Participatory democracy Archives

EXCLUSIVE / The British government has warned European lawmakers that a bid by conservative Christian groups to ban EU funding for activities linked to abortion or the destruction of human embryos could obstruct life-saving operations in the developing world, in a briefing note seen by EURACTIV.

The European Union's executive pledged on Wednesday (19 March) to improve access to clean water across the region, responding to a 1.9-million-strong petition from citizens demanding recognition of their right to water.

The Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR) announced on Thursday (20 February) that they would not put forward a candidate for the European Commission presidency, calling the parties’ initiative for single candidates “an old 1950-style vision”.

The European Parliament launched the debate yesterday (17 February) on the first successful European citizens’ initiative, on the right to water. While MEPs largely expressed support for its main aim, they were divided on whether water services should be private or public.

Starting in February, Malta is planning to sell EU passports to foreigners, but a European Parliament vote on Thursday (16 January) is unlikely to overturn the decision, as the country has a long track-record of handing out citizenship for a price, EURACTIV Germany reports.

A Greek think tank yesterday (16 December) launched the first European Citizens’ Initiative which aims to boost investment in education in times of crisis. EURACTIV Greece reports.

Malta's parliament on Tuesday (12 November) approved selling citizenship of the Mediterranean island for €650,000 for each non-European Union applicant.

A European Citizens’ Initiative urging the European Commission to draft legislation against medical experimentation on animals reached the threshold of one million signatures, making it the third citizens’ petition to meet the 1 November filing deadline.

Former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing has called on EU leaders to put forward a vision for Europe to inspire citizens, boost confidence and develop a shared sense of belonging.

The European Citizens’ Initiative is struggling to gain momentum a year after being launched, bogged down by technical and bureaucratic hurdles that have prevented a single petition from meeting all the requirements, civic activists say.

Organisers of a European Citizens’ Initiative that seeks to halt sales of public water utilities say they have gathered one million signatures from across Europe, becoming the first such group to do so since the grass-roots efforts were launched last spring.

Macedonia's leading opposition party has accused the European Union of overlooking threats to democracy in the country, as anti-government protests continued yesterday (3 January) for the 11th day. 

The European Commission has named 2013 "European Year of Citizens" to raise awareness about Union citizens' rights in shaping the future of Europe.

Scottish people could lose European Union citizenship if the region wins independence from the United Kingdom, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has suggested. 

Fraternité 2020, the first registered European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), will start collecting signatures as soon as the organisers have overcome server problems. The organisers from the Citizens’ Committee still maintain the goal of collecting one million signatures from all over Europe by May 2013.

The first six European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) in EU history have launched campaigns and are collecting signatures, but it’s at the moment impossible to support an ECI online due to what one group calls "severe" problems.

?The only way to save the euro and get Europe out its financial crisis while maintaining people’s living standards is to have a more integrated union, the economist Jacques Attali said in an exclusive interview with EURACTIV.

A conference held last Friday (30 March) by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and the Committee of the Regions called for European Citizens’ Initiatives to be taken up by actors outside the Brussels bubble. They stressed in particular the need for petition organisers to work with local authorities and stakeholders ahead of the 2014 European elections.

Belgium's attempt at registering the ubiquitous ‘frites’ as a traditional specialty protected under EU law received a boost today (1 April) when the ‘Brussels Frites Forum’ prepared to formally register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) with over one million signatures.

Civil society groups have complained about the prohibitive administrative and security procedures of filing a European Citizen Initiative (ECI) as the EU prepares to venture into participative democracy on Sunday (1 April) by opening the first petitions to registration.

The new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) will be launched on 1 April 2012, beginning a new era for participative democracy in Europe. At a conference on 20 March, several challenging questions were raised to EU Institutions: Are member states ready? Is there enough communication? Are ECIs relevant to the 2014 elections? Could there be a neutral civil society helpdesk to assist initiators?

Vladimir Putin triumphed in Russia's presidential election yesterday (4 March) and, tears rolling down his cheeks, called his victory a turning point that had prevented the country from falling into the hands of enemies. Not many messages of congratulations arrived, however, as opponents complained of widespread fraud.

From legalising same-sex marriage to guaranteeing media pluralism, a dizzying array of petitions is being prepared to suggest new laws to the European Commission under the new European Citizen's Initiative.

European Commission Vice President Maroš Šef?ovi? is confident that the Citizens’ Initiative, one of the new democratic tools pushed forward by the Lisbon Treaty, will bring Europe closer to its citizens and create a "genuine European public space".