Tag: European Citizens Initiative

Stakeholders are stepping up their preparations for the launch next year of the European Citizens' Initiative, the EU's first attempt at cross-border direct democracy. But the lack of funding and progress made on putting in place national systems to manage the tool is threatening to delay the first petitions, which are slated for registration from 1 April.

The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is the EU's foremost instrument of direct democracy and the first of its kind in a transnational context. Introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, will be used from 1 April 2012.

Europe must respect "difficult times" by adopting a budget that reflects austerity measures being introduced by national governments, European Parliament Vice-President Diana Wallis told EurActiv Slovakia in a wide-ranging interview. 

The Belgian EU Presidency wants to secure an inter-institutional deal on implementing the European Citizens' Initiative by December, Belgian State Secretary for European Affairs Olivier Chastel said on Tuesday (20 July), highlighting admissibility criteria and the degree of cross-national support as the most controversial issues.