Campaign groups or individuals who can raise one million signatures will soon be able to set the EU agenda after the European Parliament voted to approve the ground rules of a “European Citizens’ Initiative”.

The scheme has been supported by local Lib Dem MEP Liz Lynne, and is a less controversial part of the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force one year ago.

National governments and MEPs have now agreed the details for the Citizens’ Initiative, which will allow a certain number of EU citizens to petition Euro-chiefs to propose new laws as long as they are within the competence of the European Union under the treaties.

The signatures of one million European citizens from a quarter of the EU’s 27 member states will be required to be successful.

West Midlands MEP Liz Lynne who supported the initiative believes it is another opportunity for campaigners in the region to get their voices heard in the EU. She said:

“This new package empowers individual citizens by giving them the same right of initiative as MEPs and national governments to propose new EU law.

“Critics of the EU have often claimed that policy making is too remote. To some extent I agree, and this is an example of how the Lisbon Treaty, which in some areas is so controversial, can actually be used to re-connect the EU with its citizens.

“European Commissioners will now have three bosses; national governments, MEPs and the ordinary public, as long as enough people sign up to an idea.”

The European Council is expected to adopt the new legislation formally within a few weeks. After this, the Member States will have one year to enact the necessary national legislation. People should thus be able to launch citizens’ initiatives from the beginning of 2012.

Ends.