The European Commission has proposed amending the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) regulation to grant itself the power to adopt delegated acts for an indefinite duration, replacing the previous five-year delegation that expired in June 2024. The proposal, published on 3 July 2026 as COM(2026)339, is a technical change aimed at allowing the Commission to update Annex I of Regulation (EU) 2019/788, which sets the minimum number of signatories required per Member State. Updates become necessary whenever the European Parliament's composition changes following European Council decisions on seat allocations. The Commission argues that the current five-year delegation is insufficient to cover the full electoral cycle and that an indefinite delegation would ensure the regulation remains up-to-date without requiring repeated legislative amendments. The proposal is limited and targeted, does not alter the substance of the ECI regulation, and has no budgetary implications for EU institutions.
EU citizens and organisers of citizens' initiatives will see no change in the initiative process itself, while the European Parliament and Council will need to consider the proposal under the ordinary legislative procedure. The Commission's move may raise concerns among some MEPs and civil society groups about the scope of delegated powers, as indefinite delegations reduce parliamentary oversight compared to time-limited ones. However, the Commission emphasises that the amendment is purely technical and that any delegated act would still be subject to the standard scrutiny and revocation mechanisms under Articles 290 and 291 TFEU. The proposal now awaits consideration by the European Parliament and the Council.