1. European Citizens' Initiative

2. Structure 1. Basics What is a European citizens' initiative? What can be proposed as a citizens' initiative? Who can organize a citizens' initiative and how? Who can sign up to a citizens' initiative and how? 2. Ongoing initiatives 3. Sources

3. European Citizens' Initiative Since 1 April each EU citizens who is eligible to vote can influence European policy with a citizens' initiative. Since yet nine initiatives have been started. Each organization need 1 million signatures, to request the EU-commission for a bill

4. Basic facts 1. What is a European citizens' initiative? is an invitation to the European Commission to propose legislation on matters where the EU has competence to legislate has to be backed by at least one million EU citizens, coming from at least 7 out of the 27 member states

5. Basic facts 2. What can be proposed as a citizens' initiative? is possible in any field where the Commission has the power to propose legislation  for example environment, agriculture, transport or public health

6. Basic facts 3. Who can organize a citizens' initiative and how? to start a citizens' initiative, citizens must form a "citizens' committee“ the members of a citizens' committee must be EU citizens (an over 18) citizens' initiatives cannot be run by organizations organizations can promote or support initiatives provided that they do so with full transparency before starting, citizens' committee must register its initiative Is the registration confirmed, organizers have one year to collect signatures

7. Basic facts 4. Who can sign up to a citizens' initiative and how? all EU citizens (nationals of a member state) old enough to vote in the European Parliament elections (18 except in Austria, where the voting age is 16) can sign a citizens' initiative to give their support to an initiative, citizens have to fill in a specific statement of support form provided by the organizers, on paper or online

8. ongoing initiatives The first European Citizens' Initiative was registered by the Commission on symbolic Europe Day 9 th May 2012 Single Communication Tariff Act: about Roaming, supported by Martin Wittenberg und Vincent Chauvet Right to water: about the globale supply with clean drinking water Happy Cows: about animal welfare of cows Uno di noi: for a ban of human stem cells in research Let me vote: for extended voting rights of union citizens with a resident in another member state of the EU Better waste EU-wide Requirements for the Education policy End of animal experiments Protektion of human embryos in research, develpment aid, health care More mobility between the EU-states

9. sources http://www.europarl.de http://ec.europa.eu Wikipedia