Brussels, 29/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), which was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty and whose operating rules were set out in a regulation approved by the Council and the European Parliament (EP) in December 2010 (see EUROPE 10268) will only achieve its aim of giving the citizens of Europe the opportunity to become directly involved in determining EU policy if member states and the European Commission put it into operation positively and in a non-bureaucratic way, states MEP Gerald Häfner (Greens/EFA, Germany). Member states have until 1st April 2012 to transpose the regulation and put in place the administrative system for handling and managing ECI submissions, such as checking the one million signatures required. “In some countries, implementation is not being carried out in a satisfactory way, in others, work has not even begun”, Häfner says. The problem, he explains, is that national administrations, “often more apprehensive than courageous”, with no experience of ECI and sometimes hostile to the very principle of increased people participation, can tend to have an overly bureaucratic and closed attitude towards ECIs. Some countries, and here he specifically mentions Austria, go beyond what is required by the regulation, for example, on checking the identity of signatories (who generally have to provide their names, addresses and dates of birth, but some countries also require their identity card number). But the whole point of the ECI is to connect citizens with the EU and give them the opportunity to launch European debates on issues close to their hearts.
Call to Commission for round table. Häfner is proposing, then, that a round table discussion be organised, bringing together national administrations, the Commission, experts, NGOs, representatives of civil society and the EP to ensure simple, non-bureaucratic and uniform implementation of citizens' initiatives in all 27 member states. He also launched a call to the Commission which will have a key role to play in the admission procedure for initiatives. When an ECI is registered, the Commission can throw it out if it does not fall within its area of responsibility, if it clearly runs counter to the fundamental democratic values of the EU or if it is clearly improper, outrageous or frivolous. However, the Commission is required to accept any initiative the basis for which is not clear in the treaty or for which legal competence is debatable. “Much will depend on how the Commission elects to use the discretionary powers it has in deciding whether or not an initiative is admissible. I call on the Commission to use these powers to the benefit of citizens”, Häfner said.
Conference, launch of website. The Greens/EFA Group in the EP held a conference in Brussels on Wednesday 29 June, bringing together citizens and representatives of movements and/or NGOs preparing or thinking of launching ECIs in 2012. More information on the initiatives under preparation can be found on the new Greens/EFA site devoted exclusively to ECIs: http://www.eci-greens-efa.net (H.B./transl.rt)