reply by mid-December.

Want to learn more about the initiative itself and get insights on how to run a successful ECI campaign? Listen to organiser Elise Fleury in this CitizenCentral podcast episode.

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (27/06/2023)

Lire le bulletin en français. Cliquez sur le bouton 'more' ci-dessous, puis sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l’icône du globe pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie unten auf die Schaltfläche "more" und wählen Sie dann auf der neuen Seite das Globus-Symbol aus, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

8th Successful citizens’ initiative receives Commission reply (20/07/2023)

On 5 July, the Commission formally replied to the Stop Finning – Stop the trade, the 8th valid citizens’ initiative.

The organisers called on the Commission to extend an existing regulation to prevent sharks having their fins removed and traded around the world. ‘Finning’ consists of cutting fins from living sharks before they are thrown back, still alive, into the water.

The Commission welcomed the initiative and committed to acting in three areas. It will examine the possibility of initiating legislation to prevent the trade in loose fins. To that end, it will carry out an impact assessment and it will improve the collection of statistics. It will also step up EU traceability measures and work with international partners to end this illicit and barbaric practice.

9th Successful citizens’ initiative receives Commission reply (20/07/2023)

Following the debate on the Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics - Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing initiative in the plenary of the European Parliament on 10 July, the Commission formally replied on 25 July.

The organisers call for phasing out of animal testing, for cosmetics, chemicals and other purposes. In its reply, the Commission outlined three main actions to further reduce animal testing. Firstly, it will protect and strengthen the already existing animal testing ban for cosmetics. Secondly, the Commission will work on a roadmap towards chemical safety assessments that are free from animal testing. This roadmap will be the guiding framework for future actions in reducing animal testing in that field. Thirdly, it will continue its funding on the development of alternative approaches, complemented with a series of actions to accelerate the reduction of animal testing in research, education and training.

New ECI registered (20/07/2023)

On 11 July, the Commission registered a new initiative, ‘Taxing great wealth to finance the ecological and social transition’. This initiative calls on the Commission to draw up legislation that would create a new tax on extremely high levels of wealth. The organisers want the revenue raised in this way to be used to feed just ecological and social transition policies, such as the Green Deal and the cohesion policy.

To support this initiative, keep checking our website.

As one initiative opens for signature collection another one closes (20/07/2023)

On 10 July, the ‘Article 4: Stop torture and inhuman treatment at Europe’s borders’ citizen’s initiative opened for signature collection.

This initiative calls on the Commission to ensure that the rights such as freedom from violence, torture, and inhuman and degrading treatment are ensured for migrants and asylum seekers at EU borders..

If you would like to support this initiative, click on the link below.

On 19 July, signature collection closed for the ‘Good Clothes, Fair Pay’ initiative. It collected over 240,000 signatures.

Join our Facebook group and share your thoughts on this newsletter (20/07/2023)

Join our new FB group! You will have quick access to information, news, and events concerning the European Citizens’ Initiative, as well as the option to share your own content. Join the group by clicking ‘more’ below.

Additionally, please help us continue to improve this newsletter by taking a 6-question survey.

La Sexta interviews ECI ambassadors in Madrid (20/07/2023)

The Spanish TV channel ‘La Sexta’ prepared a short informative material on the ECI, with the participation of the ECI ambassador Enrique and ECI organisers: Raquel from the ‘Stop Tobacco’ initiative, Noa from ‘Save Bees and Farmers!’ and Pedro from the ‘High-Speed Train Network’ initiative.

Save the dates - the ECI comes to Estonia, Sweden and Italy and Romania (20/07/2023)

This summer, ECI Ambassadors will attend various democracy festivals. We encourage you to stop by and say hello! On Saturday 12 August, the ECI will be discussed at the Arvamus ‘Opinion’ Festival in Paide, Estonia. In Gothenburg, Sweden, there will be several discussions and a stand dedicated to the ECI at the Frihamndsdagarna ‘Democracy Festival’ on Thursday 31 August and Friday 1 September. From 22 to 24 September, the ECI will have a stand at ‘Festival della Participazione’ in Bologna, Italy, where you’ll be able to learn more about open initiatives and the ECI toolkit for schools. We are also looking into participating in the PLAI Festival in Timisoara, Romania, in September, stay tuned for more!

Upcoming Webinar ‘How to Engage Young People’ (28/09/2023)

Mark your calendars for the next ECI Forum webinar ‘How to Engage Young People’ on 28 September. This webinar will focus on the role of young people in the ECI, specifically how to get them to sign ECIs, and how young people can launch an ECI or be active volunteers. More information will be available in September on the ECI Forum.

Save the date – session on the ECI toolkit & school competition – as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities (12/10/2023)

The session on “ImagineEU: Toolkit and school competition on EU democracy & European Citizens’ Initiative” will present the toolkit for high school pupils on democratic participation in the EU, focusing on the European Citizens’ Initiative. (See our previous webinar on the toolkit here). The introduction of the toolkit is accompanied by the 'ImagineEU' competition for high schools, inviting pupils to come up with their ideas for new initiatives.

Where: Brussels (SQUARE Meeting Centre)

When: 12 October, 12.30

Format: EU Regions Talks

New Blog Post (20/07/2023)

Did you know that some Member States have their own digital participatory democracy tools? Learn more about the Estonian participatory democracy tool, Rahvaalgatus.ee (People’s initiative) and see how it compares to the European citizens’ initiative.

University Presentations (20/07/2023)

The ECI Forum continues to directly engage with university students. Would you like us to make a presentation at your university? Contact the ECI Forum at eciforum@ecas.org.

Read our new blog post on Seek Advice service (20/07/2023)

Discover the insights of Mojca Erman, the legal expert from the ECI Forum’s Seek Advice service, and find out how this service actively supports initiative organisers. Get expert tips on formulating requests for the best outcomes.

Did you know? (20/07/2023)

Your support can count wherever you are.

Even if you are living outside the EU, you can still support an initiative. When you are signing, just select the country you are national of, and your vote will be counted there.

Check out our FAQs for all your ECI queries.

Join our Facebook group and share your thoughts on this newsletter (27/06/2023)

Join our new FB group! You will have quick access to information, news and events concerning the European Citizens’ Initiative, as well as the option to share your own content. Join the group by clicking ‘more’ below.

Additionally, please help us continue to improve this newsletter by taking a 6-question survey.

10th Successful ECI ‘Fur Free Europe’ submitted (27/06/2023)

Organisers of ‘Fur Free Europe’ call for banning fur farms in the EU and farmed fur products from the European market. They collected 1,502,319 valid signatures, with thresholds reached in 18 countries. They will meet with the European Commission in July and will get an official reply by mid-December.

Eager to discover more about the initiative itself and get insights on how to run a successful ECI campaign? Listen to organiser Elise Fleury in this CitizenCentral podcast episode.

European Parliament issues recommendations for the ECI (27/06/2023)

As required by the ECI Regulation, the Commission periodically reviews the functioning of the ECI. The next review report should be presented by the end of 2023. As a contribution to this exercise, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the implementation of the European citizens’ initiative.

