Commission decides to partially register a European Citizens’ Initiative on Cannabis

The Commission decided to partially register a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘European Cannabis Initiative’.

The organisers call on the Commission to:

1.  convene a trans-European citizens’ assembly on cannabis policies, including sanctions and the consistency of Member States’ policies;
2. foster access to medical cannabis and allow the transportation of cannabis and its derivatives prescribed for therapeutic purposes to ensure the full enjoyment of the right to health; and
3. allocate the necessary resources for researching cannabis for its therapeutic purposes.

The Commission has concluded that the initiative can only be registered as regards the second and third objectives, as only these objectives fulfil the requirements for registration. The Commission had to refuse the registration of the first objective of the initiative, as it falls outside the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act on this matter.

The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposals at this stage. The decision to register the initiative insofar as its second and third objectives are concerned, 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 would intend to take, if any, in case the initiative obtains the necessary support.

The partial registration followed a two-stage procedure, in which organisers, in a first stage, were invited to amend their initial initiative, taking into account the preliminary assessment of the Commission.

A sign referring to marijuana may not, as the law currently stands, be registered as an EU trade mark