The “One of Us” Initiative

Residents of Latvia are also invited to take part in the European Citizens' Initiative “One of Us”

Today, 1 February, the European Citizens' Initiative “One of Us” is being launched in Latvia and other European Union countries. It is the first initiative of this kind intended to provide legal protection for human life and dignity.  

The aim of this initiative is to call on the European Commission to stop funding activities connected with the destruction of human life. This mainly concerns abortions and embryonic stem cell research. In the long term, the aim of this initiative is to strengthen protection of human life in European Union legislation, beginning from the moment of conception, and also to strengthen a united European pro-life movement.

For the initiative to be valid, by 1 November 2013 at least one million signatures must be collected in all EU member states, and in at least 7 countries the number of collected signatures must be equal to or greater than the number of that country's Members of the European Parliament multiplied by 150 (in Latvia this number is about 7000). Residents of Latvia are also invited to support this initiative by signing it online on the initiative's website www.oneofus.eu or on paper in churches (the forms for this initiative have been sent to parish deans). The association “Gimene” is responsible for implementing the European Citizens' Initiative in Latvia.
 
Answers to questions about the “One of Us” Initiative

European citizens' initiative - how should it be understood?
The European citizens' initiative (ECI) is an opportunity for citizens of European Union (EU) countries to propose legislation within the competence of the EU. It can be compared with initiating a law or a referendum in Latvia. The course of a European citizens' initiative, as well as the information to be indicated on forms, is determined by Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 and by the law of the Republic of Latvia “On National Referendums, Legislative Initiatives and the European Citizens' Initiative”.

Who proposed the “One of Us” initiative?
The members of this initiative's citizens' committee represent France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Great Britain, but among its supporters are defenders of life from many other countries, including Lithuania, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and others.

What is the essence of the initiative?
Although under the Lisbon Treaty issues directly concerning the protection of human life are not within EU competence, many areas that are within EU competence - such as research, development cooperation in the field of health care, or EU financial affairs - touch human life. The essence of this citizens' initiative is: to legally protect the dignity, right to life, and integrity of every human being from the moment of conception in areas of EU competence where such protection is especially important.     

Why sign the “One of Us” initiative?
The human embryo deserves respect for its dignity and inviolability. This is stated in the declaration of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the Brüstle case, which defines the human embryo as the initial stage of the human development cycle. To ensure consistency in areas of EU competence where the life of the human embryo may be endangered, the EU should establish a prohibition and stop funding activities that involve the destruction of human embryos.

When does human life begin?
The beginning of human life is conception in the mother's womb. It is the moment when the father's sperm cell meets the mother's egg cell and fertilizes it. At conception a new organism comes into being whose DNA is different from both the mother's and the father's DNA; therefore from the very beginning it is not part of the mother, even though it is in the mother's womb.

Where can the Initiative be signed?
A person may sign once, either electronically on the website or on paper (in Latvia the permission of the Central Election Commission is dated 16 January 2013). It will be possible to sign paper forms in Latvian churches, as well as by contacting the initiative coordinators in Latvia.

What are the requirements for those who want to sign?
The signer must be a citizen of an EU country and eligible to participate in European Parliament elections. When signing, only first name, surname, citizenship, a personal identity number issued in Latvia, and signature must be indicated.

Will the “One of Us” Initiative also have an effect on Latvian legislation?
There will be no direct effect on Latvian legislation, because signatures collected for an ECI can be used only to initiate the ECI, but 7000 valid signatures will also be a clear signal to Latvian legislators.

Where can more information about the Initiative be obtained?
News about the implementation of the initiative in Latvia and Europe is published on the website www.draugiem.lv. More information in foreign languages can be found on the website www.oneofus.eu. To contact the coordinator of the initiative in Latvia, write to the e-mail address: janis.lulle@inbox.lv.

LRKB IC, Association “Gimene”