Citizens’ petitions

A debate that reaches a conclusion becomes a demand. Here it is counted, displayed and passed on.

Start a petition The official conditions
0 Signatures collected
0 Open campaigns
0 Countries mobilised
0 Petitions in total

No petition matches these criteria yet.

The European Citizens’ Initiative, plainly

It is the only instrument that lets citizens put a subject on the European Commission’s agenda. Its conditions are set by Regulation (EU) 2019/788, and they are demanding.

1.0 M Signatures to gather
7 Member states at minimum
12 Months of collection
× 750 National threshold per MEP

  1. A committee of seven citizens

    Organisers must be at least seven, resident in seven different member states, and old enough to vote in European elections.

  2. Registration with the Commission

    The Commission has two months to register the initiative. It checks that the subject falls within its powers and that the initiative is neither abusive nor contrary to the Union’s values.

  3. Twelve months of collection

    Organisers choose the start date. Signatures are gathered on paper or through the Commission’s central online collection system.

  4. Verification by the states

    Each member state checks the statements of support gathered on its territory and issues a certificate. Only certified signatures count towards the final total.

  5. The Commission’s reply

    A successful initiative earns a hearing at the European Parliament and a reasoned reply from the Commission within six months. The Commission is not obliged to legislate, but it must explain itself.

Minimum threshold per member state

The threshold equals the number of MEPs elected in that state multiplied by 750. At least seven states must reach it.

  • Germany 72,000
  • France 60,750
  • Italy 57,000
  • Spain 45,750
  • Poland 39,750
  • Romania 24,750
  • Netherlands 23,250
  • Belgium 16,500
  • Czechia 15,750
  • Sweden 15,750
  • Portugal 15,750
  • Greece 15,750
  • Hungary 15,750
  • Austria 15,000
  • Bulgaria 12,750
  • Denmark 11,250
  • Finland 11,250
  • Slovakia 11,250
  • Ireland 10,500
  • Croatia 9,000
  • Lithuania 8,250
  • Slovenia 6,750
  • Latvia 6,750
  • Estonia 5,250
  • Cyprus 4,500
  • Luxembourg 4,500
  • Malta 4,500

Signatures gathered on ExEuropa measure mobilisation: they are not official statements of support, which only the Commission’s system can collect and only member states can certify. Official register of citizens’ initiatives