Registration of the European Citizens' Initiative ‘Wake up Europe’

21.12.2015

Question for written answer E-016064-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
József Szájer (PPE) , András Gyürk (PPE) , Tamás Deutsch (PPE) , Andor Deli (PPE) , György Schöpflin (PPE) , György Hölvényi (PPE) , László Tőkés (PPE) , Kinga Gál (PPE)

We should appreciate it if the Commission would state its reasons for departing from the practice adhered to hitherto with regard to the admissibility of subjects in the case of registration of the European Citizens' Initiative ‘Wake Up, Europe’ (ECI(2015)000005).

On the Commission's website, the title of the European Citizens' Initiative ‘Wake Up, Europe’ (ECI(2015)000005) is indicated, accompanied by references to various articles of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. However, according to Article 51 of the Charter, its applicability is restricted as follows:

‘51(1) The provisions of this Charter are addressed to the institutions, bodies, offices and agencies of the Union with due regard for the principle of subsidiarity and to the Member States only when they are implementing Union law. They shall therefore respect the rights, observe the principles and promote the application thereof in accordance with their respective powers and respecting the limits of the powers of the Union as conferred on it in the Treaties.’

The other references (Articles 2, 6 and 7 TEU), meanwhile, cannot be regarded as appropriate legal bases. Article 2 TEU lists the general legal principles of the European Union, Article 6 refers to the scope of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, and Article 7 indicates the desired result itself.