European Citizens' Initiative (ECI)
The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), introduced in 2009 with the Lisbon Treaty, is a key element of participatory democracy, allowing citizens to play an active role in the EU's democratic life, through addressing a request to the European Commission to make a proposal for a legal act. The procedure and conditions for ECIs are governed by Regulation (EU) No 211/2011, in force since April 2012. In September 2017, the European Commission presented a proposal for its amendment, picking up on a number of suggestions for improvement. This is a further update of an 'at a glance' note published in July 2017: PE 608.644. For more detailed information on the proposed amendment of the ECI Regulation, please see EPRS' 'EU Legislation in progress' briefing, Revising the European Citizens' initiative, PE 614.627.
At a Glance
About this document
Publication type
Author
Keyword
- admissibility
- communications
- data protection
- EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
- EU initiative
- EU institutions and European civil service
- European citizenship
- European construction
- European Ombudsman
- EUROPEAN UNION
- incompatibility
- information and information processing
- information technology and data processing
- INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
- Internet
- justice
- LAW
- legislative initiative
- non-governmental organisation
- non-governmental organisations
- parliament
- parliamentary proceedings
- participatory democracy
- personal data
- petition
- political framework
- POLITICS
- power of initiative
- public consultation
- transparency in decision-making