European Court rules #StopTTIP citizen’s initiative was a legitimate contribution to democratic debate

The European Court of Justice has annulled the decision of the European Commission to refuse the registration of the ‘Stop TTIP’ European Citizen’s Initiative. The Court found that the proposed European Citizens’ initiative was a "legitimate initiation of a democratic debate in a timely manner".

In July 2014, a citizens’ committee, requested that the Commission register a European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘Stop TTIP’. The proposal requested that the Commission recommend that the Council cancel the mandate which that it had granted for the negotiation of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the US and EU. The initiative also referred to the EU-Canada agreement – CETA.

The Commission refused to register that proposal because it held that it was outside the framework of its powers. The Court ruled that nothing justified excluding from democratic debate legal acts seeking the withdrawal of a decision authorizing the opening of negotiations with a view to concluding an international agreement.

The Court said that the principle of democracy, which is one of the fundamental values of the EU, and the objective behind the European citizens’ initiatives - to improve the democratic functioning of the EU by granting every citizen a general right to participate in democratic life – should be upheld.

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