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European Citizens' Initiative, closer

Although a year behind initial plans, the Regulation lays down rules for the European Citizens' Initiative just been approved by the Parliament and enter into force early 2012.

This initiative seeks to strengthen the democratic fabric of the European Union, stating that " a group of at least one million EU citizens who are nationals of a significant number of Member States may take the initiative inviting the Commission, within their powers, to submit any appropriate proposal on matters citizens consider that a legal act of the Union for the purposes of implementing the Treaties ".

procedures and conditions must be met, will be governed by Council Regulation that seeks to respond to the legal, administrative and organizational requirements for the implementation of the initiative. These are the main points that clarifies the regulation and will have to be considered for initiatives arising:

• Number of Member States for which citizens must come . Finally must come from a quarter of Member States .
• Minimum Member State signatures. The minimum number of signatures required in each Member State at the number of MEPs elected in each Member State multiplied by 750. It must give the Commission power to modify this annex so that it reflects any changes concerning the composition of Parliament. There will be a minimum number of signatures for each Member State, from 3,750 firms in Malta to the 74,250 in Germany (Spain 37 500). Moreover, the undersigned shall complete a declaration of support for this initiative.
• Eligibility to support a citizens' initiative minimum age. The required to participate in elections in all Member States (18 in all MS, except in Austria it is 16 years).
• Form and preparation of the Citizens 'Initiative : You must create a Citizens' Committee comprise at least seven people residents in at least seven Member States . This committee will represent the undersigned, will be their "contacts" or link between the European Union and citizens. Will be responsible for presenting and writing the Citizens' Initiative.
• form to register the Citizens' Initiative: First Citizen Committee registered the proposal before the Commission, providing a page. update web where the sources of support and funding. The Commission will answer questions about the approval or disapproval of the proposal within 2 months of its submission. (They may only be rejected if the proposed initiatives were outside the remit of the Commission under the Treaties initiative or were contrary to the fundamental values \u200b\u200bof the European Union, according to art. 2 of the Treaty of the Union, or formal requirements in their presentation.) Once the Commission responded favorably to the proposal, will begin collecting signatures.
• Requirements for the collection, verification and authenticity of the signatures: Statements of support can be collected on paper or electronically . The Commission shall establish and maintain open source software that incorporate technical and safety features needed for compliance Regulation. These programs will be available free of charge to the organizers.
• Deadline for collection of signatures will : Upon acceptance of the proposal deadline for collecting signatures may not exceed 12 months.
• Register proposed initiatives: To ensure consistency and transparency in relation to the proposed citizen initiatives, and to avoid collecting signatures supporting a proposal that does not meet the conditions laid down in This Regulation should be compulsory to register such initiatives on a website provided by the Commission before the necessary collection of statements of support from citizens. All proposals the conditions provided for in this Regulation shall be registered by the Commission . ▌

You just need the Council's approval and approval. Thereafter, Member States will have a year to implement these standards and open channels for direct participation of citizens, that if nothing happens, will be operational in early 2012.

is also important to remember that our English Constitution contains a similar legislative initiative. Article 87.3 reads: " An organic law shall regulate the manner and the requirements of the popular initiative for the representation of bills. In any case, require at least 500,000 signatures accredited. There shall be no such initiative in matters within organic law, or international tax and as regards the prerogative of mercy. " You can also raise popular legislative initiatives at regional level (remember the recent Legislative Initiative ban on bullfighting in Catalonia, being the first to be carried out successfully in this region).

Since the advent of democracy in our country, the fifty developed nine initiatives have been carried out at the state level, and only one has been approved by the full , the corresponding to the Horizontal Property Act .

hope that the European Citizens' Initiative have better luck, encounter fewer obstacles than the English and with the participation of many more people here think current forms of communication and participation are major players, and soon we will see if the e-democracy coup can click to get the people and talk it over with a real unique voice, with cities willing to participate @ s and engage in social affairs, human rights, equality, education, justice ...

The full text of the Regulation can see him playing in the European Parliament Web Page: Text agreed.

Monitoring the European Citizens' Initiative:

Initiative Green Paper

Summary for the citizen Public consultation

initial proposal of Regulation (31/03/2010)

This blog will contribute to the dissemination of any initiative that we seem to defend the values \u200b\u200bthat underpin the European Union and follow-up.