European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is a tool that allows EU citizens directly participate in EU policy-making and put issues that are important to them on the European agenda. This initiative gives citizens the opportunity to to start a political debate a raise awareness on common topics.

How to get involved:

• Support for existing initiatives: Citizens can sign ongoing initiativeswhich they support.
• Starting your own initiative: A group of citizens can to establish one's own initiative and after obtaining the necessary number of signatures call on the European Commission to propose new laws in areas where it has the power to act.

Basic information about ECI:

• Legal framework: The ECI is governed by EU Regulation 2019/788.
• Areas of application: Initiatives may cover areas such as the environment, consumer protection, agriculture, fisheries, energy, transport and trade.
• Who can sign the initiative: Every EU citizen who has suffrage to the European Parliament, can sign the initiative. It is not necessary to be registered as a voter, just to be of voting age.
  • Commission supports lowering the minimum age to 16 years for supporting the initiative.
• Who can organize an initiative: The initiative can be founded at least seven EU citizens from at least seven different Member States who are entitled to vote in the European Parliament.

How to support the initiative:

• Support is possible online or on paper.
• It is necessary to provide data such as name, surname, nationality and date of birth or identification number and address.
• Online signatures are protected high safety standards.
• The data is processed in accordance with the GDPR regulation.

How to organize an initiative:

1. Group creation: Creating a group at least seven EU citizens from at least seven different Member States who have the right to vote.
2. Initiative registration: Applying for registration on the ECI website and providing information about the initiative a organizers.
3. Collection of signatures: Obtaining at least 1 million verified signatures with minimum numbers in at least seven Member States.
4. Signature verification: Submission of signatures for verification by the competent national authorities.
5. Submitting an initiative: Submission of the initiative and verified certificates to the commission.
6. Commission response: The Commission has 6 months to examine the initiative and send a response.

Important aspects:

• The initiatives must be in areas where the Commission has power to propose laws.
• Initiatives must not be abusive, frivolous or contrary to EU values.
• The Commission may take the initiative register, partially register or refuse registration.
• After successful registration, the Commission took the initiative translated into all official EU languages.

Successful examples of initiatives:

• Right2Water: Contributed to the revision of the Drinking Water Directive, which guarantees access to safe drinking water for all Europeans.
• Ban glyphosate: Led to acceptance Act on the transparency and sustainability of risk assessment in the food chain.
• Stop Finning – Stop the Trade: Led to preparing an impact assessment to ban the import, export and transit of loose shark fins.
• Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics: It prompted the Commission to action to accelerate the reduction of animal testing.

Other sources of information:

• European Citizens' Initiative website:
• European Citizens' Initiative Forum:
• Newsletter:
• Europe Direct:

ECI is a powerful tool for EU citizenswho want to influence EU policies and contribute to building a better Europe. Spring