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.

The Commission has today decided on the partial registration of a European Citizens' Initiative on tackling wage and economic inequality, concerning legal acts within its competences.

The European Commission has today decided to make a partial registration of a European Citizens' Initiative which invites the Commission to propose "Legal acts that clearly demonstrate the EU's intention to eliminate wage inequalities between Member States and which - to achieve this objective - allow for a more efficient cohesion of these states". The formal registration of this Initiative on 22 May 2017 will start a one-year process of collection of signatures of support by its organisers.

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative 'Let us reduce the wage and economic differences that tear the EU apart!' concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed the substance at this stage. The Commission's Decision makes clear for which kind of legal acts signatures may be collected, dependent on the competences set out in the Treaties.

General court ruling concerning ECI 'STOP TTIP'

General court ruling concerning ECI 'Ethic for animals and kids'

The European Commission has today decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative inviting the Commission "to improve the protection of persons belonging to national and linguistic minorities and strengthen cultural and linguistic diversity in the Union".

This registration follows an initial Commission Decision to refuse to register the 'Minority Safepack' Initiative on 13 September 2013, which was annulled by the General Court of the European Union on 3 February 2017. The Commission has reassessed the proposed Initiative, which requests proposals for 11 legal acts. Further details of the proposed acts can be found in the Annex.

While 2 of the 11 acts manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission's power to propose legislation , 9 of them do not. Statements of support may therefore be collected on the basis of these 9 proposals.

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative 'Minority SafePack – one million signatures for diversity in Europe' concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The Commission has not analysed the substance at this stage.