Be an active participant in shaping European policies and share your views with us. Explore below the ways you can contribute to the thinking about our policies and the ways we work.
Let us know what is important to you!
Have a say on upcoming EU policies and on simplifying existing laws.
Propose or support ideas for new EU rules.
Join the debate and engage with citizens on issues that affect us all.
In the spotlight: Public consultation on shark protection, related to a European Citizens’ Initiative
On 12 March 2024 the European Commission published a questionnaire seeking the feedback from the public on policy options to better protect and manage sharks and related marine ecosystems.
The aim of this consultation is to gather views to ensure an informed follow-up to the 2023 European citizens’ initiative “Stop Finning – Stop the Trade”. This citizens’ initiative gathered over 1.1 million signatures and received an official Commission’s reply in July 2023.
This public consultation is addressed to civil society at large, in and outside the EU. It is open until 4 June 2024.
Read more
Public Consultations and feedback (previously called ‘Have Your Say’) is a single portal for citizens and stakeholders to give their views on the Commission’s initiatives and contribute to the decision-making process. The Commission is committed to hear citizens and stakeholders’ views on EU laws and policies both when these are being prepared and implemented. The public consultation on Child protection – integrating systems or feedback regarding EU rules on victims’ rights were examples for such contributions in the decision making process.
Using the European Citizens’ Initiative, EU citizens can call on the European Commission to propose legislation on topics within its competences. An initiative needs to collect at least one million valid signatures. Since its introduction in 2012, over 100 initiatives have been launched and around 18 million EU citizens have supported an initiative. Successful initiatives influenced Commission legislative proposals on matters such as access to drinking water or setting mandatory targets for reducing the use of chemical pesticides.
The Citizens’ Engagement Platform serves as a dedicated space for citizens to engage in European-level discussions regarding important upcoming EU proposals that affect us all. On the side of the European Commission, we are eager to learn about citizens’ opinions at an early stage when drawing up new policy initiatives. We will assess the ideas and proposals put forward, the reactions by other citizens, and consider this assessment when advancing with the formulation of our policy initiatives.