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The European Commission published today its response to the European citizens' initiative Cohesion policy for the equality of the regions and sustainability of the regional cultures, the eleventh successful initiative supported by over 1 million citizens across the EU. The initiative collected over 1.2 million valid signatures and reached required thresholds in 8 Member States.

Read the Commission communication.

On 1 September 2025, the European citizens' initiative ‘My Voice, My Choice: For Safe And Accessible Abortion' was submitted to the European Commission, making it the 12th successful initiative that will be examined by the Commission. The initiative has obtained 1,124,513 valid statements of support from EU citizens, surpassing the required minimum of one million valid statements of support and reaching thresholds in 19 Member States.

The organisers of the initiative call on the Commission to submit a proposal for financial support to Member States that would enable them to perform safe termination of pregnancies for anyone in Europe who lacks access to safe and legal abortion.

The Commission has until 2 March 2026 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 its reply to the ‘Fur Free Europe’ initiative, presented in December 2023, the Commission tasked the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to provide a scientific opinion on the welfare of animals farmed for fur. The EFSA opinion was published on 30 July 2025. Building further on this scientific input, and on an assessment of economic and social impacts, the Commission will communicate on the most appropriate follow-up action on the initiative by March 2026. 

On 16 July the Commission registered a European citizens' initiative entitled ‘Save your right, Save your flight!’.

It calls for the reversal of changes that undermine passenger's rights and the preservation of the ‘current compensation eligibility thresholds' for air passengers.

The initiative organisers have six months to open the signature collection.

On 8 July the Commission registered a European citizens' initiative entitled ‘Food is a Human Right for All! Guaranteeing healthy, just and sustainable food systems'.

It calls on the Commission to propose or amend legislation in various areas, with the aim of ‘making the right to food a reality’ and integrating it into the EU legal framework that impacts the right to food.

The initiative organisers have six months to open the signature collection.  

As of 1 July 2025, the legal age to sign a European citizens’ initiative in Finland was lowered to 16.  It is now possible to sign an initiative below the age of 18 in 7 EU countries. See data requirements for each country. 

Following the public hearing on the European citizens’ initiative ‘Cohesion Policy for the Equality of the Regions and Sustainability of the Regional Cultures' held on 25 June 2025, the Members of the European Parliament will debate on this eleventh successful initiative in the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on Thursday 10 July morning.

The plenary session is webstreamed and recorded.

Cypriot citizens can now use eID (CyEID) to support European citizens' initiatives online. Cyprus is the 20th EU country enabling the use of a national eID system for signing European citizens' initiatives. Check the status for all EU countries. 

The European Parliament will hold a public hearing on the eleventh successful European Citizens’ Initiative ‘Cohesion Policy for the Equality of the Regions and Sustainability of the Regional Cultures’ on 25 June at 2.30 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 web streamed and recorded.

On 5 June 2025, the Court of Justice dismissed the appeal against the General Court’s judgment of 9 November 2022 (case T-158/21), in which the General Court rejected the request of the organisers of the 'Minority SafePack' initiative to annul the Commission Communication replying to that initiative. The Court of Justice thus upheld the judgment of the General Court.