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European Citizens' Initiative

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European Parliament
  • 24/03/2023
Public hearing on ‘Stop Finning – Stop the trade’ ECI on 27 March 2023

The European Parliament will hold a public hearing on the eighth successful European Citizens’ Initiative Stop Finning – Stop the trade on 27 March from 3.00 to 6.00 p.m. The organisers will present the initiative's objectives and engage with Members of the European Parliament. European Commission's representatives will also participate.

The meeting is webstreamed and recorded.

New initiative registered
  • 22/03/2023
New initiative registered: ‘End The Horse Slaughter Age’

On 22 March the Commission registered a European citizens' initiative entitled ‘End The Horse Slaughter Age’.

It calls for new laws to ban the slaughter of horses, stop long-distance transportation of horses across Europe for slaughter and to protect horses from being compelled to do excess work or hard training.

This is the third initiative registered in 2023. Its organisers have six months now to choose the moment to start the collection of support.

logo Save cruelty free cosmetics
  • 17/03/2023
The European Commission receives the organisers of the 'Save cruelty free cosmetics - Commit to a Europe without animal testing' initiative

On 17 March 2023, the organisers of the ninth successful European Citizens’ Initiative ‘SAVE CRUELTY FREE COSMETICS - COMMIT TO A EUROPE WITHOUT ANIMAL TESTING’  met with Vera Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Values and Transparency, and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, to present the objectives of their initiative in more depth. 

European Parliament
  • 14/03/2023
Debate on the ‘Save Bees and Farmers’ European citizens’ initiative in the plenary session of the European Parliament on 16 March

Members of the European Parliament will debate on the seventh successful European citizens’ initiative "Save bees and farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment" in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on Thursday 16 March at 9.00.

The plenary session is webstreamed and recorded.

New initiative registered
  • 22/02/2023
New initiative registered: ‘Ensuring a dignified reception of migrants in Europe'

On 22 February the Commission registered a European citizens' initiative titled ‘Ensuring a dignified reception of migrants in Europe'

It calls for developing a new system for the distribution of asylum seekers throughout the EU, based on their free will, while ensuring effective solidarity between Member States. It also calls for binding reception standards guaranteeing dignified living conditions for asylum seekers across the EU, for example in terms of food, health, housing, education and work.

This is the second initiative registered in 2023. Its organisers have six months now to choose the moment to start the collection of support.

IT developments
  • 17/02/2023
14 March 2023: ECI Forum webinar 'Collecting Signatures Online - What you need to know about the Central Online Collection System'

This webinar will provide current and potential ECI organisers with practical information and guidance on collecting signatures online for European citizens’ initiatives, with a focus on the Central Online Collection System.

It will feature a Commission’s IT expert and an organiser of a successful citizens’ initiative.

More information and registration for this webinar (held on 14 March, in English only)  can be found on the ECI Forum.

Initiative submitted to the EC
  • 26/01/2023
Successful ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ ECI submitted to the European Commission for examination

‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without animal testing’ initiative has reached 1,217,916 validated statements of support from EU citizens, with thresholds attained in 21 countries and was submitted to the European Commission for examination on 25 January 2023. It has become the ninth successful European Citizens' Initiative (ECI).

The initiative calls on the Commission to initiate legislation, strengthen and broaden the existing EU bans on animal testing for cosmetics and the marketing of ingredients tested on animals, as well as to adopt a legislative proposal setting out a roadmap to phase out all animal testing before the end of Commission’s current mandate.

The Commission will meet its organisers to discuss the initiative in detail in the next weeks. A public hearing will then be organised by the European Parliament. The Commission has until 25 July 2023 to present its official reply, outlining the actions it intends to take.

Policy updates
  • 25/01/2023
Commission addresses concerns of successful 'Save Bees and Farmers!' ECI in 'A New Deal for Pollinators'

On 24 January, the European Commission presented 'A New Deal for Pollinators' to tackle the alarming decline in wild pollinating insects in Europe, revising the 2018 EU Pollinators Initiative. Citizens have been increasingly calling for decisive action against pollinator loss, also through the recent successful European Citizens' Initiative ‘Save Bees and Farmers'. 

European Parliament
  • 20/01/2023
Public hearing on ‘Save Bees and Farmers’ ECI on 24 January 2023

The European Parliament will hold a public hearing on the seventh successful European Citizens’ Initiative Save Bees and Farmers! Towards a bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment on 24 January from 2.30 to 6.30 p.m. The organisers will present the initiative's objectives and engage with Members of the European Parliament. European Commission's representatives will also participate.

The meeting is webstreamed.

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