mr president this is an instrument that has huge potential and could deliver an important democratic signal to europe
when i think of my own country if you want to get forward a legislative initiative in the uk you have to find a member of parliament they have to be lucky enough to win an annual ballot or lottery and then it is likely to get talked out by the government of the day
so i think we are about to deliver something very important and very exciting into the hands of europe's citizens
that makes me proud but it has to be user-friendly accessible and credible and that means we will have to be reasonably strict about it being within eu competence and adhering to human rights at the outset
we will have to be able and want to give support to promoters to meet the technical requirements
most importantly parliamentarians should be prepared to act together with initiators of an initiative
this does not compromise our rights
it is something that we can join hands with citizens over but they must direct their message to the commission
we can help and that way we can establish together a real european democracy
