On 28th October, the European Parliament approved the EP Report on the ECI, sending a clear message to the Commission for the revision of ECI Regulation 2011/211. ALDA welcomes this meaningful proposal, as it contains many helpful changes which, if implemented, could make the ECI much easier to use.
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This includes harmonising and reducing personal data requirements, simplifying the technical rules governing the online signature collection system, dropping the age of support to 16 and letting campaigns choose their own start date. ALDA continuously promotes citizens participation in the democratic process, and recognises the ECI as a potentially powerful instrument in this direction. In fact, we involved ourselves actively, within the project COHEIRS, on supporting the Right2Water campaign.
Unfortunately, further steps are still required to make the ECI a meaningful tool of participatory democracy. In particular, to ensure that the European Commission recognizes ECI , allowing a proper follow-up, including a parliamentary debate in plenary, followed by a vote on the ECI. While we are grateful for the strong call to simplify the ECI, ALDA is still convinced that a more courageous approach would have made the ECI a more effective and democratic instrument. Before long, the Council will issue its own report on the ECI. The Commission will then decide whether or not to propose a reform of the ECI Regulation. We are looking forward for good news on the topic!
On 28th October, the European Parliament approved the EP Report on the ECI, sending a clear message to the Commission for the revision of ECI Regulation 2011/211. ALDA welcomes this meaningful proposal, as it contains many helpful changes which, if implemented, could make the ECI much easier to use.
***
This includes harmonising and reducing personal data requirements, simplifying the technical rules governing the online signature collection system, dropping the age of support to 16 and letting campaigns choose their own start date. ALDA continuously promotes citizens participation in the democratic process, and recognises the ECI as a potentially powerful instrument in this direction. In fact, we involved ourselves actively, within the project COHEIRS, on supporting the Right2Water campaign.
Unfortunately, further steps are still required to make the ECI a meaningful tool of participatory democracy. In particular, to ensure that the European Commission recognizes ECI , allowing a proper follow-up, including a parliamentary debate in plenary, followed by a vote on the ECI. While we are grateful for the strong call to simplify the ECI, ALDA is still convinced that a more courageous approach would have made the ECI a more effective and democratic instrument. Before long, the Council will issue its own report on the ECI. The Commission will then decide whether or not to propose a reform of the ECI Regulation. We are looking forward for good news on the topic!