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European Citizens' Initiative

Successful European citizens' initiatives – results and follow-up

Summary

Since 2012, the European Commission has formally replied to 14 European citizens’ initiatives that collected at least 1 million signatures. Find out what each initiative achieved, from cleaner drinking water to more open food safety studies and less animal testing.

The European citizens’ initiative (ECI) gives EU citizens a direct say in shaping EU laws and policies. If an initiative collects at least 1 million valid signatures from at least seven EU countries, the European Commission must reply. It explains what action it will take, or why it will not act.

Key figures

  • 136.00registered initiativesAll initiatives that were fully or partially registered
  • 25.00million signaturesSignatures collected across all registered initiatives, including those that did not reach 1 million
  • 14.00answered initiativesInitiatives that received an official reply from the European Commission

What citizens' initiatives have achieved

European citizens’ initiatives have shaped EU policy and public debate – some have already led to change, others are shaping what comes next.

  • Cleaner, safer water for everyone

    Thanks to the ‘Right2Water’ initiative, EU law now imposes higher water quality standards and improves access to safe drinking water in public places. Cities are adding fountains in parks, stations and schools, and governments are improving access for vulnerable groups – making a basic need easier to meet.

  • More transparency about what we eat

    After citizens demanded a glyphosate ban and a reform of the pesticide approval procedure, new transparency rules now require that all food safety studies submitted to EU authorities must be public – giving people the right to know on what basis approvals were granted.

  • Pressure for pesticide reduction and nature recovery

    ‘Save bees and farmers!’ helped push forward EU proposals to reduce pesticide use and restore nature. This public demand has strengthened political will to act on biodiversity and the future of farming.

  • Better access to legally available, affordable and safe abortion services

    The European Commission’s reply to ‘My Voice, My Choice’ acknowledges that unsafe abortion is a matter of public health, and underlines that Member States may, if they wish, use the European Social Fund+ to improve equal access to legally available and affordable safe abortion services.

  • Ban of harmful conversion practices to be recommended to EU Member States

    In 2027 the Commission will adopt a recommendation for EU Member States to ban conversion practices. It will do it in reaction to an initiative calling for a ban of these harmful interventions inflicted on LGBTIQ+ people.

  • Momentum to limit animal testing

    The ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative led the EU to adopt a roadmap towards phasing out animal testing for chemical safety assessments, effective 1 June 2026, to accelerate non-animal approaches while supporting innovation in science.

  • Better protection for threatened shark species

    Citizen pressure through ‘Stop Finning – Stop the Trade’ led to new customs codes that allow authorities to track the shark fin trade properly – closing loopholes and strengthening transparency, while supporting ongoing EU and international efforts to improve enforcement of rules and protection for sharks.

  • Concrete steps toward ending cage farming and fur production

    Following the ‘End the Cage Age’ and ‘Fur Free Europe’ initiatives, the EU has launched scientific reviews, field visits and legal assessments that are feeding into upcoming decisions on animal welfare.

In short

ECIs give citizens a direct hand in shaping EU law, and the results are already visible – in how we drink water, how food safety is regulated and how nature is protected. This is citizen power translated into policy.

Even when the Commission does not propose a new law, an ECI can still lead to meaningful outcomes: better enforcement of existing rules, improved monitoring, and issues being placed on the EU's policy agenda for the first time.

Detailed information on follow-up to successful ECIs

Stop Destroying Videogames

This initiative called for a requirement for publishers of videogames in the EU to leave such games in a functional (playable) state, so to prevent their remote disabling.

This initiative received a reply from the Commission on 16 June 2026.

Fur Free Europe

This initiative sought to end the use and trade of fur in the EU.

This initiative received a reply from the Commission on 7 December 2023.

Stop Finning – Stop the trade

This initiative called for ending shark finning and the international trade in shark fins.

This initiative received a reply from the Commission on 5 July 2023.

End the Cage Age

This initiative sought to phase out the use of cage systems in animal farming.

This initiative received a reply from the Commission on 30 June 2021.

Stop Vivisection

This initiative called for a shift away from animal testing towards non-animal methods.

This initiative received a reply from the Commission on 3 June 2015.

One of us

This initiative called for ending EU funding and activities that involve the destruction of human embryos in research, development aid and public health.

This initiative received a reply from the Commission on 28 May 2014.

View all answered initiatives

Your turn to make an impact

These results all started with citizens taking part. Here's how you can too.

Cover of a flyer about the European citizens' initiative highlighting the results of successful initiatives
European citizens’ initiative: From your signature to EU action!

A two-page, printable leaflet you can share or hand out, with a QR code linking to more about the ECI's impact.

  • General publications
  • 20 March 2026
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