With the start of the 2024-2029 European parliamentary term on 16 July 2024, the revised Annex I to the ECI Regulation became applicable. It sets out new minimum numbers of signatories per Member State (‘thresholds’). These thresholds are linked to the number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). As the number of MEPs increased from 705 to 720 in the new term, the thresholds increased as well. For an ECI to be examined by the European Commission, it must collect at least one million valid signatures and obtain these minimum numbers of valid signatures in at least seven EU countries.
These new minimum numbers apply to ECIs registered by the Commission on or after 16 July 2024. The new minimum numbers do not apply to ECIs registered before 16 July 2024 for which the previous thresholds continue to apply.
On 19 June the European Commission decided to register two European citizens' initiatives.
The ‘Air-Quotas’ initiative calls for a citizens’ carbon quota mechanism in each country that would encourage businesses to decarbonise through consumer demand. The organisers consider that it should cover all purchases of goods and services, starting with air transport.
The ‘Stop Destroying Videogames’ initiative calls for a requirement for publishers of videogames in the EU to leave such games in a functional (playable) state, so to prevent their remote disabling.
These initiatives are the sixth and seventh registered in 2024. The organisers have now six months to open the signature collection.
On 13 May the Commission registered a European citizens' initiative entitled 'Save the Planet by shifting taxation from labour to greenhouse gas emissions’. It calls on the Commission to strengthen the Fit for 55 Package and the EU carbon pricing system and for the redistribution of a substantial part of carbon pricing revenues to low-income households, strengthening the EU’s Social Climate Fund and promoting the establishment of a ‘Climate Club’ for countries wishing to adopt more robust carbon pricing.
This is the fifth initiative registered in 2024. The organisers have six months to open the signature collection.
Check the upcoming events related to the European Citizens’ Initiative. You can also see the list of past events; for some, recordings are available.
