The Citizens’ Committee behind the proposal for the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Minority SafePack” will have had to wait four months, but on 3 April 2017 it is expected to win its case when it is judged by the General Court of the EU. On 29 March, the College of Commissioners agreed to register their citizens’ initiative in favour of cultural and linguistic diversity.
This initiative still needs the backing of 1 million signatures from at least 7 different member states to be examined by the Commission. It was submitted on 15 July 2013, with an annex indicating the areas in which the draft acts were expected. The Commission, however, refused to register this proposal because “the proposed initiative fell manifestly outside the framework of the Commission’s powers” that could allow the Commission to submit a proposal for the adoption of a legal act of the EU for the purpose of applying the Union treaties. At the beginning of February 2017, the General Court of the European Union, however, delivered a judgement annulling the Commission decision because the reason given for rejecting the registration of the proposal is clearly insufficient.
In this context, the Commission announced that it would register the said initiative on 3 April in 9 of the 11 areas proposed: protection and promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity; financing programmes; setting up a linguistic diversity centre; regional funds; “Horizon 2020”; almost equal treatment between stateless citizens and those of the Union; an internal copyright market; free provision of services; the reception of audiovisual content in regions where national minorities reside; and an exemption per category of projects promoting national minorities and their culture. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)