BRUSSELS, 5th June 2014 – The Executive Board of the European Citizens Initiative “One of Us”, , expresses its strongest indignation regarding the European Commission Report of 27th May, stating that it does not want to give any follow-up to the European Citizens Initiative “One of Us”. This decision is certainly contrary to the principle of “participatory Democracy” promoted by the Treaty of Lisbon. This, unfortunately, adds a further reason of distrust towards the EU among those who are unduly labelled “Eurosceptic”. It will be further discussed therefore, within a short timeframe, the technical possibility of a response, e.g. of an appeal to the European Court of Justice for the annulment of that report.
Furthermore, the document does not examine the European citizens’ main demand to the European Commission, raised in the very title of the initiative: recognise the human embryo, from the moment of conception as a human individual, who is “One of Us”. Therefore it cannot be said that the initiative has been closed. The two millions of European citizens who supported “One of Us” will continue to claim a reply from the European Commission. The Executive Committee is currently promoting a petition of doctors, lawyers and politicians, who, relying on their specific competence, will ask the Commission to review the initiative “One of Us”. It will also ask the Parliament to launch a global debate on it.
Regarding the sensitivity of the matter, which proposes a global landmark regarding human dignity, the right to life and equality, “One of Us” signatories cannot surrender to the wound done to Democracy at the very heart of European Institutions. Therefore the realisation of the above mentioned objectives is entrusted into a new born European federation “One of Us” that will act further, beyond the submission of the 2.000.000 signatures: it becomes a permanent structure among European institutions to ensure that attention to “the smallest and weakest among all human beings” is not diverted.
