European Citizens’ Initiative

The Commission registered two new citizens’ initiatives on 11 September.

ECI for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe aims to create an action plan for water by elevating water resilience to the same priority as decarbonisation. The organisers focus on water-efficient industry and agriculture, skills for a water-smart economy and the right to clean and safe water and sanitation.

The PsychedeliCare initiative was also registered on 11 September. It calls on the Commission to foster equitable, timely, affordable, safe, and legal access to innovative psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Both initiatives will be available to support within the next 6 months.

On 21 September, the initiative ‘Stop Fake Food: origin on the label’ started collecting signatures. Organisers call for measures that ensure European consumers’ access to transparent information about the food they buy, as well as clear and explicit labelling of the origin for all products.

‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’ started collecting signatures on 24 September. Organisers ask for incentives for producing plant proteins, including plant-based milk and egg substitutes, as well as cultivated meat.

You can check all initiatives collecting signatures on the ECI website.

On 17 September, the European Commission published a call for evidence on animal testing in chemical safety assessments and its roadmap to phase it out.

The development this roadmap is one of the commitments made by the European Commission in response to the ECI ‘Save Cruelty-Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without animal testing’. The roadmap should include milestones and specific actions to further reduce animal testing and ultimately transition to an animal-free regulatory system under relevant pieces of chemical legislation.

In addition, outreach to stakeholders continues through a series of workshops (in December 2023, October 2024 and May 2025).

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The survey takes less than 5 minutes and is available in all EU languages.

Are you passionate about making your voice heard in EU policy making? Join us for an engaging one-hour webinar where we’ll explore the ECI, a powerful agenda setting tool for citizens.

Discover how the ECI differs from other EU democratic tools like citizens’ assemblies and petitions. Hear from experts about how these mechanisms work and learn from an ECI organiser who has successfully launched their initiative.

The European Commission is hosting a European Citizens’ Initiative stand at the European Week of Regions and Cities from 8 to 10 October in Brussels.

The ECI is an interesting way to ‘level up’ action for citizens who are already active at local or regional level. Stop by to find out how regional authorities can empower citizens in their area to be active in the EU.

Check out the full programme.

On 4 October 2024, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will hold a debate on "The European Citizens’ Initiative – State of play in Croatia". The objective of the debate is to listen to and discuss with local stakeholders their experience, views and ideas, especially on the visibility of and awareness about the ECI in Croatia.

Timing: 09:30-12:00

Head over to the Commission’s ‘Communication Materials’ page to access the latest resources for spreading the word about the ECI. The new ‘ECI Advocacy Handbook’ summarises the resources available to get started and sample messages. There are also new images for social media and a new comedy quiz.

The page, as well as the resources, is available in all official EU languages. You can change your language next to the search bar.

Speaking of spreading the word – two ECI Ambassadors, who also work at Europe Direct Centres in Malta and Slovakia, recently presented their work on the ECI at a webinar for their peers. Leanne (from ED Valetta) and Monika (from ED Banskobystrický región) spoke about how they have incorporated information about the ECI into their daily work with students, researchers, festivalgoers, and all people they encounter.

Thank you for helping make the ECI better known!

Over the summer, several new ECI Ambassadors joined our network. We asked the European Youth Parliament (EYP) in Austria to share more about their work and why they help promote the ECI.

“EYP Austria is dedicated to empowering young people to become active and engaged citizens within Europe. Our goal is to foster a sense of European identity and encourage youth participation in democratic processes. The ECI aligns perfectly with our mission by providing a tangible tool for citizens to directly influence EU policy. We have integrated information about the ECI into our events and workshops and we share updates, success stories, and calls to action on our social media. We've developed user-friendly materials and interactive sessions that demystify the ECI process. Being an ECI Ambassador allows us to further embody our commitment to empowering young people to become informed and engaged citizens.”

You can meet EYP Austria and Europe Direct Carinthia, who are also ECI Ambassadors, in person at the Vienna Book Fair, 20-24 November.

Meet all the ECI Ambassadors.

Are you planning to launch a European Citizens' Initiative?

The ECI Forum offers a free online course, "Essential Skills for European Citizens’ Initiative Organisers". Learn from experts on how to get your initiative registered and successfully collect one million signatures for your ECI. Check out the course.

At the ‘Summer Academy’ in Germany, the ECI Forum team highlighted the power of the European Citizens’ Initiative as a tool for EU-level citizen participation, empowering participants to propose legislative change.

Check out the new ideas proposed by the participants during the ECI simulation.

Learn more about how real-time bus information could enhance public transport across the EU by reading the ECI Forum’s latest blog. It features an interview with Lucas Lehmann, the representative of the ‘EU Live Bus Stop Info’ ECI.

Did you know that your right to take part in the ECI is just one of many rights you have as an EU citizen? Follow the latest updates on how the European Commission is working to ensure the rights of EU citizens and consumers on this LinkedIn page.