EU citizens’ initiative to suspend EU-Israel partnership agreement exceeds 1.3 million signatures

BRUSSELS, July 16 (YPA) – A European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) demanding the suspension of the EU-Israel Partnership Agreement secured approximately 1.3 million signatures by its deadline on Wednesday.

Launched on January 13, 2026, by the European Left alliance, the initiative calls for the full suspension of the agreement, citing policies of genocide, occupation, apartheid, and violations of international law and human rights against the Palestinian people. The campaign successfully gathered signatures from citizens across 13 EU member states, surpassing both the required 1-million-signature threshold and the minimum geographic quota of at least seven member states.

Following the conclusion of the collection phase, member states have two months to verify the signatures within their territories. If the 1-million-signature threshold is officially certified, the European Commission will be legally required to issue a formal response within six months.

Established in 2012, the ECI serves as a mechanism for direct democratic participation, mandating commission review for any petition meeting the verified signature and member-state requirements.

YPA