Die Europaische Burgerinitiative: Inklusion neuer Akteure in die europaische Politik?

In: Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen: ZParl, Band 43, Heft 2, S. 419-428

Abstract

As of April 1, 2012 more than one million citizens of the European Union are given the possibility to file for a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI). By this they request the European Commission to submit a proposal for a European law. The Commission is not obliged to react on an ECI. Thus, it cannot be considered as an element of direct democracy but of participatory democracy. That notwithstanding the ECI was introduced into EU primary law to improve the Union's legitimacy. It analyses the role of new actors in the consultation on the ECI regulation, 21 test cases on the ECI and 15 intended initiatives and concludes that the ECI has the potential to increase the democratic quality of the Union by including new actors into EU politics. Adapted from the source document.