Commission registers European Citizens’ Initiative on phasing out EU imports from Russia and Belarus

This article is brought to you in association with the European Commission.

Today, the European Commission has registered a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), entitled ‘Stop Funding Russia’s War: Phase Out Harmful and Useless Russian Imports into the EU’.

The initiative invites the Commission “to propose firm, immediate measures to end the EU’s remaining import dependencies on Russia and Belarus by introducing sectoral bans or decisive phase-outs”. To this end, the organisers indicate that the “objective is to stop the flow of EU funds to the Russian state, eliminate structural vulnerabilities in critical supply chains and reinforce a coherent, values-based trade policy”.

As this initiative fulfils the formal conditions established in the relevant legislation, the Commission considers it legally admissible under the European Citizens’ Initiative Regulation. The Commission has not analysed the substance of the proposals at this stage. The registration does not influence the Commission’s final decision on its merits, or any potential action it may take. The Commission will take a decision on the initiative only if it collects at least one million signatures from EU citizens.

Next steps

Following today’s registration, the organisers have six months to open the 12-month period of signature collection. If an ECI receives at least one million statements of support during that time, with minimum thresholds reached in at least seven Member States, the Commission is required to react, and decide what, if any, action it will take in response to the initiative, justifying its decision.

Background

The ECI was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as an agenda-setting tool for citizens. It was officially launched in April 2012. Once formally registered, a European Citizens’ Initiative allows one million citizens from at least seven EU Member States to invite the European Commission to propose legal acts in areas where it has the power to act. The conditions for admissibility are: (1) the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a legal proposal, (2) it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and (3) it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union.

Since the beginning of the European Citizens’ Initiative, the Commission has registered 126 initiatives.

The content of the initiatives only expresses the views of the organisers and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the Commission.

For more information

‘Stop Funding Russia’s War: Phase Out Harmful and Useless Russian Imports into the EU‘

ECI statistics

ECIs currently collecting signatures

European Citizens’ Initiative Forum

#EUTakeTheInitiative campaign