Activities of Barbara SPINELLI related to 2017/0220(COD)
Plenary speeches (2)
European citizens’ initiative (A8-0226/2018 - György Schöpflin) (vote)
European citizens’ initiative (debate) IT
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European citizens’ initiative PDF (1 MB) DOC (172 KB)
Amendments (29)
Amendment 32 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The Treaty on European Union (TEU) reinforces citizenship of the Union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the Union by providing, inter alia, that every citizen of the Union has the right to participate in the democratic lifedecision-making process of the Union. The European citizens’ initiative is a Union instrument of participatory democracy which affords citizens of the Union the possibility of directly approaching the Commission with a request inviting it to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties, similar to the right conferred on the European Parliament under Article 225 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and on the Council under Article 241 TFEU.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 a (new)
Recital 1 a (new)
(1a) According to the Judgement of the General Court of the European Union of 10 May 2017 (case T-754/14), a citizens’ initiative may cover all legal acts, without being restricted to measures producing definitive effects, including the modification of a current legislative proposal and the abrogation of existing legal acts. The definition of legal act should not be restricted by narrow interpretations.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 1 b (new)
Recital 1 b (new)
(1b) The European citizens’ initiative should be able to ask the Commission, in accordance with Article 48(2) TEU, to propose a revision of the Treaty of the European Union and of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, if such revision is requested by the citizens to implement the Treaties themselves and if this request is not in contradiction with the principles enshrined in the Articles 2 and 6 TEU and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Amendment 37 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4 a (new)
Recital 4 a (new)
(4a) Pursuant to Article 11 TEU, the ECI is an integral part of the venues provided to the citizens of the Union allowing them to participate to its decision-making process by asking the Commission to submit a legislative proposal. Through the ECI, European citizens should be able to ensure that the Union’s actions are coherent, transparent and reflecting citizens’ priorities. The ECI is a mechanism imposing obligations on Union institutions in order to make the exercise of the participation right of the citizens of the Union as effective as possible, with due regard to the principles and rules governing the democratic functioning of the Union.
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) This Regulation aims to make the European citizens’ initiative more accessible, less burdensome and easier to use for organisers and supporters, in order to achieve the full potential of the European citizens’ initiative as a tool to foster debate and citizen participation at Union levelto the decision-making process of the Union, and to bring the Union closer to its citizens.
Amendment 43 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) It is appropriate to set a minimum age for supporting an initiative. To achieve the full potential of the European citizens’ initiative as an instrument of participatory democracy and to foster citizen participation at Union levelto the decision-making process of the Union especially among young European citizens, that age should be set at 16 years.
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 8
Recital 8
(8) In accordance with Article 11(4) of the TEU an initiative inviting the European Commission, within the framework of its powers, to submit any appropriate legislative proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the Union is required to implement the Treaties, is to be taken by not less than one million citizens of the Union who are nationals of a significant number of Member States.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) In order to make the European citizens’ initiative more accessible and to provide support to citizens and organisers, the Commission should provide information and assistance to organisers and make available an online independent collaborative platform toand provide a dedicated discussion forum and information and advice about the European citizens’ initiative. Independent organisations and external experts with proven experience in the organisation of European citizens’ initiatives should manage and update the platform in order to provide on a daily basis their valuable contribution to the discussion forum. The Commission should be involved in the collaborative platform in order to provide its opinion on specific cases. To ensure proximity to citizens, Member States should establish one or more contact points in their respective territories to provide citizens with information and assistance regarding the European citizens’ initiative.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) In order to make the European citizens’ initiative more accessible, and taking into account that the procedures and conditions required for the European citizens’ initiative should be clear, simple, user-friendly and proportionate, it is appropriate to partially register an initiative in cases where only part or parts of the initiative meet the requirements for registration under this Regulation. Initiatives should be partially registered where a substantial part of the initiative, including its main objectives, does not manifestly fall outsidetargets an issue which falls in the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties and all the other registration requirements are met. Clarity and transparency should be ensured as regards the scope of the partial registration and potential signatories should be informed of the scope of the registration and of the fact that statements of support are collected only in relation to the scope of the registration of the initiative.
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 a (new)
Recital 16 a (new)
(16a) Following the Judgement of the General Court of the European Union of 10 May 10 2017 (case T-754/14), a part of the initiative, including its main objectives, may cover all legal acts, without being restricted to measures producing definitive effects, including the abrogation of any existing legal act and the modification of a current legislative proposal. The definition of legal act should not be restricted by narrow interpretations, provided it does not contradict the principles enshrined in Articles 2 and 6 TEU and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16 b (new)
Recital 16 b (new)
(16b) Where citizens consider it necessary to ask for an amendment of the Treaties in order to have them implemented, a part of the initiative may ask the Commission, in accordance with Article 48(2) TEU, to propose an amendment of the Treaty on the European Union and/or the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union if that is in accordance with Articles 2 and 6 TEU and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Statements of support for an initiative should be collected within a specific time limit. In order to ensure that an initiative remains relevant, whilst taking into account the complexity of collecting statements of support across the Union, that time limit should not be longer than 126 months from the date of the start of the collection period determined by the group of organisers.
