Strasbourg, 18/12/2013

The European Ombudsman's own-initiative inquiry OI/9/2013/TN into the functioning of the European citizens' initiative (ECI) procedure

Dear Mr President,

The European citizens' initiative (ECI) right has been up and running since April 2012.

The ECI should make an important contribution to the empowerment of European citizens. I intend to follow-up on my predecessor's commitment to pay particular attention to the way in which this new right is implemented by opening an own-initiative inquiry.

The objective of the inquiry is to encourage and support efforts to improve the citizens' initiative procedure. As the first step I am inviting input from the organisers of open, closed and obsolete initiatives. Subsequently, I will address the European Commission and possibly other bodies regarding the matter.

I do not, therefore, at this stage, ask the Commission for any information regarding the matter. However, please find enclosed, for your information, the letter that I have sent to the relevant organisers.

I will, in due course, ask for the Commission's opinion on the comments that I receive from the organisers.

Yours sincerely,

Emily O'Reilly

Enclosure (sent by e-mail):

• Copy of the letter sent to the organisers of citizens' initiatives