The European Commission registers a European Citizens’ Initiative to support integration of Ukrainian refugees in Europe

The European Commission registered a European Citizens’ Initiative to support integration of Ukrainian refugees in Europe, and preserve and develop Ukrainian culture, education, language, traditions, and heritage, informed the website of the European Commission, as reported by censor.net.

“On August 16, the European Commission registered a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Preservation and development of Ukrainian culture, education, language, and traditions in EU states’”, the press release of the European Commission reads.

The organisers of the initiative urge the Commission to step up its actions in supporting the integration of Ukrainian refugees in the EU. 

“They also call on the Commission to propose new legislation to preserve Ukrainian culture, language, traditions and heritage, as well as to establish a pan-European structure of integration centres,” the press release reads.

The decision to register is of a legal nature and it does not prejudge the final legal and political conclusions of the Commission on this initiative and the action it will intend to take, if any, in case the initiative obtains the necessary support.

Following the registration, the organisers have six months to open the signature collection. If a European Citizens’ Initiative receives one million statements of support within one year from at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to react. The Commission will have to decide whether to take action in response to the request or not, and will be required to explain its reasoning.

The European Citizens’ Initiative was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as an agenda-setting tool in the hands of citizens. It was officially launched in April 2012.

censor.net