Signatures for life

The first European mobilization of direct democracy, made possible and regulated by the Lisbon Treaty, may tackle the question of the life protection. Starting in April 2012 citizens can initiate EU laws by submitting a request with one million signatures to the EU Commission. The new tool is meant to bring EU citizens closer to its institutions, stepping up their participation in the initiatives undertaken in Brussels and in Strasbourg. Citizens’ mobilization. The Chairman of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament Carlo Casini, who is also the President of the Pro-Life Movement in Italy, recently said: "The first citizens initiative will be under the banner of the right to life. In the coming months millions of citizens will request that natural or in vitro conception be introduced in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights as the beginning of the right to life." "This initiative – continued the MEP – was made possible by the Treaty of Lisbon, which stipulates that at least one million European citizens can petition the Commission to bring forward new policy proposals." The executive is then obliged to give an answer to the proponents and "the proponents ought to be given the possibility to motivate their request to EU institutions." Casini delves into the details of the proposal: "The economic and political difficulties of the EU shouldn’t overlook the fact that, as John Paul II said, the first challenge is the challenge of life." The role of civil society. The agreement that provides for the implementation of citizens’ proposals with a dedicated tool, dates back to December 2010, while the "regulatory framework" was officially endorsed in February 2011. The first initiatives can be considered from early 2012. The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), explains the Commission (www.ec.europa,.eu), "will allow at least one million citizens from at least one quarter of EU Member States to invite the European Commission to bring forward legislative proposals in areas where the Commission has the power to do so. The organisers of a Citizens’ Initiative, a citizens’ committee composed of at least seven citizens who are residents of at least seven different Member States, will have one year to collect signatures and the Commission will have three months to examine an initiative and decide how to act on it." To this regard, EP President Jerzy Buzek, said: "I am convinced that the ECI will help civil society in engaging in truly European debates on how the EU can help improving their daily lives in practice. One million signatures are needed, which is only 0,2 percent of our citizens, to invite the European Commission to act in matters that concern them directly. It allows them to be heard. HD L’Iniziativa europea dei cittadini diventa legge This legal instrument will establish another direct link between the citizens and the Union’s institutions, bridging the gap between them." Regulations for signatories. The EU website (www.europa.eu), in order to facilitate citizens issued a document, which explains: "The organisers shall form a citizens’ committee of at least seven persons who are residents of at least seven different Member States. The organisers shall be required to register their initiative with the Commission, in one of the official languages of the Union. The Commission shall establish a point of contact which provides information and assistance." In order to register a proposed initiative, citizens must provide the title of the proposal, the subject matter and description of objectives, the full names and contact information of the seven members of the citizens’ Committee, along with all sources of support and funding. The initiative must fall within the framework of the Commission’s powers and must not be "abusive, frivolous or vexatious" nor must it be "contrary to the values of the Union as set out in the Treaty." In the above-mentioned cases, the initiative will be rejected. All the initiatives will be published on an online register made available for that purpose by the Commission, which will then send a confirmation to the organizers with the next steps. Statements of support can be collected online as well as in paper form. The Commission "will make available a free online collection system". Member States should certify that signatories comprise at least the minimum number of citizens set out, in proportion to the national population. When the Commission has received a citizens’ initiative supported by the requisite number of signatories "the organisers should be entitled to present that initiative at a public hearing at Union level." Within three months the Commission shall "set out in a communication its legal and political conclusions on the citizens’ initiative, the action it intends to take, if any, and its reasons for taking or not taking that action".