An initiative can be launched by at least seven EU citizens (nationals of an EU country), who live in seven different EU countries and who are old enough to vote in European elections (18 years old in most Member States, with some exceptions of younger age). These seven people can also set up a legal entity in one of the EU countries to manage the initiative.
Citizens’ initiatives cannot be run by organisations that are already established, but these organisations can promote or support initiatives as long as they do so openly.
Once an initiative has collected, within one year, 1 million valid signatures, reaching set thresholds in at least 7 Member States, its organisers can submit it to the Commission for examination. They can present it in a public hearing in the European Parliament and the European Parliament can adopt a resolution on it. Within six months after submission, the Commission shall adopt a communication in which it decides what action to take, if any (legislative or non-legislative or none).