How to collect signatures: Broaden your message, understand your audience and be creative!

Collecting signatures is the core of every European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) campaign, as an initiative needs to gather at least 1 million verified signatures, in no less than seven Member States, and in no more than 12 months. Only then an initiative can be put forward to the European Commission for consideration. For this reason, collecting the required number of statements of support in the different Member States is often regarded by the organisers of citizens’ initiatives as the hardest step in the entire process

In order to provide practical guidance on the subject, a webinar on the topic of signature collection was held on 30 March 2021 on the European Citizens’ Initiative Forum.

Here’s a brief overview of the main tips:

1. Build an understandable website in different EU languages

As a first step, it is important to build a simple and understandable website for a citizens’ initiative. In fact, the website is often the main source of information for citizens regarding the goals the initiative seeks to achieve. Having the page translated in multiple languages is a great way to maximise the outreach of an ECI and to provide potential partner organisations with information and messages that are easy to share.

“We are also exploring how we can provide some resources in European minority languages”. Ella Jakubowska, organiser of the European citizens’ initiative “Ban Biometric mass surveillance practices”

2. Simplify the message and expand your network

The campaign messages need to be easily understandable by the general public. These messages need to be flexible enough to be adapted in different national contexts. According to current organisers, it is necessary to draft messages that are easy to use as tweets or as social media posts, as social media is of particular value to mobilise the general public in supporting an active initiative.

In order to collect the maximum number of signatures in different EU countries, it is also vital to have partners and organisations helping during the campaign and to constantly try to expand this network. Partners can play a pivotal role to help with collecting signatures, but they can also act as multipliers of the campaign messages with their own communication channels. It is important to have a central coordination of the campaign that can help making the partners’ involvement as easy as possible so allies can channel their resources to engage with their followers. When engaging with traditional media, campaigners must be mindful of the fact that they might lose control of the exact message they would like to convey: journalists, for example, could be effective multipliers, but they might write an article on the general cause of the initiative, rather than the ECI as such.

3. Understand your audience and use personal links

Planning the communications strategy carefully is of key importance for the success of the campaign. Organisers suggest developing a profile for the audience which the initiative would like to target in order to tailor the messages. This strategy is also important when using different communication channels. Developing a recognisable visual identity is another asset for making the initiative more visible. Using personal contacts when collecting signatures is also of great importance, as these are people who can have a multiplying effect and significantly boost the results.

Julie Steendam, organiser of the European citizens’ initiative “Right to Cure”

These links can be diverse: on the one hand, personal links with civil society networks can help organisers to expand their campaigns. On the other hand, personal links with citizens are also important as getting individuals to share their support with their personal or professional network is of great value for campaigns. Therefore, it is important to make it as easy as possible for citizens to spread the word and share information about the initiatives on the channels that they mostly use.

4. Be creative with your messages, but emails remain important

Using creative ways to engage the targeted audience, such as videos or interactive elements are also among the key factors for success; however, reaching out to citizens via email remains a very important way of communication.

“One mailing, one message: sign the petition!” Julie Steendam

Getting your partners include information about your initiative in their mailings to their subscribers is particularly effective. Organisers with experience share that they have identified a considerable rise in statements of support collected after such email communications had been sent.

Daniela Vancic, European Program Manager, Democracy International

5. Explaining the tool to citizens

As the European Citizens’ Initiative is not yet known by all EU citizens, there is also a need to provide information to possible signatories abut what exactly this unique tool for participatory democracy at EU level is and how it works. Citizens often ask for clarifications about the personal data they are required to fill in when signing an initiative and why (which varies depending on the country of nationality); this provides an opportunity to explain how personal data is being protected during the process.

“You can try to frame it in a way that your signature is your vote. […] So, you have to verify yourself online.” Daniela Vancic

6. COVID-19 circumstances

According to the organisers gathering statements of support during the pandemic, the current circumstances - even if they remain challenging - allow also for new opportunities to campaign and collect signatures for an ECI. Despite the need to keep a physical distance, individual stories and personal connections remain extremely important. Demonstrations can even be held with very few people that create powerful pictures to attract public (media) attention. Furthermore, people tend to spend more time online and engage further with topics that they care about.

For more tips and details watch here the recording of the webinar, moderated by Flavio Grazian, Participatory Democracy Manager at the European Citizen Action Service.

You can also get in touch with the webinar’s speakers and with other European citizens’ initiative organisers by joining the Forum to Connect and Discuss.

Check out also the Learn page, and stay tuned for more upcoming events on the Forum!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on the ECI Forum reflect solely the point of view of their authors and can in no way be taken to reflect the position of the European Commission or of the European Union.