WIREDGOV

The European Commission has yesterday registered a 'More than Education' European Citizens' Initiative.

The European Commission has yesterday registered a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) inviting the Commission to propose "a set of incentive measures, including support and monitoring, to develop citizenship education in curricula on all levels of formal education throughout Europe, aimed at shaping democratic citizens". This registration starts a one-year process of collection of signatures in support of the proposed European Citizens' Initiative by its organisers.

The Commission's decision to register the Initiative concerns only the legal admissibility of the proposal. The conditions for admissibility, as foreseen by the European Citizens' Initiative Regulation, 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.

The Commission concluded yesterday that the legal conditions for the registration of the European Citizens' Initiative were fulfilled. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the initiative at this stage.

Should the European Citizens' Initiative receive one million statements of support within one year, from at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to react within three months. The Commission can decide either to follow the request or not follow the request and in both instances would be required to explain its reasoning.

Background

European Citizens' Initiatives were introduced with the Lisbon Treaty and launched as an agenda-setting tool in the hands of citizens in April 2012, upon the entry into force of the European Citizens' Initiative Regulation which implements the Treaty provisions.

Once formally registered, a European Citizens' Initiative allows one million citizens from at least one quarter of EU Member States to invite the European Commission to propose a legal act in areas where the Commission has the power to do so.

If – and only if – a registered European Citizens' Initiative receives the signatures of one million validated statements of support from at least seven Member States, the Commission must decide whether or not it would act, and explain the reasons for that choice.

For more information

Full text of the proposed 'More than Education' ECI

European Citizens' Initiative Organisers' Website

Other European Citizens' Initiatives currently collecting signatures

European Citizens' Initiative website

European Citizens' Initiative Regulation