The European Citizens' Initiative - a tool for raising your ideas throughout the EU! - Sweden in focus

On 25 May, the third of 10 European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) seminars for 2021 took place online and was broadcast from Sweden. During the event, we were given an overview of how ECIs have worked for Swedish citizens. We also heard from past and present organisers of ECIs from around Europe who shared their experiences of the processes involved. Our moderator for the day was Bruno Kaufmann, Ambassador for the European Citizens' Initiative in Sweden, Head of International Relations at the Swiss Democracy Foundation and Co-Chair of the Global Forum for Modern Direct Democracy. A steady hand to steer proceedings to be sure.

To kick things off, we were treated to an impromptu quiz on the ECI and tools for participatory democracy in Sweden. Participation showed that a large portion of viewers were already aware of the ECI, and its purpose. Encouraging!

On behalf of the European Commission’s Representation in Sweden, Therese Domisch opened the discussion by highlighting the importance of active participation in democratic processes, at both local and European levels. "Not only is it important to be active when it is election time, but it is also important to be active between elections, to make your voice heard, at all times". If you have a topic that you are passionate about, and you believe it can impact other citizens’ lives, that is where the ECI can help.  The ECI allows for citizens to come together, across all EU Member States, to try and affect change in the EU policy-making process. And it is this shared cooperation that pushes the ideals of the EU forward.

What is the value of the ECI at the national and EU level?

Silvia Kersemakers from the European Commission’s ECI team spoke about how the ECI resides at the very heart of European democracy and allows for public debate. It lets citizens invite the Commission to introduce legislation into areas within its competence. The process is not easy, and with the time limits that have been established, the pandemic made the collection of signatures difficult. Therefore, the Commission lent a helping hand by extending the time limits for the collection of signatures in this period. Launching an ECI can seem daunting at first, but rest assured, you are not alone during the process. There is a wealth of resources available to make it a little easier for organisers - so don’t be afraid to reach out because just like an ECI, it’s cooperation and communication that moves us forward.

Peter Eriksson, a former Member of the European Parliament and former Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation, noted that there has always been a long tradition of indirect democratic involvement in Sweden, through political parties. In Sweden, there is no tool like the ECI at the national level. The ECI and the access it gives to Swedish citizens in terms of participatory democracy within Europe can bring positive changes both at home and across the EU.

Now, to understand the processes behind an ECI, you will need information, good information, and lots of it. Thankfully, Elisa Lironi, an expert from the European Citizens' Initiative Forum was on hand to give us an overview of this Forum. This online platform is designed to help citizens navigate the processes involved by providing advice, support, and information dynamically. It is available in 24 EU languages.

The ECI Forum organises and hosts webinars that everyone can attend, recordings of which can be accessed through the “Learn” section. The majority of “Seek Advice” enquiries to the platform relate to the legal aspects to take into consideration when launching an initiative. Questions are replied quickly, so that the organisers can get down to the important work! "In fact, of the 11 ongoing initiatives three were launched with the help of the platform and its “Seek Advice” section".

Advice from Organisers, past and present

Zmary Garwal, who was a coordinator of the HOUSING4ALL ECI, explained that the reason behind the initiative was the distinct lack of affordable housing throughout EU Member States. One of the most difficult aspects of this initiative was establishing a solution to the diverse nature of property ownership throughout Europe. The ECI is an ideal tool to address such an issue due to its transnational nature, and has allowed the initiative to engage across Member States and helped to give an overview of what was happening in each country.

The process was affected by Brexit, and after the loss of many signatures of British citizens, the organisers decided to withdraw the initiative. However, this was not the end of the road, as the European Parliament, in a way, took over 80% of the original initiative’s goals in a resolution. Zmary explained that a large network of supporters has grown from the initial initiative and a follow-up project and network spanning several EU countries is currently running. This should serve as an example to everyone, not only organisers: just because you do not reach the initial goal, it is not a failure, but the start of a journey to great achievements!

The End the Cage Age ECI is an initiative that seeks to end the use of cages in animal farming through legislation. Olga Kikou, its organiser, explained that cages cause immense distress for animals, limiting their movement and expression of natural behaviours.

All across Europe, there has been a rise in awareness and concern for animal welfare and this is how the ECI came about. After having succeeded in collecting almost 1.4 million signatures, the organisers have met with the Commission and have had a public hearing at the European Parliament. A debate and vote would take place during the June plenary session of the European Parliament and by 30 June it is expected that the Commission will issue its position on this initiative.

Over the lifetime of the initiative, it has had support from over 170 NGOs and federations. Beyond the success of the initiative, using the ECI tool gave rise to more awareness of the plight of caged, farmed animals. It has not been an easy process, and it has taken many years of hard work, but there is now a light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully, it keeps getting brighter, going beyond the initiative!

As the event was drawing to a close, it was time to hear the experiences of a former organiser of a local citizens’ initiative in Sweden, Victoria Barrsäter. She gave details of her experience in helping to organise an initiative to save Västerås, a regional airport, and its challenges. One of the key elements of any effort is planning. Before you can get to the required number of signatures, you need to have a plan on how to go about this. Victoria’s campaign was quite fortunate in that some 80% of the people living in the area wanted to support it. This led to an influx of signatures.

In Sweden, citizens are more used to organising within associations, but when there is a subject that is close to people’s hearts, they will get behind it completely. This is true of the Swedish citizens on a whole host of issues, from homelessness to tackling violence against women.

A welcome option

The ECI within Sweden is most definitely seen as a welcome tool of participatory democracy, and to affect changes in policies close to their hearts. An ECI is a worthwhile endeavour that lends strength to EU citizens, helps them to have their voices heard and bring positive change to the lives of fellow citizens. As pointed out throughout the seminar, you are not alone at any stage of the process, and by reaching out, you will find many willing and helping hands to guide you through. If you would like to find out more, you can check out the European Citizens’ Initiative website and the ECI Forum, for a lot more information. Good luck!