New Deal for Europe: A European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) and Petition
A Special European Plan for Sustainable Development and Employment financed by additional own resources of the EU budget coming from taxes on financial transactions (FTT), CO2 emissions (Carbon-Tax) and a loan in Euro Project bonds, in order to create new jobs (especially for youths) in the strategic sectors of the green economy, the safeguard of Europe's natural, historical, artistic and cultural heritage, and of research, innovation and permanent training.
The NEW DEAL FOR EUROPE activity consisted in two stages:
The European Citizens' Initiative (ECI). The Lisbon Treaty stipulated that one million citizens, from at least 6 European states, could present to the EU Commission a legislative proposal (Art.11.4). ECI-promoting groups were established in Italy, France, Spain, Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Hungary and Ireland. Based upon a common manifesto, the initiative commenced to elaborate a shared project and started the collection of signatures. 68 NGOs, 126 Mayors of important European cities, 13 trade-unions, 47 head figures from the field of culture gave their support. The EU electoral campaign provided a platform for debating on the aims and objectives of the ECI-ND4E initiative with political parties, candidates for the EU Parliament (48 of them were elected) and five candidates for the presidency of the European Commission (Guy Verhofstadt, Martin Schulz, Alexis Tsipras, Ska Keller, José Bové). Jean-Claude Juncker declared that he would reply after the EU elections. In fact, after his nomination as the new President of the European Commission, Mr. Juncker decided to launch a Plan for growth and employment that included a three-year investment of 315 billion Euros. That decision brought to a change in the strategy of the ND4E European Committee. As continuing the collection of signatures to endorse an initiative which had been partly acknowledged by the Juncker Plan was inappropriate, it opted to withdraw the ECI but to continue the action by presenting a petition to the EU Parliament regarding the objectives that have not been achieved yet.
The Juncker Plan, though it represents a first step in the right direction, namely the increase in the resources earmarked for growth, was deemed lacking in both the quantitative amount of the planned resources, and the qualitative choice of the sectors to be incentivized in order to promote an environment-friendly and sustainable development, and to create new jobs in the strategic sectors of the economy. The ND4E petition, following its official presentation to the European Parliament as well as two hearings before its Petition Commission, received positive reactions and support from the E.P. and was invited to continue its course until the Commission will transform the petition into a concrete legislative proposal.
All materials are available online: www.newdeal4europe.eu/en ; http://www.newdeal4europe.eu/en/ documents (in 7 languages)
ECI and NEW DEAL FOR EUROPE (ND4E) Chronicle:
22 January 2013- The Greek ECI-ND4E Committee is launched in Athens http://www.newdeal4europe.eu/it/notizie-ed-eventi/41-comitato-greco-primi-passi
February 2013- The Italian ECI-ND4E is launched in Rome http://www.newdeal4europe.eu/it/notizie-ed-eventi/23-comitato-italiano-resoconto-della-prima-riunione
15.March 2013- French Committee, Roubaix http://www.newdeal4europe.eu/fr/nouvelles-et-e-venements/42-reunion-de-creation-du-comite-regional-nord-pas-de-calais
16.March 2013- The French ECI-ND4E Committee is launched in Lyon http://www.newdeal4europe.eu/fr/ nouvelles-et-e-venements/38-comite-francais-premiere-reunion
November 2013- The German ECI-ND4E Committee is launched in Berlin
February 2014- In Turin, the network European Cities supporting a European Plan for Development and Employment (Città europee a sostegno di un piano europeo per lo sviluppo e l’occupazione) is initiated by the Mayor of Turin, Piero Fassino and the Mayor of Lyon, Gérard Collomb. See VIDEO by Simone Fissolo.
March 2014- ECI is accepted by the EU Commission
March 2014- ECI is launched at a press conference in Rome
January 2015- The ECI is withdrawn and the ND4E Petition is launched
October 2015- ND4E Petition is registered at the European Parliament
March 2016- Official Presentation of the Petition at the European Parliament
h t t p : / / t i n y u r l . c o m / N D 4 E - A s s e m b l y - 1 5 0 3 2 0 1 6 ; n e w s , u p d a t e s , n e w s l e t t e r a n d w e b s i t e : www.newdeal4europe.eu---- This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
20.April 2016- The New Deal 4 Europe (ND4E) Petition is declared admissible
20.June 2016- First Hearing at the EU Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/committees/video?event=20160620-1500-COMMITTEE-PETI
November 2016- Second Hearing at the EU Parliament http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/committees/video?event=20161109-1500-COMMITTEE-PETI YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQSIWXSCE3U
24-25 March 2017- A March in Rome celebrates the 60th Anniversary of the Treaties of Rome http:// europainmovimento.eu/europa/gran-successo-della-march-for-europe-oltre-10-000-cittadini-per-le-vie-di-roma-da-bocca-della-verita-al-colosseo-per-reclamare-un-europa-unita-democratica-e-federale.html https://twitter.com/UEF_France/status/846827576551182336