The pen is often said to be mightier than the sword. And in the case of the Citizens’ Initiatives this may be the case. These petitions, which need one million signatures from a third of EU Member States, could lead to EU-wide legal reform. But will the E

Green light for direct democracy?

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/13695338/N001-100406-003-EN.srt

The user guide for the Citizens’ Initiative   just became clearer.

Every EU citizen can ask   the Commission to legislate on an issue.

Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič   has made the following suggestions.

One million signatures are needed from   at least one third of states.

It seems like the Commission   doesn't want it to be used much.

A problem can be European if just   one or two countries think it's a problem.

There is a national signature   requirement based on population size,

so 4,500 for Luxembourg   and 72,000 for Germany.

Petitions can be gathered over   the internet or in the streets.

Petitions must be clear and concise   and state the organisers' identity.

We have introduced two safeguards in   the European citizens' initiative

to ensure that this instrument   will not be abused.

Once the first 300,000 signatures   have been collected,

a check on the petition’s validity   is planned.

You could establish   an initiative on climate change.

But petitions can only relate to laws   and not the treaties.

The idea of having just one single   seat for the European Parliament

is not a competence   because it is in the treaties.

Second stage: once a million signatures   have been reached, they are checked.

The Commission will approve or   reject the project in the next months.

Whichever option it picks,   it will have to give its reasons.

The regulation is now in   the Council and EP's hands.

This new democratic tool could be   wielded by citizens by 2011 at the latest.