
With the start of the 2024-2029 European parliamentary term on 16 July 2024, the revised Annex I to the ECI Regulation became applicable. It sets out new minimum numbers of signatories per Member State (‘thresholds’). These thresholds are linked to the number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). As the number of MEPs increased from 705 to 720 in the new term, the thresholds increased as well. For an ECI to be examined by the European Commission, it must collect at least one million valid signatures and obtain these minimum numbers of valid signatures in at least seven EU countries.
These new minimum numbers apply to ECIs registered by the Commission on or after 16 July 2024. The new minimum numbers do not apply to ECIs registered before 16 July 2024 for which the previous thresholds continue to apply.