No legal basis to register EC Initiative 'British friends – stay with us in the EU', Commission says

The College of Commissioners today decided not to register a proposed citizens’ initiative, from a group of non-British EU citizens, entitled: « British friends – stay with us in the EU », whose stated objective is « to create a platform which would enable all European citizens to take part in this initiative and to reach a majority of British Citizens… thereby giving to all British citizens an opportunity to voice their opinion. » No further information was provided about the legislative tool which could potentially support this initiative, and enable EU citizens outside the UK to overturn the sovereign Brexit decision by the British people or compel them to change their minds. The conditions for admissibility of a European Citizens’ Initiative are that the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission’s powers to submit a proposal for a legal act, that it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and that it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union. While the Commission regrets the decision of the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union, there is no legal basis in the Treaties which would allow for the adoption of an EU legal act challenging or overturning the UK’s decision to withdraw from the Union. As such, the College has no legal basis to register this proposed Initiative.