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Citizen's initative

  • 29-04-2008 2:30pm
    #1
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭


    What is the function of this part of the treaty? Will it be like popular referendum, and will there be any onus on the commision to help make an initiative into law?thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    oscarBravo
    Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 28,830 Mod ✭✭✭✭oscarBravo


    As I understand it, the Commission will be required to prepare a proposal on any such initiative. There will be no requirement that it be acted upon.

    This is probably a good thing: do we really want 0.2% of the Union's population to be able to force legislative change?


  • #3
    IRLConor
    Subscribers Posts: 4,076 ✭✭✭IRLConor


    oscarBravo wrote: »
    As I understand it, the Commission will be required to prepare a proposal on any such initiative. There will be no requirement that it be acted upon.

    This is probably a good thing: do we really want 0.2% of the Union's population to be able to force legislative change?

    Although it might be nice if there was a mechanism whereby a bigger petition could force some change. Perhaps something like:
    1. N million people want something and submit a petition. (I have no idea what a sensible number for N would be - perhaps base it on a percentage of total EU population)
    2. The European Parliament must then vote to approve or disapprove of the petition (as a lunatic filter essentially and to prevent undue regional/national interest).
    3. If the petition passed then the Commission would be forced to make the change, if it failed it would simply count as a regular petition.


  • #4
    PHB
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,617 ✭✭✭✭PHB


    We have a bigger petition system, it's called the actual election :)

    I hope this goes through, because if it does it'll make people start to consider who they vote for in the MEP races, which is key to people realising that they effectively live under two governments.


  • #5
    IRLConor
    Subscribers Posts: 4,076 ✭✭✭IRLConor


    PHB wrote: »
    We have a bigger petition system, it's called the actual election :)

    Yeah, but it sucks for situations where a politically diverse bunch of people want to agree on one issue.
    PHB wrote: »
    I hope this goes through, because if it does it'll make people start to consider who they vote for in the MEP races, which is key to people realising that they effectively live under two governments.

    Agreed.


  • #6
    brianthebard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,165 ✭✭✭✭brianthebard


    I read the part in the white paper about CI today-after the referendum a certain number of people in a certain number of countries (hasn't been decided yet) will have to sign the petition to make it to the commision's table. Do people think that will lead to voting blocks? I agree oscarBravo that we dont' want every petition to be passed into law, but I just wonder how effective it will be if there is no pressure on the comission to say more than yes or no? It all feels quite fussy atm.


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