Commission declines to register European citizens' initiative on selection of election candidates, on competency grounds

The European Commission has declined to register an European citizens' initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Ethical selection of European representatives', because it does not fulfil the formal conditions established in relevant legislation. The Commission can only register initiatives that invite the Commission to propose legal acts for the purpose of implementing the EU Treaties.

The organizers of the initiative called on the Commission to issue a recommendation to member states and political parties to introduce minimum standards on ethics, psychological fitness and competence for the internal selection of candidates in European and national elections. They also called for a voluntary European Code of Ethics for candidates and a public awareness and education campaign.

The refusal is the outcome of a two-stage procedure, in which the organisers, in a first stage, were invited to amend their initial initiative, taking into account the first assessment of the Commission.

Since the beginning of the European citizens' initiative, the Commission has registered 121 initiatives. This is the second refusal of an ECI registration request since the new ECI Regulation started applying in January 2020.

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