The resolution highlights how the revised ECI Regulation has lowered the procedural hurdles for organisers and supporters of ECIs under several aspects. It also recommends several actions to further improve the ECI as a unique cross-border tool for participatory democracy.

Learning toolkit available in all official EU languages (28/06/2023)

The toolkit for secondary schools ‘EU Democracy in Action – Have your say with the European Citizens’ Initiative’ is now available in all official EU languages. Click ‘more’ below for access.

To become active citizens, young people need to understand how democracy works and what their rights and responsibilities are. Through instruction and collaborative work, pupils learn about how the EU has evolved over time.

In the 2023/2024 school year, a competition for schools will be organised, related to this toolkit. Three teams from three different schools will get the prize: a study trip to Brussels. Be sure to check the ECI website and this newsletter in the autumn for more details.

IT updates: Anonymisation of private sponsors and Unsubscribe email functionality activated (28/06/2023)

The ECI IT team works on constant improvements of the online collection system and the organiser account. A new feature, for example, enables organisers to request, from the organiser account, the anonymisation of their private sponsors in the list of received funding.

While still improving the overall usability and security of the system and keeping personal emails protected from hackers, the recent IT updates also include the release of the ‘unsubscribe’ email functionality. From now on, citizens will be able to directly unsubscribe from the messages they receive from organisers via the system.

New CitizenCentral podcasts published (28/06/2023)

Two new podcast episodes were published in June!

In episode ‘What impact do European citizens’ initiatives have? Examples from successful initiatives’ organisers and Commission experts are interviewed to give a closer look to the follow-up on three of the initiatives that reached more than 1 million signatures and received a reply from the Commission.

The episode ‘The ABCs of ‘EU Democracy in Action’ showcases the on-going efforts to make the ECI common European knowledge – starting with high school students and a learning kit for them.

Tune in and discover the podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Subscribe and share CitizenCentral podcast today!

ECI Day 2023 wrap up: 8 June 2023 (28/06/2023)

On Thursday, 8 June, the ECI Day 2023: Upskilling citizens for a successful ECI with impact! took place.

It was an occasion to exchange views and experiences on the ECI, where initiative organisers shared their stories and lessons learned, and experts and policy-makers contributed to the conversation by their ideas related to the ECI.

Check out the conclusions, photos and recordings and let us know what you thought of the day by taking the survey (available until 8 July!).

Save the dates - the ECI comes to Estonia and Sweden (28/06/2023)

This summer ECI Ambassadors will attend different democracy festivals. We encourage you to stop by and say hello!

On Saturday, 12 August, a discussion about the ECI will take place at the Arvamus ‘Opinion’ Festival in Paide, Estonia.

In Sweden, several discussions and a stand dedicated to the ECI will be held at the Frihamndsdagarna ‘Democracy festival’ in Gothenburg, on Thursday, 31 August and Friday, 1 September.

Stay tuned for more events featuring the ECI in Romania, Italy and Poland in the upcoming months and refer to our calendar for more information.

ECI in numbers (28/06/2023)

Check out the newly updated infographic for interesting facts and figures on citizens’ initiatives between 2012 and 2023. This infographic includes data on the nine successful ECIs, the organisers of all ECIs (country of origin and residence, age) and funding of ECIs. Click ‘more’ to access the figures!

‘Save Bees and Farmers!’ success story (28/06/2023)

‘Save Bees and Farmers! Towards a Bee-Friendly Agriculture for a Healthy Environment’ is the 7th successful European citizens’ initiative, and it received a response from the Commission in April. Interested in learning about what factors contributed to their success and the outcome of this initiative?

Read this new success story by clicking ‘more’.

‘ECI A to Z’ publication - blog post (28/06/2023)

Interested in learning more about the ECI as a participatory democracy tool? Read our blog post about the new publication ‘European Citizens’ Initative: A Tool for Engagement and Active Citizenship’. This publication, one of the main outputs from the Erasmus+ Project ECI From A to Z, compiles theoretical and practical contributions from academics, researchers, ECI organisers and ECI experts.

YEYS - "Your Europe, Your Say!" (28/06/2023)

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) organises an annual youth event called "Your Europe, Your Say!" (YEYS), bringing together 16- to 18-year-old students from all over Europe.

In this year’s edition in March, called "Youth Democracy Dialogues", students shared recommendations on active citizenship and youth participatory engagement. They also participated in a group workshop where they simulated the European Citizens’ Initiative process to learn how to launch an initiative and to campaign for it. The teachers who accompanied them received an early preview of the ECI toolkit for schools.

Download the report from the event (available in English and French) and watch the event highlights video by clicking ‘more’.

Call for proposals: Citizens’ engagement and participation (29/06/2023)

The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme has an open call for proposals about: “Promoting citizens' and representative associations’ participation in and contribution to the democratic and civic life of the Union by making known and publicly exchanging their views in all areas on Union action”.

The deadline to submit is 5 September 2023. The 2023 call is accessible by clicking ‘more’ below.

Did you know? European Citizens' Initiative: Step-by-Step (28/06/2023)

Are you following a specific citizens’ initiative but wonder what happens next?

Check our Step-by-Step factsheet to find all the information you need on the lifecycle of ECIs, from getting started to receiving a formal response from the European Commission.

Download it here.

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (30/05/2023)

Lire le bulletin en français. Cliquez sur le bouton 'more' ci-dessous, puis sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l’icône du globe pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie unten auf die Schaltfläche "more" und wählen Sie dann auf der neuen Seite das Globus-Symbol aus, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

New initiative registered: judicial precedent in all EU countries (30/05/2023)

On 31 May, the Commission registered another European citizens’ initiative titled: ‘Effective implementation of the concept of judicial precedent in all EU countries’.

The initiative organisers call on the Commission to propose to Member States that they introduce a mechanism at national level which guarantees mutual recognition of final judicial decisions adopted by courts of other Member States. The initiative considers that this mechanism should apply, provided that: (a) the Court of Justice of the European Union has had the occasion to interpret the applicable provisions of EU law and (b) the case in question concerns similar or identical legal questions.

The organisers have 6 months to start the signature collection period. Read 'more' on the website.

Open for signature collection (30/05/2023)

On 30 May, the ‘Connecting all European capitals and citizens through a highspeed train network’ initiative joined eight other initiatives currently collecting support. Organisers now have 1 year to collect 1 million signatures.

This initiative asks for the establishment of a European high-speed train network as quickly as possible. Organisers call to link up the existing high-speed railway networks and build new high-speed lines.

Belgium lowers age to sign or start an ECI (30/05/2023)

As of 1 May 2023, Belgian citizens aged 16 and older can support European citizens' initiatives! They are also able to be part of an organiser group to start a citizens’ initiative. Belgium joins 5 other countries where it is possible for a citizen to sign an ECI below the age 18: Austria, Estonia, Germany, Greece (17), and Malta.

European Parliament hearing and debate for ECIs (30/05/2023)

On 25 May, ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing' initiative organisers and scientists spoke in a public hearing at the European Parliament. The organisers reiterated the objectives of their campaign: to protect and strengthen the cosmetics animal testing ban; to transform the EU chemicals regulation; and to modernise science in the EU.

Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová and several MEPs participated in the hearing. Members of the European Parliament expressed their views in favour and against the proposals. You can watch the recording by clicking the ‘more’ button below.

On 11 May, the European Parliament also held a plenary debate on ‘Stop Finning – Stop the Trade’ ECI. Read more here or

Last call to register: ECI Day 2023 is approaching! 8 June 2023 (08/06/2023)

Join us in Brussels or online on Thursday, 8 June to mark the ECI Day 2023: Upskilling citizens for a successful ECI with impact! You will have the chance to meet initiative organisers, experts and policy-makers, as well as to exchange ideas and good practices relating to the ECI.

In case you missed it: Webinar recording of the new ECI Toolkit for schools (30/05/2023)

The ECI team has created a toolkit for high school educators titled ‘EU Democracy in Action – Have Your Say with the European Citizens’ Initiative’. We hosted a pre-launch event for educators on 11 May and the toolkit will officially be launched by Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová at ECI Day on 8 June.

You can watch a recording of the webinar and review the toolkit materials by clicking ‘more’ below. The toolkit will be available in all official EU languages by mid-June.

New Factsheet on ‘Save Bees and Farmers’ (30/05/2023)

A factsheet has been published following the Commission’s official reply to the ‘Save Bees and Farmers – Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment’ ECI. Factsheets of successful initiatives give an overview of the objectives, key data and Commission reply.

You can view the factsheets in all official EU languages on the Communication Material page of the ECI’s website.

Share your thoughts on this newsletter (30/05/2023)

How satisfied are you with the ECI Newsletter? Do you have improvements to suggest?

We invite you to click ‘more’ and answer the 6 questions. Your answers will help us continue to improve the newsletter.

Thank you in advance!

Join the Facebook Group on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) (30/05/2023)

Join the growing community of organisers, stakeholders and interested citizens in the European Citizens’ Initiative Facebook Group!

As a member of this group, you have quick access to information, news and events concerning the European Citizens’ Initiative in general and specific initiatives. You can easily share the content or add your own posts that are relevant for the community.

Join by clicking ‘more’.

New blog post and video: Seek Advice (30/05/2023)

Did you know that you can receive free legal, fundraising and any other advice on your European citizens’ initiative? Our blogs and videos explain how under ‘Seek Advice’!

Learn more in the blog of Virginia Fiume, co-president of EUmans. She reflects on her experience as an organiser, the tools available to help and the upcoming initiatives EUmans plans to launch before the European Parliament elections in 2024.

If you prefer videos, check out the one that explains the ‘Seek Advice’ tool.

New blog: ECI A to Z (30/05/2023)

The ‘ECI From A to Z’ project strived to foster engagement and active citizen all while raising awareness of the ECI among youth. Read this blog to learn more about the project’s final event and the activities students participated in. Check out the publication in the next section.

Did you know? General Report on the activities of the EU (30/05/2023)

The 2022 General Report on the activities of the EU has been formally published. It explains the work of the European institutions on all aspects of life and work in the Union. A small section on the European Citizens’ Initiative is included.

The report is available in all official EU languages.

‘ECI From A to Z’ workbook available online (30/05/2023)

The "Workbook ECI: from A to Z - European Citizens' Initiative: A Tool for Engagement and Active Citizenship", edited by Dr. Yilly Vanessa Pacheco and Prof. Dulce Lopes, has been published by Göttingen University. The publication results from an Erasmus+ project run by ECI Ambassador, Yilly, and several other university colleagues.

Call for proposals: Citizens’ engagement and participation (30/05/2023)

The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme has an open call for proposals about: “Promoting citizens' and representative associations’ participation in and contribution to the democratic and civic life of the Union by making known and publicly exchanging their views in all areas on Union action”.

The deadline to submit is 5 September 2023. The 2023 call is accessible by clicking ‘more’ below.

Join the Facebook Group on the European Citizens’ Initiative! (28/04/2023)

Introducing a new way to connect and interact with organisers, stakeholders and interested citizens through the European Citizens’ Initiative Facebook Group! As a member of this group, you will be able to stay informed and share information, news and events concerning the European Citizens’ Initiative in general and specific initiatives.

7th Valid citizens’ initiative receives Commission reply (28/04/2023)

On 5 April, the European Commission formally replied to the ‘Save Bees and Farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment’ initiative, the 7th valid citizens’ initiative.

The organisers of the initiative called for the phasing out of synthetic pesticides by 2035; the restoration of biodiversity in agriculture; and support for farmers in the transition to sustainable farming. The Commission welcomed this initiative and appreciated that the level of support for the initiative demonstrated the strength of feeling of EU citizens.

In its reply, the Commission pointed out that, after the initiative had been initially registered, a number of legislative proposals had been submitted that deal with the very issues raised, and it called on the Parliament and Council to agree on and move forward with these proposals swiftly.

See the factsheet on this reply here.

Commissioner Sinkevičius and representatives of the involved directorates-general presented the Commission reply to the organisers at a meeting on 25 April 2023.

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (28/04/2023)

Lire le bulletin en français ici. Sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l'icône pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie hier den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie auf der neuen Seite (ganz oben) auf das Symbol, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

Save the date: Meet the ECI at a Europe Day event near you (06/05/2023)

Every year, celebrations take place for Europe Day across the EU.

On Saturday, 6 May, you can visit the ECI stand at the physical Open Day in Brussels – if you are in town, come to meet the ECI team in the Berlaymont (Rue de la Loi 200) between 10.00 and 18.00.

The ECI will be represented at various events across Europe. Check out what’s happening and where they will be in your country.

New Blog Post (28/04/2023)

Learn more about the Central Online Collection System from an interview with Jérôme Stefanini, the IT project officer responsible for the system at the Commission. In this blog post, he describes the key properties and advantages of the system.

Did you know…? Declaring funding. (28/04/2023)

There may be costs involved in getting your initiative started and getting people to support it. If you receive financial help to organise and promote your initiative, there are rules about what you must declare.

You must provide information on all funding above EUR 500 per sponsor and you need to provide this information when you submit your request for registration and update it at least every 2 months.

If you receive any non-financial support, this may also have to be declared.

The details of your support and sponsors will be published in our online register. For reasons of transparency, it is important that people who sign your initiative know where your funds are coming from.

For more information about this and anything else you need to know about the ECI, check out our FAQs.

The 100th citizens’ initiative registered! (28/04/2023)

On 18 April, the European Commission registered the initiative ‘Connecting all European capitals and citizens through a highspeed train network’. This is the 100th citizens’ initiative registered since 2012.

The organisers ask for the establishment of a European high-speed train network as quickly as possible. This means linking up the existing high-speed railway networks and building high-speed lines where these do not yet exist. They now have six months to collect 1 million signatures of support from at least 7 EU countries.

University Presentations (28/04/2023)

The ECI Forum continues to directly engage with university students. ECI experts take the opportunity to discuss the potential of participatory democracy in Europe generally, and the ECI as an important tool more specifically. Over 400 students attended sessions organised throughout the year.

