31/03/2026
More than 1.1 million Europeans supported the European Citizens’ Initiative “Stop Finning – Stop the Trade”, calling for an end to the EU shark fin trade. Nearly three years after the European Commission’s formal response, key commitments remain unfulfilled, deadlines have passed, and no clear timeline has been provided.
Today, the initiative’s organisers — supported by The Good Lobby — have filed a complaint with the European Ombudsman, citing delays, lack of transparency, and potential maladministration in the Commission’s follow-up.
Beyond this specific case, the complaint points to a broader pattern affecting several successful ECIs, raising fundamental questions about whether the EU’s main instrument of participatory democracy is functioning as intended.