A touch of democracy for the EU?
Civitas, 3 February 2010
The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a little-known Clause in the Lisbon Treaty (the much embattled re-formulation of the failed EU Constitution, which came into force in Dec 2009). Under the ECI, 1million EU citizens from a “significant number” of EU states can submit an “appropriate” proposal to the EU Commission suggesting that it drafts new legislation.
1million EU citizens is roughly 0.2% of the total EU population.
So is the existence of the ECI a sign that the Lisbon Treaty has made the EU more democratic? The EU describes the ECI as a ‘new “participatory democracy” tool’, and a recent article in the Economist stated that with the ECI, the EU is about to ’embark on an experiment in direct democracy’. Supporters hope it will create a “European Demos”, which is woefully lacking in the EU (as evidenced in the continual fall in voter turnout at EP elections).
However Eurocrats and EU politicians are unsure about how the ECI will even work. It has not yet been decided if ECI signatures will be submitted in person or via post. Alternatively, it could mirror the UK Government’s online e-petition initiative, e.g.:
- One such petition called for Gordon Brown to resign, but was swiftly removed …
- A second petition called on the Prime Minister to have a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. (Signatures: 513)
- A third petition called on Gordon Brown to do all in his power to prevent Tony Blair becoming President of the EU. (Signatures: 2,053)
Some people are convinced that the ECI will provide a genuine opportunity for EU citizens to influence the Commission’s legislative agenda. They warn that the ECI could lead to populism, a charge rejected by Britain’s Europe minister, Chris Bryant, who reportedly said that those in power will have to “grow up” and be prepared to defend their arguments…
But Mr Bryant has misunderstood the potential of the ECI – it present no danger because it is only a half-hearted gesture towards democracy.
The same Economist article reminds readers that the ECI is an already diluted attempt to increase EU democracy because 2 alternative initiatives were rejected when the Lisbon Treaty was drawn up: “Their real dreams were binding, EU-wide referendums or, failing that, Californian-style popular initiatives that could lead to binding referendums.”
The ECI places no real obligation on the EU Commission to act on proposals. Nothing came from a million-plus signatures on a petition calling for an end to the parliament’s monthly meandering from Brussels to Strasbourg because, according to the EU, the issue “does not fall within the framework of the Commission’s powers”. And whilst the ECI is resolutely within the Commission’s “framework”, the Commission is keen to assert that it “retains its right of initiative and will therefore not be bound to make a proposal following a citizens’ initiative”. There is plenty of room for the Commission to ‘wriggle out’ of any responsibility to act on ECIs. For example, the experience in Britain is that politicians can find a way to absolve themselves of legally binding commitments (remember Labour’s manifesto commitment to a referendum on the EU Constitution…?)
Following a vote in favour of the ECI in the European Parliament (EP) in May 2009, the Commission published a Green Paper asking for “stakeholders’ contributions” which will be discussed at a meeting on 22nd February 2010. The Commission claimed itwould then “like to bring forward a proposal as soon as possible in the first half of 2010”.
There is currently a huge disconnect between the peoples of Europe and power in the EU, so installing genuine democracy in to the EU would certainly be an achievement. However it will take a lot more than petitions supported by 0.2% of EU citizens to overcome the EU’s democratic deficit.