European Commission replies to 'One of Us'

The European Commission has today replied to the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) 'One of Us'. After having met with the organisers of the initiative and studied their request, the Commission has decided not to submit a legislative proposal, given that Member States and the European Parliament have only recently discussed and decided EU policy in this regard. 

The 'One of Us' initiative had asked the EU to end the financing of activities which presuppose the destruction of human embryos, in particular in the areas of research, development aid and public health.

The 1st successful European Citizens' Initiative - Right2Water

The Commission today decided to react positively to the first ever successful European Citizens' Initiative, in those areas where it is able to act. Organisers of the Right2Water ECI called on the Commission to ensure that all EU citizens enjoy the right to water and sanitation, to exclude water supply and management of water resources from internal market rules and liberalisation, and to increase its efforts to achieve universal access to water and sanitation around the world.

The European Citizens' Initiative was launched in April 2012 as a powerful agenda-setting tool in the hands of citizens. It allows 1 million citizens from at least one quarter of EU Member States to invite the European Commission to take action in areas where the Commission has the power to do so. The first successful ECI, Right2Water, collected 1.9 million signatures, passing minimum thresholds in 13 Member States – far above the legally required minimum. Altogether, more than 5 million EU citizens have now signed up to more than 20 different initiatives. Germany only provided over 1 million votes!

PS: Romania didn't manage to obtain the minimum number of votes needed (25.000 votes).

Globally, the EU and its Member States currently provide close to €1.5 billion/year for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programmes in developing countries, making the Union the largest single donor in the world in this area.

Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) or how to wipe-out poverty in Europe?

This is a new European Citizens' Initiative that asking the Commission, to encourage cooperation between the Member States (according to Art 156 TFEU) aiming to explore the Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) as a tool to improve their respective social security systems.

The Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) does not replace the welfare state but does complete and transform the same from a compensatory into an emancipatory welfare state. The emancipatory Unconditional Basic Income is defined by the following four criteria: universal, individual, unconditional, high enough to ensure an existence in dignity and participation in society. 

In the long run the objective is to offer to each person in the EU the unconditional right as an individual, to having his/her material needs met to ensure a life of dignity as stated by the EU treaties, and to empower participation in society supported by the introduction of the UBI. 

In the short term, initiatives such as “pilot‐studies“ (Art 156 TFEU) and examination of different models of UBI (EP resolution 2010/2039(INI) §44) should be promoted by the EU.

new 2013 initiatives

There are 2:
- End Ecocide in Europe: A Citizens’ Initiative to give the Earth Rights
- Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) - Exploring a pathway towards emancipatory welfare conditions in the EU

As a reminder a European citizens' initiative is an invitation to the European Commission to propose legislation on matters where the EU has competence to legislate. A citizens' initiative has to be backed by at least one million EU citizens, coming from at least 7 out of the 27 member states.

start voting for Water and sanitation are a human right!

The initiative Right4Water is the first one for which online signature can be now collected!!!

This success demonstrates not only that the citizens' initiative campaign works but also that the online tools provided by the European Commission as Open Source can be used to collect the required 1 million online signature. The EC press release explains how important is this first online collection of signatures for an european citizens' initiative.

The Right4Water slogan is:

Water and Sanitation are a human right! Water is a public good, not a commodity.

More details on their website: http://www.right2water.eu/ 

You can sign and support this campaign by filling the online form. I've already done it. You?

Comisia Europeana ofera propriile servere pentru colectarea de semnaturi

Initiativa cetateneasca europeana intampina ceva dificultati: primele initiative au fost deja inregistrate, dar inca nu se pot colecta semnaturi online de la tarile membre deoarece nu exista servere autorizate.

Ce sunt aceste servere?

Comisia a pus la dispozitia colectorilor de semnaturi un software gratuit ce permite colectarea si administrarea online de semnaturi electronice pentru initiative.

Deoarece organizatorii au intampinat dificultati in a instala si obtine autorizarea de colectare, Comisia Europeana vine in sprijinul lor si ofera (temporar) propriile servere pentru a demara cu succes ideile cetatenesti. Totodata, termenul limita pentru colectarea de semnaturi este extins ;)

deci in curand ne apucam de vot!

Stop vivisection - a new proposed European Citizens' Initiative

this new proposal aims at phasing out animal experiments.

You can find details on the ECI website.