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) In order to promote participation and public debate on the issues raised by the initiatives, where an initiative supported by the required number of signatories and fulfilling the other requirements of this Regulation is submitted to the Commission, the group of organisers should have the right to present that initiative at a public hearing at Union level. The public hearing should be co- organised by the Commission and the European Parliament, in accordance with its own Rules of Procedure, within three months from the submission of the initiative and ensure a balanced representation of relevant public and private interests well as the representation at an appropriate level of the Commission. Other institutions and advisory bodies of the Union as well as interested stakeholders should have the opportunity to participate in the hearinginstitutions and advisory bodies of the Union as well as interested experts.
Amendment 81 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25
Recital 25
(25) The support and funding for initiatives should be transparent. Therefore groups of organisers should provide updated and detailed information on the sources of support and funding for their initiatives between the date of registration and the date at which the initiative is submitted to the Commission. Those groups of organisers should report every trimester on all their sources of funding and the Commission should make those sources clearly apparent on the register. Entities, notably organisations which under the Treaties contribute to forming European political awareness and expressing the will of citizens of the Union, should be able to promote and provide support and funding to initiatives, provided that they do so in accordance with the procedures and conditions laid down by this Regulation and with full transparency. In order to enhance the transparency of financing of ECI activities and the visibility of the ECI as a tool for the engagement of citizens, this regulation should be endowed with its own financial Programme. Such a financial Programme should contribute to the funding of the entities and organisations promoting the ECI and/or provide free technical or legal support to ECIs’ organisers. It should also fund eligible expenditure directly incurred in relation to the organisation of ECIs.
Amendment 84 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) This Regulation respects fundamental rights and observes the principles enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Article 8 thereof.
Amendment 87 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 a (new)
A citizens’ initiative may cover all legal acts, without being restricted to measures producing definitive effects, including the amendment of an ongoing legislative proposal and the abrogation of existing legal acts. The definition of legal act shall not be restricted by narrow interpretations.
Amendment 90 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 b (new)
A citizens’ initiative may ask the Commission, in accordance with Article 48(2) TEU, to propose an amendment of the Treaty of the European Union and/or of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, if such revision is requested by the citizens in order to implement the Treaties themselves and if such request is not in contradiction with the principles enshrined in Articles 2 and 6 of TEU and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 1
The Commission shall make available an online collaborative platform providing citizens and groups of organisers with a discussion forum and information and advice, which will provide a dedicated discussion forum and information and advice about the European citizens’ initiative. Independent organisations and external experts with proven experience in the organisation of European Citizens’ Initiatives shall manage and update the platform in order to provide on a daily basis their valuable contribution to the discussion forum. The discussion forum shall disseminate information about organisations that are able to provide further technical and legal support and about sources of financial support for organising an ECI provided for by the Union budget, as well as about othe European citizens’ initiativer forms of support available in the Member States. The Commission should be fully involved in the collaborative platform in order to convey its opinion on specific cases.
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) none of the parts of the initiative manifestly falls outsideThe initiative targets an issue which falls in the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a new legal act or the abrogation or revision of existing legal acts of the Union for the purpose of implementing or amending the Treaties;
Amendment 121 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point d
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point d
(d) the initiative is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious;The Commission shall not implement thematic restrictions that are not foreseen in this Regulation, in Article 11 TEU and in Article 24 TFEU. The Commission shall not refuse to register citizens’ initiatives arbitrarily on the basis of an assessment qualifying them as Euro-sceptical or reflecting the interests of a minority, provided that such initiatives are in accordance with the principles enshrined in Articles 2 and 6 TEU and with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point e
Article 6 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point e
(e) tThe initiative is not manifestly contrary to the valuprinciples of the Union as set out in Articles 2 of the Treaty on European Unionand 6 TEU and in the Charter of fundamental rights.
Amendment 138 #
(b) partially register the initiative if a substantial part of the initiative, including its main objectives, does not manifestly fall outsidetargets an issue which falls in the framework of the Commission’s powers Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties;.
Amendment 142 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. The definition of legal act shall not be limited to measures producing definitive effects or otherwise restricted by narrow interpretations of the aim of the legal act.
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
All statements of support shall be collected, within a period not exceeding 126 months from a date chosen by the group of organisers (the ‘collection period’), without prejudice to Article 11(6). That date must be not later than threesix months from the registration of the initiative in accordance with Article 6.
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Article 8 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 3
Where, during the collection period, the group of organisers wishes to terminate the collection of statements of support before the end of 12 months after the beginning of the collection period, it shall inform the Commission ofa period of 16 months, it shall inform the Commission of that intention at least 10 days before the date at which the collection period is to end.
Amendment 165 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 2
The Commission and the European Parliament shall co-organiseensure that the public hearing atis organised by the European Parliament in accordance with its own Rules of Procedure. Representatives of the other institutions and advisory bodies of the Union, as well as interested stakeholders,experts shall be given the opportunity to participate in the hearing presented by the organisers of the initiative.
Amendment 169 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 2 – subparagraph 3
Amendment 185 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. In the case of a successful citizens’ initiative, the Commission shall, within six months of its publication, submit to the European Parliament and to the Council a legislative proposal in response to the initiative. If the Commission considers that there are serious reasons suggesting not to submit a legislative proposal, it shall clearly and thoroughly provide a justification for its concerns to the organisers and to the European Parliament. In the absence of any response or actions from the Commission, within six months of the publication of the initiative, the Commission shall explain to the organisers and to the European Parliament, thoroughly and in detail, why it did not ensure a follow-up. For the purpose of this Article, special attention shall be paid to Article 296(2) TFEU and to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 15 a (new)
Article 15 a (new)