Would you like us to make a presentation at your university and exchange with you and other students? Contact the ECI Forum via ECIforum@ecas.org.

Webinar: Introducing the ‘EU Democracy in Action – Have Your Say with the European Citizens’ Initiative’ Toolkit for Schools (28/04/2023)

The ‘EU Democracy in Action – Have Your Say with the European Citizens’ Initiative’ toolkit has been developed by the European Commission to help educators introduce students to basic concepts of democratic participation in the EU. The toolkit will also help students develop various skills, within the framework of the ECI.

The ECI team and guests will introduce the toolkit during a webinar that will take place on Thursday, 11 May 2023, 18:30 – 19:30 CET (in English only).

European Parliament hearing on the ‘Save cruelty free cosmetics’ ECI – 25 May (28/04/2023)

On 25 May, the organiser group of the Save cruelty free cosmetics - Commit to a Europe without animal testing initiative will feature in a public hearing at the European Parliament.

Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová and Commissioner Thierry Breton, responsible for Internal Market, will attend, alongside MEPs and experts.

You can watch the hearing live.

More information and the hyperlink to follow live will be shared in the news section of the ECI homepage before the hearing starts.

‘Stop Trade with Settlements’ ECI speaks at the European Parliament (28/04/2023)

During its 26 April meeting, the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament listened to a presentation from a representative of the initiative Ensuring Common Commercial Policy conformity with EU Treaties and compliance with international law, also known as ‘Stop Trade with Settlements'.

This ECI finished collection in February 2023, with over 270,000 signatures. Watch the recording by clicking ‘more’.

Three new initiatives open for signature collection in April (28/04/2023)

‘VEGAN MEAL’. As more and more people are turning to a vegan lifestyle, for moral, environmental or health reasons, this initiative asks for a legal requirement that there is always a vegan option available in private and public venues selling food and drink in Europe.

Ensuring a dignified reception of migrants in Europe. The initiative stems from the fundamental EU value of human dignity and asks for two regulations: one on the distribution of asylum seekers in the EU, based on their own free will; and another for guaranteed standards for their reception in all EU countries.

‘Whatever It Takes’. In 2012, when Europe was dragged into the international financial crisis, Mario Draghi uttered these three ‘magic words’ and marked a new era for the role of the ECB in the eurozone, paving the way for financial stability in the face of the worst recession to hit Europe since the Second World War. This initiative calls for a day to be dedicated to this event to remind all of us what the EU is capable of achieving, even when faced with such overwhelming obstacles.

ECI at the Madrid Book Fair 27 to 29 May (27/05/2023)

If you are planning on coming to the Feria del Libro de Madrid, the ECI Ambassadors in Spain would love to see you at their stand in the Europe Pavilion. They will be there from the 27 to 29 May to answers any questions you may have about the ECI and will hold a panel presentation on 29 May from 18.30 to 19.30.

Pay them a visit, take the quiz, and leave a message on a postcard. Free pens may be involved!

Save the Date: ECI Day 2023 is approaching! 8 June 2023 (28/04/2023)

Join us in Brussels or online on Thursday 8 June to mark the ECI Day 2023: Upskilling citizens for a successful ECI with impact! You will have the chance to meet initiative organisers, experts and policy-makers, as well as to exchange ideas and good practices relating to the ECI. Registration opens at the beginning of May.

NEW Facebook Group on the European Citizens’ Initiative (29/03/2023)

Introducing a new way to connect and interact with organisers, stakeholders and interested citizens through the European Citizens’ Initiative Facebook Group!

Join the group today! As a member of this group, you will be able to stay informed, share information, news and events concerning the ECI in general and specific initiatives.

We look forward to connecting with you there.

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (29/03/2023)

Lire le bulletin en français ici. Sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l'icône pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie hier den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie auf der neuen Seite (ganz oben) auf das Symbol, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

Did you know... From our FAQ (29/03/2023)

Is there a time limit for the Commission to answer a valid citizens’ initiative?

Yes! The Commission has 6 months - from the date the initiative was submitted with proof of 1 million valid signatures – to issue a communication. This answer outlines the measures the Commission plans to take, if any, as well as justifications and a timeline of next steps. The communication is published in all EU official languages on the ECI website.

The Commission also notifies the European Parliament, the EU Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions, as well as all national parliaments in the EU.

Save the date: Europe Day near you (06/05/2023)

Every year celebrations take place for Europe Day across the EU.

On Saturday, 6 May, you can visit the ECI stand at the physical Open Day in Brussels – if you are in town, come to meet the ECI team in the Berlaymont (Rue de la Loi 200) between 10 am and 6 pm.

Find a local event in your area here.

Webinar recording – Collecting Signatures Online & the Central Online Collection System (29/03/2023)

Did you miss the webinar ‘Collecting Signatures Online – What you need to know about the Central Online Collection System with testimonials from successful ECIs’?

Watch the webinar here.

This webinar provided practical information and guidance on collecting signatures online with a focus on the Central Online Collection System from the IT Project Officer responsible and personal experience of an organiser of a successful initiative.

‘Save cruelty free cosmetics’ organisers met with European Commission (29/03/2023)

Organisers of the European citizens' initiative ‘Save cruelty free cosmetics – commit to a Europe without animal testing’ met with Members of the European Commission (Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency, and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market) on 17 March.

The organisers presented the three objectives of the initiative in depth, together with their ideas on how to transition to animal-free science. This meeting took place after the initiative became the 9th valid ECI to reach more than 1 million statements of support.

The Commission is analysing the initiative and has until 25 July 2023 to present its official reply.

Celebrate the ECI’s ‘birthday’ (29/03/2023)

On 1 April, the ECI celebrates its 11th anniversary! This date marks the day when the first ECI regulation started to apply. Did you know that since 2012 nearly 100 initiatives were registered and received some 18 million signatures? To find out more and to spread the word about this unique participatory tool, head over to our Communication material page for videos and factsheets in all EU official languages.

New Blog Post (29/03/2023)

‘Crucially, rural depopulation threatens the loss of cultural heritage practices, rural traditions and, in some cases, minority languages or dialects.’

Learn more about why this threat is important to EU citizens and what the organisers of the 'Protect Rural Heritage' initiative are fighting for. This blog post outlines the key reasons why the organisers launched this ECI and what it wants to achieve.

Read this blog post by clicking ‘more’.

Save the date: Webinar on the ECI toolkit for schools (11/05/2023)

Calling all educators! Activate your class with the European Citizens' Initiative toolkit - a webinar for teachers is scheduled for Thursday, 11 May 2023, 18:30 – 19:30 CET.

Be the first to know about a new toolkit aimed to teach high school students about active citizenship and the European Citizens’ Initiative. Hear first-hand from a teacher who piloted the 4-unit lesson plan.

The webinar will be held in English. Registration will open in April.

European Parliament hearing on the ‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ ECI (29/03/2023)

On 27 March, ‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ initiative organisers, scientists and industry representatives spoke in a public hearing at the European Parliament. The organisers presented the reasons behind their call for banning the trade of loose shark fins, referring to the important role of sharks in marine ecosystems and the high demand for shark fins on international markets.

Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová and Commissioner for Environment and Oceans Virginijus Sinkevičius participated in the hearing.

Watch the Parliament’s video extracts or the full recording.

ECI Ambassadors Spotlight: Meet Eglė from Lithuanian College of Democracy (30/03/2023)

Eglė Celiesiene, who leads the Lithuanian College of Democracy for the last 10 years, joined the ECI Ambassador programme recently. The mission of the College of Democracy is the initiation of positive social changes through fundamental and applied research, as well as related initiatives and programmes in the spheres of social development, education and children's wellbeing. One example is the two-year ERASMUS+ Digital Inclusion for all learners (DI4all) project. It aims to combat disinformation through education and training.

Joining the ECI Ambassador programme means “making a positive impact on the lives of European citizens and help bring about positive change. I will be able to raise awareness through social media, our website as well as events and workshops with Lithuanian NGOs”.

Meet your ECI Ambassadors by clicking ‘more’ below.

European Parliament plenary debate on the ‘Save bees and farmers’ ECI (29/03/2023)

During the debate on the ECI ‘Save bees and farmers!’ in the plenary session of the European Parliament on 16 March, the ECI was widely acclaimed as an important tool to influence EU decision-making.

Commissioner McGuiness considered that such support from EU citizens confirms that the Commission is on the right track with its two proposals on nature restoration and the sustainable use of pesticides. She called on Members to keep this ECI in mind when deciding on the two proposals. While Members of the Parliament shared the general objectives of the citizens’ initiative in the long term, their views on how to achieve these objectives differed widely.

New ECI registered: ‘End the Horse Slaughter Age’ (29/03/2023)

On 22 March, the European Commission registered a new citizens’ initiative called ‘‘End the Horse Slaughter Age’. Initiative organisers call on the Commission for a law to ban the slaughter of horses, and for laws to stop long-distance transportation of horses across Europe for slaughter and to protect horses excess work or hard training.

This is the 3rd citizens’ initiative registered in 2023. Organisers have six months to start the collection of support – aiming for 1 million signatures from at least 7 EU countries.

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (27/02/2023)

Lire le bulletin en français ici. Sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l'icône pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie hier den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie auf der neuen Seite (ganz oben) auf das Symbol, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ organisers meet with European Commission (27/02/2023)

Organisers of the European citizens' initiative ‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ met with representatives of the European Commission (Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries) on 6 February.

The organisers presented the objectives of the initiative in depth, as well as facts, figures and testimonies. This meeting takes place after the initiative became the 8th successful ECI.

The Commission is analysing the initiative and has until 11 July 2023 to present its official reply.

New ECI registered: ‘Ensuring a dignified reception of migrants in Europe’ (27/02/2023)

On 22 February, the European Commission registered a new citizens’ initiative called ‘Ensuring a dignified reception of migrants in Europe’. Initiative organisers call on the Commission to adopt regulations to:

• “Introduce a new mechanism for the distribution of asylum seekers in the EU […] (revise the Dublin Regulation);

• Make binding in the Member States reception standards in terms of food, health, housing, education and work, which guarantee asylum seekers dignified living conditions, comparable throughout the Union.”

Organisers have six months to start the collection of support – aiming for 1 million signatures from at least 7 EU countries.

Status of support per Initiative – Congratulations for reaching milestones! (27/02/2023)

To be considered by the European Commission, citizens’ initiatives require 1 million valid signatures. Initiatives collecting over 1 million signatures should submit the statements of support for verification to national authorities.

Several initiatives reached the following significant milestones.

• Over 1 million:

  - Fur Free Europe

• Over 100,000:

  - End the Slaughter Age

  - Good Clothes, Fair Pay

• Over 75,000:

  - Stop 5G – Stay Connected but Protected

Two European citizens’ initiatives closed in February: ‘Green VAT’ and ‘Ensuring Common Commercial Policy conformity with EU Treaties and compliance with international law’ - which collected more than 275,000 signatures.

One initiative withdrew from signature collection: ‘Every European house equipped with 1 kw photovoltaic and 0.6 kw wind turbines using EU funding.’

Upcoming Webinar (14/03/2023)

Want to learn more about collecting signatures online and how the Central Online Collection System facilitates this process?

Join us on Tuesday, 14 March where IT expert Jerôme Stefanini and ECI organiser Nils Kluger from the successful ‘Stop Finning – Stop the Trade’ initiative will provide practical information, guidance and experience on using the Central Online Collection System.

To register for a space, please send an email to: ECIforum@ecas.org.

For more information click 'more'.

Web streaming of 'ECI A to Z' closing event (27/03/2023)

The Erasmus+ project “European Citizens' Initiative: A tool for engagement and active citizenship - ECI from A to Z” comes to an end for university students. The partner universities will hold an on-site event on 27 and 28 March at the University of Coimbra (free attendance) to discuss project outcomes.

During the event, the Workbook "ECI from A to Z" will be launched. It has contributions of researchers of the project, ECI organisers, and invited experts, among others.

Visit the project’s website for more information about this event, and you can follow the web streaming on the YouTube channel of the University (click ‘more’).

Share your thoughts on this newsletter (27/02/2023)

How satisfied are you with the ECI Newsletter? Do you have improvements to suggest?

We invite you to click ‘more’ and answer the 6 questions. Your answers will help us continue to improve the newsletter.

Thank you in advance!

ECI Ambassadors Spotlight: Welcome to 6 new Ambassadors (27/02/2023)

Six organisations have joined the ECI Ambassador programme in the past months.

Welcome to Mall Hellam (Open Estonia Foundation), Eglė Celiesienė (Lithuanian College of Democracy), Europe Direct Valletta, Pulse of Europe, The Good Lobby Italia and National Federation of Polish NGOs (OFOP).

Meet your ECI Ambassadors by clicking ‘more’ below.

New blog post: Citizens rally for a tobacco-free European Union (27/02/2023)

“We have reached a situation where 27% of all cancers can be attributed to cigarette smoking.”

For the reason, and others, the organisers of the ‘Call to achieve a tobacco-free Europe and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2023’ initiative have teamed up with 37 organisations from 19 countries to reach their goals.

Discover the health and environmental arguments used by the initiative, several facts, and their call-to-action for system change.

Expert advice on the ECI: University presentations and online course (27/02/2023)

Interested in learning more about participatory democracy in Europe, or the process of developing a successful European citizens’ initiative? There are many ways to engage with ECI experts – via an online course or at your university.

The online course: Essential Skills for European Citizens' Initiative Organisers gives participants an interactive opportunity to learn how to develop successful European citizens’ initiatives under the guidance of experts in the field.

The ECI Forum is also available to make a presentation for your university and exchange with students. More than 300 people took part last year. Contact the ECI Forum via ECIforum@ecas.org.

Did you know…? Updated communication material page (27/02/2023)

There is a wide array of communication materials available on the ECI website.

This page has recently been updated and translated into all official EU languages. Be sure to check out the videos about the ECI, social media images, fact and figures, and leaflets to spread the word.

