Online petition system to allow EU citizens demand new laws

CITIZENS who want European Union action on an issue will be able to sign-up online, adding their names to the one million signatures needed to kick-start legislation.

Preparations for what is a new kind of public participation in politics are being finalised in Brussels and should be in practice early next year.

MEP Alan Kelly, who asked the European Commission whether people could add their name via the internet to a call for new legislation, said the move would kick-start the concept of e-democracy in Europe.