The European Commission has officially registered a new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) calling for a major overhaul of transport across the EU, with a strong focus on making

travel more sustainable, affordable, and accessible.

The initiative—titled Fast, convenient, affordable, and above all climate-friendly transportation for all Europeans”—aims to shift the balance from air travel to rail. Its organisers argue that train travel should become a genuine alternative to flying, supported by a robust, continent-wide rail network and fairer market conditions.

Among the key proposals are the introduction of an EU-wide tax on aviation fuel, the removal of VAT exemptions in the aviation sector, and pricing reforms to better reflect environmental costs. Revenues generated from these measures would be redirected into building and strengthening a unified European rail system with significant operational authority.

The Commission confirmed that the initiative meets all legal requirements for registration under EU rules. However, officials подчеркнули that this step is purely procedural and does not imply endorsement or assessment of the proposal’s substance.

Organisers now have six months to begin collecting signatures, after which they will have a 12-month window to gather at least one million statements of support from EU citizens. To qualify for further consideration, minimum thresholds must also be reached in at least seven Member States.

If these conditions are met, the Commission will be required to formally respond, outlining whether it intends to take action and explaining its reasoning.

The European Citizens’ Initiative mechanism, introduced under the Lisbon Treaty and launched in 2012, allows citizens to directly influence the EU policy agenda. To date, 129 initiatives have been registered.

While the process gives citizens a platform to propose legislative ideas, the Commission подчеркнулиthat such initiatives reflect only the views of their organisers and do not represent the institution’s official position. Photo by Tatu Kosonen, Wikimedia commons.