As one of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) permanent partners, we attended the 2023 edition of the ECI Day on June 8, 2023.
The ECI is a unique supranational political innovation and constitutes an important tool that encourages participatory democracy.
As part of the European Year of Skills, the event focused on upskilling citizens for an impactful ECI. ECAS moderated a workshop on “How to turn your idea into a European Citizens’ Initiative!”
The workshop provided 50 participants with practical tips and recommendations on what organisers need to make their idea into an initiative. We also presented the support centre, the European Citizens’ Initiative Forum, with a special focus on the seek advice function which offers free legal advice to assist organisers.
@EU2023 – source: EESC
This workshop was moderated by our own Vasiliki Mustakis, who monitors and manages the ECI Forum. There were two speakers at this workshop.
The first speaker, Stéphanie Poppe, the organiser of the “Ensuring the Dignified Reception of Migrants” initiative, shared her first-hand experience launching an initiative, its challenges, experience with the registration process and using the Seek Advice function. She also advised future ECI organisers to use the ECI Forum during the registration process and after the launch of your ECI.
The second speaker, Ioana Motoc Associate at Freshfields and a vital part of the seek advice process, shared with participants how citizens can maximise their chances of getting a European citizens’ initiative registered by the Commission, a first critical step toward turning an ECI initiative into a concrete legislative proposal.
In the atrium of the venue, we also had an ECAS branded stand where participants could understand how the ECI Forum works and the various materials available on the Forum, hear about success stories, and participate in a giveaway after completing a survey to help improve the accessibility on the ECI Forum.
More information regarding the ECI Day 2023: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/eci-day-2023