Most materials are available in all official languages – choose your language in the upper right-hand corner of the page.

Last call: Have your say about the European Citizens' Initiative before 28/2 (08/02/2023)

What do you think is the biggest value of the European Citizens’ Initiative?

Have you ever signed an initiative, and if not, why not?

Have you ever considered starting a new European citizens’ initiative?

In your view, as of what age should citizens be allowed to sign European citizens’ initiatives?

Do you have any suggestions on how to make the European Citizens' Initiative work even better?

Share your views on these questions and a few more by filling in this short survey before 28 February, in the language of your choice (see links below).

Your views will inform the Commission’s report on the functioning of the European Citizens' Initiative that will be published during 2023. Take the survey in:

- English

- français

- Deutsch

- italiano

- español

- ελληνικά

- Nederlands

- polski

- português

Links to more languages below.

Survey, languages continued (08/02/2023)

- български

- čeština

- dansk

- eesti

- Gaeilge

- hrvatski

- latviešu

- lietuvių

- magyar

- Malti

- română

- slovenčina

- slovenščina

- suomi

- svenska

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (26/01/2023)

Lire le bulletin en français ici. Sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l'icône pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie hier den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie auf der neuen Seite (ganz oben) auf das Symbol, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

8th successful ECI submitted (26/01/2023)

Organisers of ‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ were the 8th group to submit a valid citizens’ initiative for reply from the Commission. They collected 1,119,996 valid signatures and reached the thresholds in 15 countries. They will meet with the European Commission in February and have a public hearing in the European Parliament by mid-April. The Commission’s reply is expected by 11 July.

Read the story of how the initiative collected more than 50% of their signatures in the last 20 days of the campaigning period in this ECI Forum blog. You can also listen to an interview on CitizenCentral podcast.

9th successful ECI submitted (26/01/2023)

Another successful citizens’ initiative was submitted on 25 January! Organisers of 'Save cruelty-free cosmetics – Commit to a Europe with animal testing’ collected 1,217,916 valid signatures and met the thresholds in 21 countries. They should meet with the European Commission in March and have a public hearing in the European Parliament by late April. The Commission is expected to answer the citizens’ initiative by 25 July.

You can learn more about the initiative in this ECI Forum blog or listen to an interview on CitizenCentral podcast.

European Parliament hearing on the ‘Save bees and farmers’ ECI (30/01/2023)

On 24 January, ‘Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment' initiative organisers, scientists and farmers spoke in a public hearing at the European Parliament. The organisers reiterated the main demands of their campaign launched in 2019: to phase out the use of synthetic pesticides in EU agriculture by 80% by 2030 and to eliminate it by 2035, to take measures to restore biodiversity in agricultural areas and to support farmers in the transition to agroecology.

Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová and Commissioners Virginijus Sinkevičius and Janusz Wojciechowski, responsible, respectively, for Environment and Agriculture, participated in the hearing

Watch the Parliament’s video extracts or the full recording.

New ECI registered: ‘Stop Torture’ (26/01/2023)

On 12 January, the European Commission registered a new citizens’ initiative called ‘Article 4: Stop torture and inhuman treatment at Europe’s borders’. Initiative organisers call on the Commission to ensure that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is applied effectively, and that the use of violence, torture and inhumane and degrading treatment is banned at EU borders.

This is the 1st citizens’ initiative registered in 2023. Organisers have six months to start the collection of support – aiming for 1 million signatures from at least 7 EU countries.

New initiative open for signature collection (26/01/2023)

On 16 January, the citizens’ initiative ‘Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030’ opened its signature collection period. They have 1 year to collect 1 million signatures.

Click ‘more’ to learn about this initiative’s health and environmental objectives.

Germany lowers age to support European citizens’ initiatives (26/01/2023)

Good news for ECI supporters in Germany! German citizens can support European citizens’ initiatives from age 16, thanks to an amendment to the national provisions on the ECI. This change applies as of 1 January 2023 and impacts an estimated 1.3 million young Germans.

Germany is the sixth country to decide to lower the age requirements for those who want to support an ECI to below 18.

Commission addresses concerns of successful 'Save Bees and Farmers!' ECI in 'A New Deal for Pollinators' (26/01/2023)

On 24 January, the European Commission presented 'A New Deal for Pollinators' to tackle the alarming decline in wild pollinating insects in Europe, revising the 2018 EU Pollinators Initiative. Citizens have been increasingly calling for decisive action against pollinator loss, including through the recent successful European citizens' initiative 'Save bees and farmers!'.

Upcoming in 2023 (26/01/2023)

What can you expect from the European Citizens’ Initiative in 2023?

This year, as required by the ECI Regulation, the Commission is carrying out a review of the functioning of the European Citizens' Initiative and will present a report to the European Parliament and the Council before the end of 2023.

The Commission will also reply to three successful ECIs: to ‘Save bees and farmers’ in April, and to ‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ and ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ in July.

Moreover, Europe Day (9 May) and the ECI Day (a conference hosted at the European Economic and Social Committee on 8 June in Brussels) are great moments to promote the European Citizens’ Initiative.

In addition, ECI materials for schools and a school competition will be released progressively throughout 2023.

Stay tuned for more information on specific promotion and events in 6 focus countries: Spain, Estonia, Italy, Poland, Romania, and Sweden.

New podcast episode – 'for animals, people and planet!’ (26/01/2023)

CitizenCentral podcast released a new episode with interviews from two European citizens’ initiative organisers. They present the ideas and stories behind ‘End the Slaughter Age’ and ‘Fur Free Europe’ initiatives.

Tune in and discover the podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Subscribe and share CitizenCentral podcast today!

ECI Ambassadors Spotlight: Inter Alia in Greece (26/01/2023)

We asked the team at Inter Alia, an Ambassador organisation in Greece, about their work. This is what they had to say:

“Inter Alia works to inspire social change and empower citizens to actively participate in decision-making processes. Being ECI Ambassadors means, for us, facilitating the creation of a transnational civic space, where civil society actors can connect to EU-wide allies and fight for common causes.

We have started by the easiest steps, namely sharing information on our social media channels: what an ECI is and how to create one, etc. Our 2023 objective is organising in-person events to reach more people and encourage them to support causes they care about, among others.”

One tip for others promoting the ECI: Try to be creative in diversifying the content you propose to your audience. Find interactive ways to promote the ECI, using call-to-action methods. Also, use social media to connect with your young audience!

Meet your ECI Ambassadors by clicking ‘more’ below.

New blog post: Good Clothes, Fair Pay (30/01/2023)

“In just four days, a top fashion CEO earns what a garment worker in Bangladesh will earn in her entire lifetime,” writes Ciara Barry, quoting a 2018 study published by Oxfam.

This blog post outlines the key ideas for system change that the ‘Good Clothes, Fair Pay’ citizens’ initiative wants to achieve, and why a living wage is so important for the millions of people worldwide who make our clothing.

To read the article click ‘more’.

New guidance note: the Central Online Collection System (30/01/2023)

Check out the new Guidance Note on the Central Online Collection System with information for organisers about using this collection system. Information is available in all official EU languages.

