EU citizens to be given right of initiative for legislative proposals

In his capacity as co-rapporteur, Lamassoure was the first to speak. He emphasised that the European Citizens' Initiative will create a direct link between citizens and Brussels. This would grant citizens the same right of initiative, as the European Parliament and the Council already have. His exact words were that the ECI should break the Brussels glass wall, which would make a direct integration of the people possible. Lamassoure expanded on the individual conditions for introducing an ECI. The co-rapporteur does regard the necessary threshold values with regard to minimum numbers of Member States and citizens per country as not yet sufficiently thought through. The EP must come to its own conclusion first and will not simply adopt the proposals of the Commission.

The EP should proceed quickly, but not hastily with regards to the ECI

Erich Häfner (Green Party), of the co-advisory petition committee got to the heart of it when he said although the EP should work quickly, it should not act hastily with regard to ECI negotiations. He pleaded for the integration of practitioners, which should also be invited by the EP. In fact, in connection with the ECI, individual parties were already organising public hearings to learn about the project, which is unique throughout the world. The citizens should become aware of the fact that they will be confronted with an open door, when they take their issues to Brussels. He criticised the proposal of the  Commission with regard to examining the inadmissibility of an ECI. The Commission only starts the examination of admissibility of the initiative once the hurdle of 300,000 signatures had been taken. For Häfner and others this is clearly too late.

The more money is available, the more successful an ECI will be

An MEP argued that it was a proven fact that ECIs were successful where a lot of money was available. The only exception was Switzerland, because there, all Swiss are included in the decision on an ECI ex officio as soon as a certain number of supporters' signatures have been submitted. In doing so, the state assumes a major part of the costs. It was requested that the regulations for an initiative had to be clearly identified. Otherwise, there would be a danger that  populist attacks had to be expected, if the Commission would not admit an ECI. Lamassoure closed the debate, stating at the end that the EP should closely look at any future initiative and in case the Commission rejected it, should take its own steps.