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Regulatory frameworks for citizen-initiated instruments of direct democracy - Comparing the experiences in the EU Member States and beyond
This study, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs (AFCO), explores the regulatory frameworks for citizen-initiated instruments of direct democracy, paying special attention to the citizens' legislative initiative and the citizen-initiated referendum. By carrying out a comparative analysis of the experience of the European Union Member States, as well ...
The Council: A second chamber for the European Union?
The Conference on the Future of Europe is an opportunity to reflect on the Union's democratic foundations, including the legislative role of the Council of the European Union (EU) and its relations with the European Parliament. Is it pertinent to reform the Council, either by reinforcing its parliamentary features or by transforming it into a Senate or a Second Chamber? Would such a change enhance the democratic legitimacy of the EU decision-making process? To answer these questions, this study looks ...
Droit d’initiative du Parlement européen
Le Parlement européen est le seul organe démocratiquement élu de l’Union européenne. Contrairement à la plupart des parlements, il demeure toutefois officiellement dépourvu de tout droit d’initiative législative. Le pouvoir d’initiative législative appartient pour ainsi dire aux seuls organes composant l’exécutif de l’Union européenne, à savoir la Commission et — dans une mesure limitée mais croissante — le Conseil européen et le Conseil. Cette étude, commandée par le département thématique des droits ...
Parliament's right of legislative initiative
The European Commission has a near monopoly on legislative initiative in the European Union (EU), with special initiative rights for other institutions applying only in certain specific cases. However, the European Parliament and the Council may invite the Commission to submit legislative proposals. Whilst this 'indirect' initiative right does not create an obligation on the Commission to propose the legislation requested, the Treaty of Lisbon codified the Commission's obligation to provide reasons ...
Revising the European Citizens' Initiative
The ECI enables European citizens to invite the Commission to table a proposal for a legal act. The detailed rules for such initiatives are laid down in a 2011 regulation, whose main stated aim is encouraging citizens' participation in the political life of the European Union (EU). However, since the regulation became applicable in April 2012, numerous actors have raised concerns regarding the instrument's functioning and have called for reform, aiming to simplify the existing procedures and increasing ...
Révision de l’initiative citoyenne européenne
L’initiative citoyenne européenne (ICE) existe depuis près de sept ans et les règles de son fonctionnement font aujourd’hui l’objet d’une révision. À l’issue des négociations interinstitutionnelles, le Parlement et le Conseil sont parvenus à un accord provisoire concernant la proposition de la Commission visant à réviser l’ICE. Cet accord doit maintenant être approuvé par les colégislateurs, et le Parlement européen devrait voter sur la proposition lors de sa première période de session de mars.
The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) is aimed at bringing the EU closer to its citizens, by enabling them to invite the European Commission to make a proposal for a legal act. Introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon, the ECI should provide every citizen with the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union. However, the ECI in practice has had various procedural hurdles, preventing the fulfilment of the regulation's objectives. The ECI is thus not fulfilling its potential with regard to ...
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 ...
L’initiative citoyenne européenne
L’initiative citoyenne européenne (ICE) est un instrument important de la démocratie participative dans l’Union européenne. Grâce à cette mesure, un million de citoyens européens résidant dans au moins un quart des États membres de l’Union peuvent inviter la Commission à présenter une proposition d’acte législatif qu’ils jugent nécessaire pour mettre en œuvre les traités de l’Union. Depuis l’entrée en vigueur du règlement (UE) no 211/2011, qui a fixé le détail des procédures et des conditions applicables ...
The 2017 State of the Union debate in the European Parliament
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union address to the European Parliament, and the subsequent debate, on 13 September come in the context of the ongoing broader reflection on the future path of the European Union. This has been intensified by the first-ever withdrawal of a Member State from the Union; although lamented by most, this is often cited as an opportunity to rebuild the Union on stronger grounds. The debate will therefore feed into a larger reflection process ...