How to prepare an initiative for registration

As an initiative organiser, your first step will be to get your proposed initiative registered by the Commission.

Registration can only take place if the proposal satisfies the following four conditions:

1. The group of organisers has been formed, including one representative and one substitute;
2. The proposed initiative does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission's powers to submit a proposal for a legal act of the Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties; 
3. The proposed initiative is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious;
4. The proposed initiative is not manifestly contrary to the EU values as set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, namely respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities as well as pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. 

Aaron Green, a lawyer working for the Seek Advice service of the ECI Forum, Emma Psaila, policy officer at the Secretariat-General of the European Commission and Stephanie Poppe, organiser of the ECI “Dignified reception of migrants in Europe” explain how to draft and submit an initiative.

Read more about how to draft and submit an initiative in our guidance note below: 

Learn from successful ECIs

Learn from organisers who successfully collected 1 million signatures. Read the Success Stories. 

Learn more from other organisers and experts on how to draft and submit an initiative by watching the webinars below.