Communication from the Commission on the European Citizens’ Initiative ‘One of us’

The European Citizens' Initiative, introduced by the Lisbon Treaty to encourage a greater democratic involvement of citizens in European affairs, allows one million citizens of the European Union (EU), coming from at least seven Member States, to call on the European Commission to propose legislation on matters of EU competence. Complete information on this new legal instrument and on all initiatives launched to date can be found in the Official Register on the European Citizens' Initiative.

"One of Us" is the second European Citizens' Initiative to have met the requirements set out in the Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on the citizens' Initiative. It was officially submitted to the Commission by its organisers on 28 February 2014, having received the support of more than 1.7 million citizens with thresholds reached in 18 Member States.

In line with the provisions of the Regulation on the citizens' Initiative, the Commission has three months within which to present its response in a Communication setting out "its legal and political conclusions on the Initiative, the action it intends to take, if any, and its reasons for taking or not taking that action".

The Commission received the organisers on 9 April 2014; on 10 April, the organisers were given the opportunity to present their Initiative at a public hearing organised by the Commission and European Parliament at the European Parliament. Annex I provides further information on the procedural aspects of the citizens' Initiative.

The subject matter of the "One of Us" Initiative concerns the "juridical protection of the dignity, the right to life and of the integrity of every human being from conception in the areas of EU competence in which such protection is of particular importance".

Under the main objectives the organisers state that "the human embryo deserves respect to its dignity and integrity. This is enounced by the European Court of Justice in the Brüstle case, which defines the human embryo as the beginning of the development of the human being. To ensure consistency in areas of its competence where the life of the human embryo is at stake, the EU should establish a ban and end the financing of activities which presuppose the destruction of human embryos, in particular in the areas of research, development aid and public health".

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)355: Follow the progress of this communication through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:355:FIN

ESO: Background information: Commission meets with organisers of European Citizens' Initiative 'One of us' http://www.europeansources.info/record/statement-commission-meets-with-organisers-of-european-citizens-initiative-one-of-us/

ESO: Background information: European Citizens' Initiative: European Commission replies to 'One of Us' http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-citizens-initiative-european-commission-replies-to-one-of-us/

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