At the European level, several mechanisms are in place to enable citizens to act and address European institutions. However, citizens and associations need to be aware of the existing mechanisms and be able to use them effectively. This is the raison d'être of the House of the People of Europe, which aims to inform, train, advise, and support citizen initiatives.
All these tools of European participatory democracy must be mobilized to influence European policymakers such as Members of the European Parliament, ministers, and state secretaries responsible for European affairs.
Mechanisms of European citizen participation
- The code of good conduct which obliges all institutions to respond to citizens' inquiries.
- the general secretariat,
- the European Ombudsman
- The European Citizens' Initiative (ICE)
- the online platform for the Conference on the Future of Europe
- popular consultations
- the Commission's requests for exploratory opinions on cross-cutting issues
- systematic consultations on green and white papers, increasingly conducted via the internet: Anyone or any party concerned can thus express their views, following the approach adopted by the Commission, which involves seeking the participation of all.
- ad hoc cooperations (hearings, joint conferences, forums, and meetings)
- independent expert groups invited to develop proposals
- the contributions of the ECES (European Economic and Social Committee and its horizontal synthesis function) to strengthen its role as a facilitator of dialogue with progressive civil society.
The European Citizens' Initiative (ICE)
In Europe, participatory democracy is implemented, among other ways, through an instrument, the European Citizens' Initiative. It is a political initiative right signed by a minimum of 1 million citizens from at least 7 EU countries to invite the European Parliament to urge the European Commission to develop a new legislative proposal.
Video explaining the ICE
To date, six initiatives have gathered the required number of signatures:
- «Water, a Human Right»
- «One of Us»,
- «Stop vivisection»,
- «Ban Glyphosate»,
- «Minority SafePack — We are a million signing for the diversity of Europe»
- «End the Cage Age»
They have been submitted to the Commission. The Parliament organized hearings with representatives of the first five initiatives. The Commission responded to these initiatives by presenting its legal and political conclusions to Parliament.
The CHE, in collaboration with associations across Europe, has joined forces to call on the European Commission to legislate in favor of a more humane migration policy. They launched a European Citizens' Initiative, Europe Hospitalière (link to https://ice.europehospitaliere.be), which, unfortunately, did not reach the required number of signatures to be considered. Nevertheless, this initiative has raised awareness of
- The need for the Community House of Europe to create a network of European associations to be able to quickly and effectively launch significant actions.
- The need for each citizen to be personally active for things to move forward.
- The need for better communication and information to municipalities and regions regarding European residency rights.
What are the different steps to introduce a ICE?
Sign up to be notified by the CHE about an ongoing ICE