27/07/26
Back in April, we announced the launch of a new EuropeanCitizens’ Initiative – “All On Board” – asking the EU a more inclusive model of citizenship, one in which the rights associated with being a European citizen are genuinely accessible to all, not the few as it is today. That initiative has now taken a decisive step forward: the EU Commission has officially registered “All On Board – For your right to citizenship without borders” clearing the way for organisers to launch their Europe-wide signature collection campaign.
The gap it aims to close
European citizenship comes with real rights including freedom of movement, access to education, and democratic participation. In practice, who actually gets to benefit those rights largely depends on where you live, whether you received higher education, and your socio economic conditions . “All On Board,” led by the ECIT Foundation, calls on the EU to guarantee every citizen an effective :
- Right to learn about European rights, values and democratic participation through citizenship education.
- Right to experience Europe through at least one meaningful mobility opportunity.
- Right to be recognised, so academic, technical, vocational and transversal qualifications count equally across borders.
To back this up, the campaign proposes a European Citizenship Statute handed to every citizen at 16, a Centre of Excellence for teacher training, and a network of European Citizens’ Houses to bring these rights closer to people’s everyday lives.
A youth-led campaign with a big target
Organisers now have one year to gather one million validated signatures from a sufficient number of Member States – the threshold that obliges the Commission to formally respond. True to its roots, the campaign is being built around Youth Task Forces across Europe, giving young people ownership over how the movement takes shape in their own communities. A first major milestone is the Brussels Summer School on 31 August 2026, bringing together young people, educators and civil society ahead of the signature drive.
Our take
At The Good Lobby, we’ve long argued that the ECI is one of the EU’s most under-used democratic tools – powerful on paper, but too often left in institutional limbo. Our founder, Prof. Alberto Alemanno, put it this way:
“I welcome this ECI asking the EU to finally make European citizenship something young people live, not just hold on paper. For too long, participatory democracy tools like the ECI have been under-used and left in institutional limbo – ‘All On Board’ shows what they can achieve when driven by a genuine, youth-led movement. Turning mobility, education and recognition into real rights for every citizen, regardless of background, is exactly the kind of ambition Europe needs right now.”
Registration is only the starting gun. The next twelve months will show whether “All On Board” can turn this ambition into the one million signatures it needs – and whether the EU is ready to treat citizenship as something everyone gets to live, not just hold.
Want to get involved? Schools, universities, youth organisations, municipalities and individual citizens can join the movement at allonboardeci.eu.
Read the full press release from the ECIT Foundation here.