Brussels, 15/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament is sticking to its position and demanding that the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) become an instrument that is easy-to-use and accessible to all. To this end, MEPs would like to amend the political agreement of the Council adopted on 14 June on the regulation for implementing the ECI. The main concern of the 4 rapporteurs - Alain Lamassoure (EPP), Zita Gurmai (S&D), Diana Wallis (ALDE) and Gerald Heffner (Greens/EFA) - is to simplify the procedure. Gurmai informed the constitutional affairs committee (where the draft report was presented last week) that, “all four of us have a simple objective, to ensure that there are as many citizens' initiatives as possible”. The committee vote is due to take place on 30 November. The Council and the EP would then like to reach an agreement in the first reading this December. The draft report intends to introduce the following amendments to the Council text:
Admissibility of an initiative. The rapporteurs consider that the admissibility of an initiative should be verified by registration on the Commission site and not after the required100,000 signatures have been obtained, as sought by the Council (the Commission had even proposed 300,000 signatures). Carrying out this test earlier, as soon as registration, would help prevent citizens losing time and energy collecting thousands of signatures, without knowing whether the initiative will be deemed admissible. The rapporteurs suggest that criteria to fulfil in order for the Commission to accept an initiative would include: - the proposed ECI not being manifestly contrary to the values of the EU; - the initiative focusing on an area for which the Commission, according to the treaty, has a remit for introducing legislative proposals; - the ECI not being manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious; - the organisers of the initiative setting up a citizens' committee consisting of at least seven members from seven member states and appointing contact persons. Verification of admissibility by the Commission would therefore be an administrative not a political act, as feared by certain MEPs. In the event of a draft initiative being refused, the Commission will be obliged to explain its reason for rejection.
Collection of signatures. The rapporteurs are not opposed to the 1,000,000 signature threshold required for a successful citizens' initiative but they believe that these signatures should come from a fifth (20%) and not a third of member states (which is currently the case - nine countries) as proposed by the Council. MEPs also want young people to be granted authorisation for supporting an initiative from the age of 16. (H.B./transl.fl)