Webinar, 'Shades of Success: Understanding the ECI Journey'

There is no single path to success when launching a European citizens’ initiative. Whether an initiative reaches the official one million signature threshold or not, it can still drive real change, from shaping EU legislation to building powerful public awareness campaigns.

Missed the live session? Watch the full webinar recording above to learn how three ECI organisers turned their ideas into action using very different strategies.

In this one-hour webinar, three ECI organisers shared their diverse experiences to show the many ways an ECI can contribute to EU policymaking. While one campaign successfully collected over one million verified signatures, the other two took different routes—prioritising awareness-raising and influencing legislation through mobilisation and advocacy.

Participants heard directly from the organisers of:

• "Ban on Conversion Practices in the European Union", which exceeded the 1 million signature threshold through last-minute support from major influencers;
• "Reclaim Your Face", a civil society-led campaign that helped shape the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act despite falling short of the signature goal;
• "Ending the Aviation Fuel Tax Exemption in Europe", which focused on grassroots mobilisation and media visibility to push for tax justice and climate-conscious policy.

Through these personal stories and strategic insights, attendees learned how to plan and run an ECI campaign, whether through traditional success metrics or alternative forms of impact. Speakers openly shared challenges, from lack of funding and media silence to pressure, stress, and the importance of community support.

Key insights from the discussion included:

• There is more than one path to impact. Whether or not an initiative meets the official signature threshold, it can still raise awareness and influence EU-level policy.
• Success is not one-size-fits-all. Campaigns can succeed by changing public opinion, building coalitions, or getting a topic onto the political agenda.
• Mobilisation matters. From influencer outreach to local community building, organisers shared practical strategies that helped boost engagement.

Webinar Agenda 

1. Introduction and welcome by Vasiliki Mustakis, ECAS [Minute 0:00 to 3:40]
2. Overview of the ECI process and impact [Minute 3:40 to 15:41]
3. Experiences from ECI organisers
   1. Case Study 1: An initiative that successfully collected 1 million signatures
      1. Mattéo Garguilo – Ban on Conversion Practices in the European Union [Minute 15:41 to 28:25]
   2. Case Study 2: Impact of an ECI that did not reach the 1 million target but achieved other outcomes
      1. Diego Naranjo – Civil society initiative for a ban on biometric mass surveillance practices (Reclaim your face) [Minute 30:14 to 40:31]
   3. Case Study 3: Impact of an ECI that did not reach the 1 million target but achieved other outcomes
      1. Timothée Galvaire – Ending the aviation fuel tax exemption in Europe [Minute 41:06 to 53:58]
4. Q&A Session [Minute 56:05 to 53:58]
5. Closing Remarks

In this webinar recording, you will find the answers to the following questions: 

• Would you go through the process of launching another ECI? Why or why not? [Minute 56:26 to 59:34]
• In general, how can you start contributing to an already existing campaign? [Minute 59:47 to 1:01]

The ECI is a tool, not the goal. Using the initiative as part of a broader advocacy plan, especially when signature goals seem out of reach, can still lead to meaningful outcomes.

Language: English