European citizens are asking to stop border violence through a public initiative that has been registered with the European Commission. The Initiative, called “Article 4: Stop torture and inhuman treatment at Europe’s borders”, asks for “appropriate regulations to ensure that Article 4 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is applied effectively”, the text of the petition says. The upholders of the Initiative also ask that “the use of violence, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment is banned at EU borders and in non-EU countries which the European institutions or one or more Member States have concluded agreements with restricting the entry of migrants or asylum seekers into Europe, as well in the Member States themselves in managing reception, with penalties imposed for non-compliance with the obligations laid down”. Such petition refers to Article 78 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which mentions responsibilities for border control, asylum and immigration policies. If this European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) collects at least one million signatures, the European Commission will have to work out a bill of law to protect migrants or asylum seekers and that will, for instance, fine the countries that openly breach the ban on the use of violence or that will lay down standards of hospitality. This ECI was submitted by a group of human rights activists who founded the Stop Border Violence association. Launched in July 2023, it will be on until July 2024. It has been endorsed by over 7,000 people so far.