Today, the European Commission has decided to register two European Citizens’ Initiatives: ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’ and ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’.
The European Citizens’ Initiative was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as a powerful tool for citizens to set the agenda and was officially launched in April 2012. Once formally registered, a European Citizens’ Initiative empowers one million citizens from at least seven EU Member States to invite the European Commission to propose legal acts in areas where it has the power to act, making every citizen a potential agent of change.
The organisers of the ‘Stop Cruelty Stop Slaughter’ initiative are calling for the Commission to introduce incentives for producing plant proteins, including plant-based milk and egg substitutes, as well as cultivated meat. They also call for a reduction in the number of farm animals and the progressively closing of all animal farms.
The organisers of the ‘Stop Fake Food: Origin on Label’ initiative are calling for the Commission to propose measures that ensure European consumers have access to transparent information about the food they buy and that their expectations regarding food quality and sustainability are met. The initiative also calls for ensuring clear and explicit labelling of all products’ origin and adherence to consistent environmental, health, and labour standards in the internal market.
Both European Citizens’ Initiatives meet the necessary legal conditions and are therefore considered admissible by the Commission. However, the Commission still needs to evaluate their content. Registering an initiative is based solely on its legal admissibility, ensuring a transparent and fair process. The content of the initiatives represents the views of the organisers, not the Commission. Suppose an initiative receives at least one million statements of support within one year, with minimum numbers reached in at least seven Member States. In that case, the Commission must respond and explain its decision. Since starting the European Citizens’ Initiative, the Commission has registered 116 initiatives.
