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Europaudvalget 2009-10
KOM (2009) 0622 Bilag 4
Offentligt

European Commission

Secretariat General

Directorate E "Better Regulation and

Institutional Issues"

Unit E.l "Institutional Issues"

B - l049 Brussels

Reply to the green paper on a European Citizens’ Initiative

Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) would like to thank for the opportunity to

comment on the green paper on a European Citizens’ Initiative. DI welcomes the

green paper and supports the ambition of the Lisbon Treaty to advance the integra-

tion of the European civil society in the legislative process.

Generally DI finds that if the citizens’ initiative is to bring value to European deci-

sion-making a balance must be struck between adequate representation of Member

States and a simple methodology for the execution of such initiatives.

Requirements and eligibility

Concerning the question of what constitutes a significant number of Member States

DI finds that one third of Member States, as suggested in the green paper, is appro-

priate in order to ensure that citizens’ initiatives are both representat ive and have a

clear European profile. In order to guarantee these two objectives a requirement for

a minimum number of citizens per Member State is considered necessary. The sug-

gested 0.2% of the total population of each participating Member States seems to

be the appropriate threshold.

Regarding the eligibility of participants, the minimum age of supporting a citizens’

initiative should equal the voting age for the European elections in each member

state. This means 18 in all Member States except for Austria where the voting age is

set at 16.

Form, registration and time frames

If the citizens’ initiative is to become a truly viable offer for European civil society

attention must be paid to the practical execution of initiatives. In this respect DI

finds it is sufficient to require that an initiative states the subject -matter and objec-

tives of the proposal as proposed in section four of the green paper. In line with this

approach DI supports the idea of setting up a specific website where initiatives can

be formally registered through uploading of title, subject-matter, background and

objectives. As a positive side effect this approach will also limit the risk of similar

or identical initiatives being submitted.

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Concerning section five of the green paper DI finds that unnecessary administrative

burdens should be avoided by establishing minimum requirements for verification

and authentication of signatures, giving the Member States a certain level of flexi-

bility.

Regarding the various time frames DI finds that organizers of an initiative should

be given one year from the completion of the registration formalities to collect the

required signatures. In addition the Commission should be obliged to respond to an

initiative within a time-frame of maximum 6 months. In order to avoid burdening

the system and undermine the citizens’ initiative as a serious instrument for demo-

cratic participation a time frame should also be set for the resubmission of an initi-

ative. It is important that such a time frame reflects the difference between the re-

submission of an identical initiative and an initiative which has been amended due

to new data or legislation.

Finally DI finds that it is important to stress that no restrictions should be imposed

as to who may present an initiative. Both citizens and organisations should be eli-

gible. In line with the Commission’s European Transparency Initiative organisers of

initiatives should provide certain basic information of which organisations are sup-

porting the initiative in question.

Best Regards

Henrik Schramm Rasmussen