Commission decides to register new European Citizens' Initiative - Main contents
Today, the European Commission decided to register a European Citizens' Initiative entitled ‘End The Slaughter Age'. The organisers of the initiative call on the Commission to exclude livestock farming from activities eligible for agricultural subsidies and to include ethical and ecological alternatives, such as cell farming and plant proteins. They also ask to introduce incentives for the production and sale of plant-based and cellular agricultural products.
As the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) fulfils the formal conditions, the Commission considers that this it is legally admissible. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposal at this stage.
The decision to register is of a legal nature and it does not prejudge the final legal and political conclusions of the Commission on this initiative and the action it will intend to take, if any, in case the initiative obtains the necessary support. The content of the initiative only expresses the views of the group of organisers, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Commission.
Next steps
Following today's registration, the organisers have six months to open the signature collection. If a European Citizens' Initiative receives one million statements of support within one year from at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to react. The Commission could decide either to take the request forward or not, and will be required to explain its reasoning.
Background
The European Citizens' Initiative was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as an agenda-setting tool in the hands of citizens. It was officially launched in April 2012. The conditions for admissibility are: (1) the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission's powers to submit a proposal for a legal act, (2) it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and (3) it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union.
Since the beginning of the ECI, the Commission has received 113 requests to launch a European Citizens' Initiative, 89 of which were admissible and thus qualified to be registered.
For More Information
ECIs currently collecting signatures
European Citizens' Initiative Forum
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