Be the first to comment!Buzek signs the European Citizens’ Initiative into law
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Following today’s official signing of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek stated, “Today we are a step closer in putting flesh to the spirit of the Lisbon Treaty: to create a participatory, inclusive and transparent EU for citizens.”
“I am convinced that the ECI will help civil society in engaging in truly European debates on how the EU can help improving their daily lives in practice.”
“One million signatures are needed, which is only 0,2 percent of our citizens, to invite the European Commission to act in matters that concern them directly. It allows them to be heard.”
“This legal instrument will establish another direct link between the citizens and the Union’s institutions, bridging the gap between them. The Citizens’ Initiative will constitute a unique exercise in democracy on an EU-wide scale.”
“Today, we sign the European Citizens’ Initiative into law. Soon, I hope, I will sign the first piece of legislation stemming from a direct demand of one million plus Europeans.”
During the signing ceremony, President Buzek thanked in particular the Belgian and Hungarian Presidencies of the Council, the European Commission, the Chairs from the AFCO and PETI Committees, Carlo Casini and Erminia Mazzoni, the four rapporteurs – Alain Lamassoure, Zita Gurmai, Diana Wallis and Gerald Häfner, as well as many other Members involved as shadow rapporteurs.
The European Citizens’ Initiative will allow EU citizens to ask the Commission to bring forward a legislative proposal if the signatories of an initiative number at least one million and come from a significant number of member states, if the proposed initiative falls within an area of EU competence and is in line with the Union’s values.
The required “significant number” of member states is defined as at least one quarter of EU members. The required minimum numbers of signatures from each member state amounts to the number of Members of the European Parliament elected in each member state multiplied by 750.
