OIDP

Country

Spain

Organization

Barcelona City Council

Type of experience

regulations and legislation

Theme

governance and transparency all

SDGs

SDG 16

Citizen initiatives are a means citizens have of getting the City Council to carry out specific action

Participants

Citizen initiatives may be promoted by a group of three or more adults who are registered city residents, as well as by any public organisation, non-profit associations, business organisations, trade unions and professional associations, provided that Barcelona is their operational area.

Description

What is a citizen initiative?

Citizen initiatives are a means by which the general public intervenes in order for the City Council to carry out a specific action of general interest within its jurisdiction.

The initiative recognises people's ability to become active players in matters that affect the community as a whole, favouring the general public's role in defining priorities or needs in the city's political agenda.

Based on collective mobilisation and the collection of signatures, a citizen initiative makes it possible to:

include a point in the agenda of a Full City or District Council meeting.
carry out a participatory process
request the creation of a new participatory body
initiate the approval or modification of a municipal regulation
request a public consultation on a specific question
convene a Neighbourhood Council or a Public Hearing

Who can promote a citizen initiative?

Who can support it?

Citizen initiatives may receive support from any person over the age of 16 who is a registered City of Barcelona resident.

How can it be promoted?

An application and its associated documents must be presented at the City Council register in at any Citizens Information and Advice Office. The City Council will confirm compliance with requirements, and from that moment, the applicants will have a period of between two and four months to collect signatures and demonstrate that the matter is of general interest.

Each type of initiative has an established minimum number of signatures, which also varies according to whether it is a district or city matter.

How many signatures are needed?

A minimum number of signatures has been established for each type of initiative. This number also varies according to whether it is a city or district matter.

For city initiatives:

To propose a public consultation or approval or amendment to a regulation, 15,000 valid signatures are required.
To convene a participatory process or propose the creation of a participatory body, 9,000 valid signatures are required.
To convene a public hearing, 7,000 valid signatures are required.
To add one or various points to the Municipal Council's agenda, 3,750 valid signatures are required.

For district initiatives:

	To propose a public consultation or approval or amendment to a regulation	To convene a participatory process or propose the creation of a participatory body	To convene a public hearing	To add one or various points to the Municipal Council's agenda
Ciutat Vella	2500	1500	1000	500
Eixample	6500	3900	2600	1300
Sants - Montjuïc	4500	2700	1800	900
Les Corts	2000	1200	800	400
Sarrià - Sant Gervasi	3500	2200	1500	700
Gràcia	3000	1800	1200	600
Horta - Guinardó	4000	2500	1700	800
Nou Barris	4000	2400	1700	800
Sant Andreu	3500	2200	1500	700
Sant Martí	5700	3400	2300	1100

For more than one district:

If the consultation affects more than one district, the number of signatures required is the sum of each district indicated in the previous section, reduced by the following percentage.

For two districts, 10% less
For three districts, 15% less
For four districts, 20% less
For five districts, 30% less
For six districts, 40% less
For seven districts, 45% less
For eight districts, 50% less
For nine districts, 55% less
For ten districts, 60% less

Who can collect the signatures?

The signatures must be collected by authorised persons. Only these people may confirm the identity of the signee and bear witness to the authenticity of the signatures.

Who can become an authorised person?

Any person over the age of 18 with a National Identity Document or Foreign National ID Number who is a registered resident of Catalonia and declares that they are willing to be an authorised person by means of a sworn statement to the Promoting Committee. This committee will send this to the City Council so that it may issue the corresponding certificate establishing that applicant's right to act as an authorised person.

Does the City Council support a citizen initiative?

The City Council offers technical and financial support to facilitate the collection of signatures, with the aim of avoiding discrimination due to a lack of material and financial resources.

What type of support?

Technical support, advising the promoting group to ensure the process is carried out properly, facilitating the necessary tools, such as the decidim.barcelona digital platform, and publicising the initiative so that it reaches the maximum number of city residents possible.

The City Council also provides financial support, with a subsidy of 1 euro for each signature, up to the established maximum number of signatures. In order to qualify for this financial support, it is necessary to collect the minimum number of required valid signatures and justify all expenses related to the initiative.

Citizens initiatives in Barcelona