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The College of Commissioners has today decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative entitled 'Stop starvation for 8% of the European population!'.

The stated objectives of the proposed Citizens' Initiative include "to prompt governments to embrace the hunger problem" and to "emphasize the responsibility of governments to eradicate the problem." The organisers of the Initiative have set out a detailed list of actions where they call on the Commission to make legislative proposals. These range from the creation of a food stamp programme to a reform of agricultural derivatives markets, and a new classification system for food waste with associated targets and processing rules.

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed the substance at this stage.

General court ruling concerning ECI 'One of Us'

The College of Commissioners today decided not to register a proposed citizens' initiative, from a group of non-British EU citizens, entitled: "British friends – stay with us in the EU", whose stated objective is "to create a platform which would enable all European citizens to take part in this initiative and to reach a majority of British Citizens... thereby giving to all British citizens an opportunity to voice their opinion." No further information was provided about the legislative tool which could potentially support this initiative, and enable EU citizens outside the UK to overturn the sovereign Brexit decision by the British people or compel them to change their minds. The conditions for admissibility of a European Citizens' Initiative are that the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission's powers to submit a proposal for a legal act, that it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and that it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union. While the Commission regrets the decision of the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union, there is no legal basis in the Treaties which would allow for the adoption of an EU legal act challenging or overturning the UK's decision to withdraw from the Union. As such, the College has no legal basis to register this proposed Initiative.

The European Commission has today decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative entitled 'We are a welcoming Europe, let us help!' which states: "Governments are struggling to handle migration. Most of us want to help people in need because we care. Millions have stood up to help. Now we want to be heard. Let's reclaim a Welcoming Europe! We call upon the European Commission to act." The organisers call on the Commission to "support local groups that help refugees… stop governments punishing volunteers… defend victims of exploitation, crime and human rights abuses" (see Annex).

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed the substance at this stage.

The European Commission has adopted the Communication in response to the fourth successful European Citizens' Initiative, "Ban glyphosate" and announces more transparency in scientific assessments.

In responding to the European Citizens' Initiative, the European Commission addresses the concerns of EU citizens and announces measures to make the process to authorise, restrict or ban the use of pesticides more transparent in the future.

Today's Communication sets out the way forward:

• In replying to the Citizens' Initiative, it provides a detailed explanation of EU rules on pesticides;
• It announces a legislative proposal for spring 2018 to enhance the transparency, quality and independence of scientific assessments of substances, such as public access to raw data, and;
• It announces future amendments to the legislation to strengthen the governance of the conduct of relevant studies, which could include for example the involvement of public authorities in the process of deciding which studies need to be conducted for a specific case.

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: "It's great that well over a million EU citizens have invested their time to engage directly on an issue that matters. The Commission has listened and will now act. We need more transparency about how decisions are made in this area. Next spring the Commission will also deliver proposals on drinking water we promised in response to another successful Initiative. In sum, I am a strong supporter of the right of citizens to engage in this manner and am pressing the Parliament and Council to make speedy progress on our proposals to make it easier for European Citizens' Initiatives to be successful in the future."

Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said: "From the beginning of my mandate I have been a strong supporter of increased transparency in decision-making as well as in the terms of access to the scientific studies underlying the approval of active substances. I will put forward a proposal to address these issues by spring 2018. However it is equally important that Member States assume their responsibility when it comes to the authorisation of pesticides in their own markets. They must also ensure that pesticides are used sustainably and in full compliance with label requirements. Transparency, independence, and sustainable use of pesticides are our objectives. They should underpin our work and this is where my focus will be".

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Commissioner for Health & Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis received the organisers of the 'Stop Glyphosate' European Citizens' Initiative, after they collected and submitted to the Commission over 1 million signatures in support of their Initiative. This is the 4th successful European Citizens' Initiative so far. The 'Stop Glyphosate' Initiative calls on the European Commission "to propose to member states a ban on glyphosate, to reform the pesticide approval procedure, and to set EU-wide mandatory reduction targets for pesticide use". In line with the Citizens' Initiative regulation, the Commission has invited the organisers to Brussels to present their ideas in more depth. A public hearing will also be arranged in the European Parliament to allow all stakeholders to present their views, and then the Commission will decide, within 3 months of submission of the Initiative, whether to act by proposing legislation, act in some other way to achieve the goals of the Initiative, or not act at all; all three options are possible under Article 11(4) of the Treaty of the European Union. In all cases, the Commission will present a Communication explaining its reasoning.

The European Commission has officially received this morning the submission of the 4th successful European Citizens' Initiative. By supporting the 'Ban glyphosate and protect people and the environment from toxic pesticides' European Citizens' Initiative, over 1 million citizens from at least 7 Member States have called on the European Commission "to propose to Member States a ban on glyphosate, to reform the pesticide approval procedure, and to set EU-wide mandatory reduction targets for pesticide use".

A total of 1,070,865 statements of support have been received from 22 Member States so far, and have been checked and validated by national authorities. The European Commission will now invite the organisers within the next 3 months to present their ideas in more depth. A public hearing will be arranged in the European Parliament to allow all stakeholders to present their views, and then the Commission will decide whether to act by proposing legislation, act in some other way to achieve the goals of the Initiative, or not act at all; all three options are possible under Article 11(4) of the Treaty of the European Union. After having listened to stakeholders, the Commission will present a Communication explaining its reasoning.

Judgement of the court (Grand Chamber) concerning ECI 'One million signatures for a Europe of solidarity' 

The European Commission has today decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative inviting the Commission "to recommend to the Council to repeal the negotiating mandate for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and not to conclude the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)" ('STOP TTIP' Initiative). The formal registration of this Initiative on 10 July 2017 will start a one-year process of collection of signatures of support by its organisers.

This registration follows an initial Commission Decision to refuse to register the 'Stop TTIP' Initiative on 10 September 2014, which was annulled by the General Court of the European Union on 10 May 2017. The Commission has decided not to appeal the judgment.

The Commission has reassessed the proposed Initiative, which was originally submitted in July 2014, and decided to register it. However, the request for a proposal not to sign CETA has now become devoid of purpose, since it was signed on 30 October 2016. Signatures of support for this Citizens' Initiative may therefore be collected on the understanding that they aim for other legal acts.

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed the substance at this stage.

The Commission has today decided on the partial registration of a European Citizens' Initiative entitled "Stop Extremism" inviting the Commission to "propose legislation in order to prevent the adverse consequences of extremism, above all for the Internal Market".

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed its substance at this stage. The Commission's Decision, however, makes clear that the signatures for the Initiative should be collected only as regards proposals which are in line with the competences set out in the Treaties.