The Commission has registered two European citizens’ initiatives on the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems

The European Commission has registered two European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECI) entitled ‘Rights for Nature: Empowering citizens to represent and protectecosystems’ and‘Reconnecting nature by creating European biodiversity corridors’.

The initiative “Rights for Nature: Empowering Citizens to Represent and Protect Ecosystems”calls on the Commission to “recognise the rights of nature in European law through a legal act, such as a directive or a regulation, to strengthen the protection of ecosystems”. In particular, the organisers “seek to move from treating nature as property to recognising ecosystems as living entities with intrinsic value and fundamental rights”, including “the rights to exist, to regenerate their biocapacities and life cycles, and to be restored”.

The initiative“Reconnecting nature through the creation of European biodiversitycorridors”calls on the Commission to present a proposal to“reconnect nature in Europe through a coordination framework for ecological connectivity between terrestrial and continental aquaticecosystems” and to“overcome ecosystem fragmentation and support biodiversity and resilience”. The organisers aim to promote common tools, ensure cross-border coordination and strengthenthe Natura 2000 network.

As these initiatives meet the formal conditions set out in the relevant legislation, the Commission considers them legally admissible underthe Regulation on the European Citizens’ Initiative. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposals at this stage. Registration does not prejudge the Commission’s final decision on its admissibility or any measures it may take. The Commission will only take a decision on an initiative if it gathers at least one million signatures from EU citizens.

Next steps

Following the registration of the two initiatives, the organisers have six months to launch the signature collection period, which lasts twelve months. If a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) receives at least one million statements of support during that period, with a minimum threshold met in at least seven Member States, the Commission is obliged to respond and decide what action, if any, it will take in response to the initiative, giving reasons for its decision.

Background

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) was introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon as a tool for citizens to set the agenda. 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 legislative acts in areas where it has competence. The conditions for admissibility are: (1) that the proposed action does not fall manifestly outside the scope of the Commission’s powers to submit a legislative proposal; (2) that it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious; and (3) that it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union.

Since the launch of the European Citizens’ Initiative, the Commission has registered 131 initiatives.

The content of the initiatives reflects only the views of the organisers and should in no way be interpreted as reflecting the views of the Commission.

More information: European Commission.