Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Report on the application of Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 on the citizens’ initiative

The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is one of the major innovations introduced by the Lisbon Treaty and aims at involving citizens more closely in agenda-setting at EU level. One of the main benefits of this tool resides in forging links with like-minded people across the continent, facilitating pan-European debates on issues that are clearly close to citizens' concerns. An estimated 6 million statements of support have already been collected by organisers of citizens' initiatives for their various causes, while 10% of the registered initiatives managed to reach the 1 million threshold.

The ECI allows citizens to connect directly with EU institutions to discuss key issues at European level. This aims to further strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the Union. The Commission attaches utmost importance to the ECI and is fully committed to making this instrument work, so that it can fully achieve its potential.

The rules and procedures concerning the citizens' initiative are set out in Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 which was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in February 2011 and entered into effect on 1 April 2012. All Member States have implemented the Regulation. Article 22 of the Regulation foresees that by 1 April 2015, and every three years thereafter, the Commission shall present a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the application of this Regulation.

The Commission's analysis, as outlined in this report, is supported by the ongoing feedback received from stakeholders, including organisers of citizens' initiatives, directly or via the Ombudsman's own-initiative inquiry, the European Parliament's study, various publications, conferences etc. It also takes into account information and views gathered from Member States via the Commission's expert group on the citizens' initiative.

EUR-Lex: COM(2015)145: Follow the progress of this report through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2015:145:FIN

ESO: Background information: Giving Citizens a Say: Commission Report on European Citizens' Initiatives http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-giving-citizens-a-say-commission-report-on-european-citizens-initiatives/

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