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First take up of the ECI shows how worthless it is
The European Citizen's initiative was the thing, they said, the thing that shows that we, the European elite are listening, that they care.
It was to give that democratic veneer to the distant decisions made by faceless men an women.
The European Citizens' Initiative was introduced by the Lisbon Treaty. It allows 1 million citizens from at least one quarter of EU Member States to invite the European Commission to bring forward proposals for legal acts in areas where the Commission has the power to do so.The Regulation governing European Citizens' Initiatives started to apply on 1 April 2012. Since then, requests for registration can be made by citizens' committees made up of at least seven EU citizens who are resident in at least seven EU Member States. Before registering an initiative the Commission must verify that it meets certain minimal legal criteria, i.e. that it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous, vexatious, contrary to European values or outside the scope of the Commission's powers.
And today, as part of tomorrows Europe day celebrations the first ECI has been launched. An exiting day, one that will ring out in the annals (sp) of European Union history. The poeple can finally speak. Here is Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič getting quite excited,
I am thrilled that European Citizens' Initiatives are finally a reality. This is a great boost for participatory democracy in Europe. Now the race is on to see which initiative will be the first to gather one million signatures.
OK, so what is he excited about. What at this time when people are voting for parties that wish to throw down the EU edifice of austerity and Euro madness, when millions are unemployed and the system is teetering on a cliff? What indeed,
"Fraternité 2020 – Mobility. Progress. Europe" is the title of the first initiative, proposed by a committee of EU citizens living in Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania and Spain. Their stated motivation is to "enhance EU exchange programmes – like Erasmus or the European Voluntary Service – in order to contribute to a united Europe based on solidarity among citizens".
On the pulse as ever Brussels, you concerns are our concerns.
When will somebody put these people out of our misery?
2 comments:
If you can satistfy a number of tricky conditions on most of which we shall be the final arbiters, we might graciously grant you permission to beg our minions (who we pay with your money) to cast their eyes over your petition, which we shall then ignore (unless we started it in the first place, of course).
They really haven't understood this democracy business, have they?
Mr. Šefčovič is excited because he is living in Brussels and probably earning 10 times what he would back home. Were someone to offer me the same deal, I'd live in rural Afghanistan and be thrilled with whatever organization put me there!
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