Expert advice on the ECI: University presentations and online course (30/01/2023)

Interested in learning more about participatory democracy in Europe, or the process of developing a successful European citizens’ initiative? There are many ways to engage with ECI experts – via an online course or at your university.

The online course: Essential Skills for European Citizens' Initiative Organisers gives participants an interactive opportunity to learn how to develop successful European citizens’ initiatives under the guidance of experts in the field.

The ECI Forum is also available to make a presentation for your university and exchange with students. More than 300 people took part last year. Contact the ECI Forum via eciforum@ecas.org.

New calls for proposals published under the CERV programme! (30/01/2023)

Would your organisation be interested in receiving EU funding?

Discover the new calls for proposals under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. For example: Call for proposals to promote civil society organisations’ awareness of, capacity building and implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights or to promote equality and to fight against racism, xenophobia and discrimination.

Submission deadlines are in April, May and June.

Did you know…? (30/01/2023)

What is the process of getting an answer from the European Commission on a valid initiative?

Once the organiser group submits a valid initiative to the European Commission, a meeting is held within 1 month between the organisers and relevant Commission representatives. The content of the initiative is discussed to ensure the Commission has a clear understanding of the objectives.

Upon submission, EU institutions as well as all national parliaments in the EU are also informed. The European Parliament will contact the organiser group to organise a public hearing.

Within 6 months the Commission issues a communication stating the measures it plans to take, if any, as well as justifications, and a timeline for implementing the measures.

Learn more on our FAQ page.

Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue / Wählen Sie Ihre Sprache (21/12/2022)

Lire le bulletin en français ici. Sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l'icône pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie hier den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie auf der neuen Seite (ganz oben) auf das Symbol, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

Goodbye 2022... (21/12/2022)

It has been another busy year for the European Citizens’ Initiative. 10 new initiatives were registered, 10 opened for signature collection and 1 successful initiative was submitted to the Commission for examination and reply. In addition, many activities took place to spread the word to citizens across the EU (for example Member State events and the formation of the ECI communicators network), and more.

As the year comes to a close, we’d like to thank everyone who has helped support the European Citizens' Initiative grow this year: the organisers – past and present – who spread their passion to help every European participate in democracy. To the supporters – who sign ECIs and share information about this right we all hold. To the teams of people behind the scenes – at the EU institutions, ECI Forum, ECI Ambassadors and partners, and those in the individual campaigns. Thank you!

We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday period, time with your loved ones, and a great start to 2023. We are gearing up for a new year filled with more successful initiatives and a common space to share updates online!

Be well and #EUTakeTheInitiative!

Hello 2023! (21/12/2022)

Looking forward to the new year, here are a few things to keep an eye out for:

- April: the Commission’s reply to ‘Save bees and farmers’ ECI

- May: Europe Day (9/5) – a great time to promote the European Citizens’ Initiative locally

- June: ECI Day (8/6) – hosted at the European Economic and Social Committee

- June: ECI presence at the European Youth Event (EYE) (9-10/6) in Strasbourg, France

This year, as required by the ECI Regulation, the Commission is carrying out a review of the functioning of the European Citizens' Initiative and will present a report to the European Parliament and the Council before the end of 2023.

In addition, ECI materials for schools and a school competition will be released progressively throughout 2023.

Stay tuned for more information on specific promotion and events in 6 focus countries: Estonia, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain and Sweden.

Status of support per Initiative – Congratulations for reaching milestones! (21/12/2022)

To be considered by the European Commission, citizens’ initiatives require 1 million valid signatures. Initiatives collecting over 1 million signatures should submit the statements of support for verification to national authorities.

Several initiatives reached the following significant milestones.

• Over 1 million:

  - Fur Free Europe

• Over 200,000:

  - Ensuring Common Commercial Policy conformity with EU Treaties and compliance with international law

• Over 50,000:

  - Good Clothes, Fair Pay

  - End the Slaughter Age

  Visit our website to learn more about all ongoing initiatives.

'Save bees and farmers!' as the subject of the first EESC opinion on a successful ECI (21/12/2022)

The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) adopted at its December plenary an own-initiative opinion on "European Citizens Initiative - Save bees and farmers", thus contributing to the ongoing interinstitutional debate on the latest successful ECI and its objectives.

Read the full EESC opinion by clicking 'more’.

Citizen survey: Share your opinion (21/12/2022)

We invite you to tell us more about your experiences with the ECI and yourself!

A short citizen survey about the European Citizens’ Initiative is live. Share your views today, in the language of your choice. The results will feed into the Commission’s review of the functioning of the ECI. Questions cover a variety of topics – from knowledge of how the ECI works to whether you have ever wanted to start a new ECI, and more.

We look forward to your feedback!

New calls for proposals published under the CERV programme! (21/12/2022)

Would your organisation be interested in receiving EU funding?

Discover the new calls for proposals under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme. For example: Call for proposals to promote civil society organisations’ awareness of, capacity building and implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights or to promote equality and to fight against racism, xenophobia and discrimination.

European Parliament hearing on the ‘Save bees and farmers’ ECI (24/01/2023)

On 24 January, the organiser group of the ‘Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment' citizens’ initiative will feature in a public hearing at the European Parliament. Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová and Commissioners Virginijus Sinkevičius and Janusz Wojciechowski, responsible, respectively, for Environment and Agriculture, will attend, alongside MEPs and experts.

You can watch the hearing live.

More information and the hyperlink to follow live will be shared in the news of the ECI homepage before the hearing starts.

New podcast episode – 3 organisers interviewed (21/12/2022)

CitizenCentral podcast has released a new episode with three European citizens’ initiative organisers, from the Netherlands, France and Denmark. They present the ideas and stories behind ‘Good Clothes, Fair Pay’, ‘Win it on the Pitch’, and ‘Stop 5G – Stay Connected but Protected’ initiatives.

Tune in and discover the podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Subscribe and share CitizenCentral podcast today!

New video about the Central Online Collection System (21/12/2022)

Check out a new video about the Central Online Collection System (COCS) - featuring Jerôme Stefanini, the IT officer responsible for the system at the Commission and ECI organisers.

Coming soon in 2023: a Guidance Note on the Central Online Collection System with information for organisers about using this collection system.

Recap of ECI Forum activities in 2022 (21/12/2022)

In 2022, the ECI Forum published 17 blog posts from ECI organisers and stakeholders! Check the most recent one on the power of civil society organisations’ support to ECIs.

The ECI Forum also conducted 7 training sessions with newly registered ECIs and presented the ECI Forum to 11 universities, reaching over 340 students.

Did you know…? Central Online Collection System (21/12/2022)

The central online collection system (COCS) becomes the sole way to collect statements of support online for initiatives registered after 1 January 2023. It is offered as a free, easy and reliable service. The European Commission has many resources for organisers to familiarise themselves with the system.

Check out the new ECI Forum video or the ECI website (click ‘more’).

Choose your language (29/11/2022)

Lire le bulletin en français ici. Sur la nouvelle page (en haut de la page) cliquez sur l'icône pour sélectionner la traduction française.

