Get a greater say in the policies that affect your life. The European Citizens' Initiative is a unique way for you to help shape the EU by calling on the European Commission to propose new laws. Once an initiative has reached 1 million signatures, the Commission will decide on what action to take. See how it works step by step
If you consider starting an initiative, consult the ECI Forum for legal and practical advice.
The European citizens’ initiative ‘Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures’ obtained 1,269,351 validated statements of support from EU citizens and reached minimum numbers in 8 countries. The initiative was submitted to the European Commission on 4 March 2025, making it the 11th valid initiative to be examined by the Commission.
The initiative calls for the cohesion policy of the Union to pay special attention to regions with characteristics that are different from those of the surrounding regions.
The Commission has until 4 September 2025 to present its official reply, outlining the actions it intends to take, if any. The Commission will meet the organisers to discuss the initiative in detail in the coming weeks. A public hearing will then be organised by the European Parliament.
In this 1-hour webinar, hosted by the ECI Forum, participants can learn about the different campaigning structures for ECIs, from centralised teams to coalition-based approaches. Join the experts and organisers of ongoing ECIs to learn how to optimise your initiative’s results.
Tuesday, 25 February 2025, 12.30 - 1.30 p.m.
Webinar held in English.
The European Citizens’ Initiative Forum has been restructured to better meet the needs of ECI organisers at all the steps of the process - from preparing their initiative for registration up to the verification and examination phases. The improved version of the ECI Forum facilitates users’ access to thematic guidance, success stories and expert advice. Check it out!
Check the upcoming events related to the European Citizens’ Initiative. You can also see the list of past events; for some, recordings are available.
