First Citizens’ Initiative inspired by the Lisbon Treaty delivered to the European Commission

10 December 2010
by eub2 -- last modified 10 December 2010

Today, Avaaz and Greenpeace delivered the first ever Citizens’ Initiative inspired by the Lisbon Treaty to Health Commissioner John Dalli. Since December 2009, the citizen’s right of initiative is enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty, allowing a million citizens from a significant number of member states to ask the European Commission to change European law.

Avaaz and Greenpeace have collected over a million verifiable signatures from all 27 member states, based on the ECI criteria proposed by the Commission. The petition calls on the Commission to ban genetically modified (GM) crops until a new independent, ethical, scientific body is established to assess their impact. This echoes a unanimous demand by the 27 member states' environment ministers in 2008 and is aimed at replacing the widely-criticised European Food Safety Authority.

The petition was launched in March following the Commission's approval of an antibiotic-resistant GM potato, despite significant scientific concerns and disregarding dominant public opposition to GM crops. Several countries are now taking the Commission to the European Court of Justice over its decision to authorise the GM potato.

Avaaz Executive Director Ricken Patel said: "This is a massive step for European democracy. European citizens have given the Commission more than a million reasons to listen to the public and act with precaution rather than cave to the private interests of a handful of GM companies who are influencing Europe's agricultural future. We expect the Commission to seriously consider and address the concerns of European citizens, EU governments and independent scientists. The massive and rapid response shows that citizens are excited to engage with this new democratic instrument to re-insert a democratic voice into EU policy."

Greenpeace European Unit director Jorgo Riss said: "With this initiative, over a million people across Europe have set the EU a clear democratic test. The question is whether the EU will address real concerns on GM crops or whether it will take the side of the chemical industry lobbyists. Europeans expect safe food and sustainable farming. The EU is still unable to guarantee this. Until safety issues of GMOs are examined by independent experts, all GMO authorisations should stop."

European Parliament lead rapporteur, MEP Gerald Haefner, said: "The Lisbon Treaty has handed citizens the right of initiative. I'm glad to see they are already making use of it, as the Avaaz/Greenpeace petition shows. The ball is now in the court of the European Commission, which should give this GMO petition the political attention it deserves as the first European Citizens' Initiative since the treaty came into force."

To mark the handover, Avaaz and Greenpeace met today with Commissioner Dalli to inspect a giant 3D farm field created by the world-famous pavement artist Kurt Wenner in front of the European Commission's Berlaymont building headquarters.

The Greenpeace European Unit is based in Brussels, where we monitor and analyse the work of the institutions of the European Union (EU), expose deficient EU policies and laws, and challenge decision-makers to implement progressive solutions.

Greenpeace European Unit