The Commission decided to register two European Citizens’ Initiatives, entitled ‘Every European house equipped with 1 kW photovoltaic and 0.6 kW wind turbines using EU funding through the municipalities alone’ and ‘Protect the EU’s Rural Heritage, Food Security and Supply’.
The organisers of the initiative on renewable energies call for action to build and install the necessary infrastructure to supply households (including in the most isolated villages) with green energy, with a view to reducing their CO2 footprint. Moreover, they call for educating people on the advantages of green energy and training municipality employees on environmental matters.
The organisers of the initiative ‘Protect the EU’s Rural Heritage, Food Security and Supply’ call for a renewed EU commitment to promote regional heritage, rural sustainable growth and rising living standards in rural regions, in order to ensure the longevity of the EU’s food-producing communities. They ask to promote rural job practices and activities that are at the heart of rural communities and to respect traditional crafting industries, as well as recognition of food security and agricultural supply materials. The organisers also ask to include the promotion of rural heritage and the recognition of food security and supply in the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
Strengthening cultural heritage resilience for climate change. Where the European Green Deal meets cultural heritage
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As these European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) fulfil the formal conditions, the Commission considers that they are legally admissible. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposals at this stage.
Next Steps
Following today’s registration, the organisers have 6 months to open the signature collection. If a European Citizens’ Initiative receives 1 million statements of support within 1 year, from at least 7 different Member States, the Commission will have to react. The Commission could decide 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. Once formally registered, a European Citizens’ Initiative allows 1 million citizens from at least 7 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 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 119 requests to launch a European Citizens’ Initiative, 93 of which were admissible and thus qualified to be registered. This decision brings the number of initiatives registered this year to 7.
Más información: Comisión Europea – Comunicado de prensa
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