European Citizens’ Initiative

The trajectory of the ‘End Ecocide’ ECI has highlighted some of the challenges faced by activists in using this democratic tool, and some of the flaws which need to be improved if it is to fulfil its aim of making the EU more responsive to citizens. An interview with Thomas Eitzenberger and Lilia Tamamdzhieva, coordinators of the ECI.

Negotiations over the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are being conducted as if they were private business deals. Trade policies, however, affect all of us and have implications for the global economy.

The New Deal for Europe is a European Citizens’ Initiative supported by a coalition of social and political groups. It emerged as a response to the economic crisis, and seeks to build a solid employment and sustainable development plan for Europe by relying on federalist ideas and mechanisms to enhance solidarity in the EU.

The European Citizens’ Initiative opened a much needed channel for citizens to reach the European Institutions directly, and brought with it immense potential to reinforce the EU’s democratic legitimacy.

Success or failure? That is the question supporters in Germany of an Unconditional Basic Income have to ask themselves following the end, on 14 January, of the European Citizens’ Initiative, which for technical reasons did not quite run for a full year.

“Right2water” is the first successful European Citizens’ Initiative and has got everyone talking about water. What accounts for the success of this initiative, and how can others learn from it?