Commission registers European Citizens’ Initiative on air passenger rights

Last July 16, the European Commission registered the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Save your right, save your flight!’.

The aim of the initiative is to call for the reversal of changes that undermine passenger’s rights and the preservation of the ‘current compensation eligibility thresholds’ for air passengers.

Following a thorough legal analysis, the Commission considered the initiative admissible for registration under the European Citizens’ Initiative Regulation. The Commission has not yet reviewed the details of this initiative. The registration does not influence the Commission’s final decision on its merits, or any potential action it may take. The Commission will make its decision after the ECI has collected at least 1 million signatures from EU citizens, if it reaches that threshold.

Next steps

Following last July 16’s registration, the organisers have six months to start collecting signatures. If an ECI receives at least one million signatures within one year (with minimum thresholds in at least seven different Member States), the Commission has to react. It has to decide whether it will take action in response to the initiative, justifying its decision.

Background

The ECI was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as an agenda-setting tool for the citizens. It was officially launched in April 2012. Once formally registered, a European Citizens’ Initiative allows one million citizens from at least seven EU Member States to invite the European Commission to propose legal acts in areas where it has the power to act. The conditions for admissibility are: (1) the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a legal proposal, (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 registered 120 initiatives.

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.

More information: European Commission