The Commission has registered the European Citizens’ Initiative on sovereign European AI domains

The European Commission registered the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Creating a European Digital Space (IA) for the sovereign governance of AI’.

The organisers call on the Commission to “propose a framework for high-trust digital spaces and to take the lead at European level in negotiating with ISO and ICANN with a view to safeguarding the IA domain ”. The initiative sets out three objectives: “to propose an EU framework promoting ‘high-trust digital spaces’ and testing environments (sandboxes) for ethical AI in the EU”; ‘to negotiate with ISO… and ICANN/IANA with a view to reserving, protecting and allocating the IA namespace as an asset of European digitalsovereignty’; and “to ensure that the registration and resolution of the IA domain incorporate the Sovereign Digital Identity (eIDAS 2.0), transparent algorithmic auditing (AI Act) and the protection of personal data (GDPR)”.

As this initiative meets the formal conditions set out in the relevant legislation, the Commission considers it legally admissible under the 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 the admissibility of the initiative or any measures it may take. The Commission will only take a decision on the initiative if it meets the relevant criteria, including the collection of at least one million valid signatures from EU citizens.

Next steps

Following registration, the organisers have six months to begin the twelve-month period for collecting signatures. If a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) receives at least one million valid statements of support during that time, with the minimum thresholds met in at least seven Member States, the Commission must 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 means 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 call on the European Commission to propose legislative acts in areas within its remit. 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, as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), or to the rights enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

Since the launch of the European Citizens’ Initiative, the Commission has registered 136 initiatives.

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

 

More information: European Commission