Lesen Sie hier den Newsletter auf Deutsch. Klicken Sie auf der neuen Seite (ganz oben) auf das Symbol, um die deutsche Übersetzung auszuwählen.

Click 'more' to read in your language. / Fai clic su "more" per leggere nella tua lingua. / Haga clic en 'more' para leer en su idioma. / Kliknij „more”, aby przeczytać w swoim języku. / Faceți clic pe „more” pentru a citi în limba dvs.

A kind reminder: this newsletter has automatic machine translation into 23 EU languages. Want to switch languages? Click ‘more’ and select the language of your choice at the top of the page. Thanks for keeping in mind this is machine-generated.

‘Save bees and farmers!’ organisers meet with European Commission (29/11/2022)

Organisers of the European citizens' initiative ‘Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment' met with representatives from the European Commission (Věra Jourová, Vice-President for Values and Transparency; Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and high-level officials from DG Environment, Health and Food Safety and DG Agriculture and Rural Development) on 25 November.

The organisers presented the objectives of the initiative in depth and answered questions from the Commission, after becoming the 7th successful ECI on 10 October.

The Commission will analyse the initiative and has until 7 April 2023 to present its official reply.

New Initiative registered – 'European Day of “Whatever it Takes”’ (29/11/2022)

On 22 November the Commission registered a European citizens' initiative called 'European Day of “Whatever it Takes”’.

In reference to the statement made by the former President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, on 26 July 2012, the initiative organisers call for the institutionalisation of the European Day of “Whatever it Takes” as a ‘symbolic act of pan Europeanism'. The organisers aim to mark a chapter of “EU's functional resiliency and core capabilities for institutions, nations and societies to drive progress while sailing times of multiple-crisis management”.

Open for signature collection: ‘Protect the EU’s Rural Heritage’ (29/11/2022)

Organisers of the ‘Protect the EU’s Rural Heritage, Food Security and Supply’ initiative launched their signature collection period on 2 November. They have 12 months to collect 1 million signatures.

This initiative calls on the Commission to modernise its rural commitments to food security, the supply of agriculture materials and the protection of the values and livelihoods of a rural way of life.

Closed for signatures: ‘Return the Plastics’ initiative (29/11/2022)

On 19 November the signature collection period ended for ‘ReturnthePlastics: A Citizen’s Initiative to implement an EU-wide deposit-system to recycle plastic bottles’.

Upcoming deadlines:

- The initiative ‘Call to Action – Environmental protection in all policies’ will close on 7 December.

Court judgment on the Commission communication in reply to the ECI ‘Minority SafePack’ (29/11/2022)

On 9 November, the Court of Justice of the EU confirmed that the Commission has not committed any infringements in its communication which stated that no further legislation was necessary at that stage to achieve the objectives sought by the ECI ‘Minority SafePack – one million signatures for diversity in Europe’. It dismissed the ECI organiser group’s action for annulment of that communication.

Click ‘more’ to read the press release from the Court of Justice.

eID signatures available for 3 more Member States (29/11/2022)

In the past month, three countries (Austria, Malta and Sweden) have activated the option for signature collection via the national electronic identity card (eID) system. This brings the total number of countries accepting eID to sign European citizens’ initiatives to 16.

Completing the form automatically with eID not only saves you time, but it ensures that data is correct – reducing the possibility of human error. This is important when the national authorities need to verify the 1 million+ signatures collected, before organisers can officially submit the initiative.

Citizen surveys: Share your opinion (29/11/2022)

Would you tell us more about your experiences with the ECI and yourself?

We have launched a short citizens’ survey about the European Citizens’ Initiative. Share your views today, in the language of your choice. The results will feed into the Commission’s review of the functioning of the ECI. Questions cover a variety of topics – from knowledge of how the ECI works to whether you have ever wanted to start a new ECI, and more.

We look forward to your feedback!

ECI Ambassadors Spotlight: Welcome to 4 new Ambassadors (29/11/2022)

Four organisations have joined the ECI Ambassador programme in the past weeks. Welcome to Mihnea Chirila (GEYC – Romania), Monika Slaninová (Europe Direct Banskobystrický region – Slovakia), Mario Villamor Nodal (Europe Direct Ciudad Real - Spain) and Francesco Castiglione (Europe Direct Fyrbodal - Sweden).

About joining: “As a young volunteer who enjoys meeting and working with new people from diverse backgrounds, I've grown an interest in the European space, active participation, and involving youth in the European community. Joining the ECI Ambassador programme will improve cooperation and visibility at local and European levels.” - Mihnea

The ECI Communicators Network continues to grow. Around 60 people joined the online gathering on 15 November to discuss creative ways of communicating about the ECI. Members of this network include ECI Ambassadors, National Contact Points, Europe Direct centres and partners from various EU Institutions.

Meet your ECI Ambassadors by clicking ‘more’ below.

Insider tip – messages that matter (29/11/2022)

The next time someone asks you “what can I achieve by starting or supporting an ECI?” , here is one way to respond:

“The European Citizens’ Initiative helps bring causes you care about to the EU level. You can spark debate, raise awareness and trigger policy change in the EU.”

More facts and communication tips can be found in a powerpoint presentation added to the Communication Material page in October. Find out ‘more’.

New blog posts & ideas shared on ECI Forum (29/11/2022)

Check out the new blog posts on the ECI Forum!

‘National Authorities' Take on How to Ensure Your Signatures Get Verified’ provides advice how to make sure that the maximum number of signatures collected get validated.

Read about how the organisers of an anti-animal testing ECI managed to collect over 1 million signatures in ‘Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics: We chose an ECI because it has meaning, and it has force!’.

The latest discussion threads in the Forum ‘Discuss’ section cover the topics of ideas for new ECIs, participatory democracy and the energy crisis. Discuss with your fellow citizens here and check out other blog posts by clicking ‘more’.

Online course (29/11/2022)

Interested in learning more about the process and practice of developing a successful European Citizens’ Initiative?

Click 'more' to check out the interactive online course: Essential Skills for European Citizens' Initiative Organisers.

University presentations: Learn about the ECI (29/11/2022)

Over 300 students have attended sessions organised by the ECI Forum throughout the year. ECI experts take the opportunity to discuss the potential of participatory democracy in Europe generally, and the ECI as an important tool more specifically.

Would you like us to make a presentation at your university? Contact the ECI Forum via eciforum@ecas.org.

Did you know…? From our FAQs (29/11/2022)

What happens directly after a European citizens’ initiative reaches 1 million verified signatures?

First, the organisers have 3 months’ time to deliver the encrypted statements of support to the competent national authorities. These authorities check and verify the signature thresholds have been met in a country. Within 3 months, they issue a certificate with the verified numbers for the organisers. The organisers then have a 3-month timeframe (starting when the last certificate is received) to submit their initiative to the European Commission. The signatures are not submitted, rather the certificates from the national authorities.

The submission step then launches the 6-month ‘getting an answer’ phase in which initiative organisers and the European Commission meet, and a hearing is held at the European Parliament.