Papers prepared for the European Citizens' Initiative - a first assessment organised by the European General Studies' Programme of the College of Europe, Bruges, 25 January 2011. Bruges Political Research Paper No. 24, February 2012

摘要

The European Citizens‘ Initiative (hereafter ECI‘), the first supranational instrument of directdemocracy, creates an additional direct link between the European Union citizens and theinstitutions of the Union. As one of the most innovative elements introduced by the Treaty ofLisbon, the ECI is often considered to bear great potential for the further development oftransnational democracy. It does, however, also entail a number of (potential) challenges forthe EU institutions and for politically active citizens – and, in the long term, perhaps also forinstitutions and political actors within the Member States of the Union.On 25 January 2011, a month following the settlement of the inter-institutional compromiseon the final text of the Regulation on the ECI,* the European General Studies Programme ofthe College of Europe organized a one-day workshop to discuss the origin and modalities forimplementation of the ECI, as well as its possible effect on the political system of the EU.Participants included representatives of the Commission, the Parliament and the BelgianPresidency, and academics.This research paper includes some of the contributions which had initially been prepared forthis workshop. They have subsequently been extended in light of the discussions held duringthat event and updated in light of subsequent developments.