The new European parliament en Commission established a conference on the future of Europe. This is not going to be a single event, but a process that will last until mid 2022 and is all about the future of European democracy (the European Union, not the one in member states).
It true European tradition it will be a long and slow process, with many stakeholders and voices to take into account. Moonshots and big ambitions will probably fail, but a realistic and tactical move would be to make the European Citizens Initiative a tool for the parliament to overrule the Council.
Few readers now remain after the previous sentence. If you are still reading you probably already understand the huge potential. Currently, that Europe-wide petition that collected a million signatures in 7 member-states or more goes to the Commission and stops there. If the Commission would like to carry the initiative further, for example because it is a good proposal, then it probably is also political. Then there are the 27 member states that gang up to block it.
Not very democratic, is it? This is not going to change soon or easily because the member states do not want to give up their powers to Brussels, the Commission. That would also be problematic democratically because the mandate of the Commission is not very democratic. The parliament can’t send the Commission home either. Also, the Commission is there to execute with a very narrow mandate.
The Council is a meeting of the leaders of the member states and they will not easily give up their power. Unless…
Unless it is a very limited power they give up, if many conditions apply. I propose:
- A European petition with a million signatures (European Citizens Initiative
- Which fulfills the current criteria
- And is supported by a majority vote by the European Parliament
- Results in a legislative act from the European Commission
- And can not be overruled easily by any European body, except the Court of Justice of the European Union.
This will fundamentally change the dynamic around this instrument. Currently few members of the European Parliament are motivated to make the instrument into something big. Once they can have a vote about it and have their way, they will have more power than they have now. It will not become a tool of direct democracy (which parliamentarians usually object to) but will complement the parliamentary, representative democracy. Crazy stuff by a group of 1 million crazy or bribed citizens will still be blocked by the parliament. But good stuff will shine on them too. They will probably start campaigning to mobilise the European demos for it!
Good for the emergence of a European demos too. Citizens can actually do something and make a difference in European democracy.
Let me know if you want to support this and which organisations you could make enthousiastic. During the conference I would like to contribute it.
I already proposed it during ECI Day on February 25. There is probably even a video of me standing up in the crowd. Based on a discussion that morning I got this idea.
European Economic and Social Committee Rue Belliard/Belliardstraat 99