reg 211/2011: proposal for revision alexander prosser
TRANSCRIPT
Reg 211/2011: Proposal for Revision
Alexander Prosser
Overview
Focus on three main issues:
Art 3: Citizens’ Committee
Art 5/6: “Privatization” of Collection
Annex III
... many more which cannot be treated now.
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Issue 1: Citizens’ Committee (Art 3)
“The organisers shall be citizens of the Union …”“The organisers shall form a citizens’ committee …”
No governance structure ... What does this group legally constitute? How do they decide? What happens if one dies or leaves? Subject to which MS’s law? Tax treatment? No governance structure discernible in Regulation, except ... .. one contact to the Commission
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Issue 1: Citizens’ Committee (Art 3)
“The organisers shall be citizens of the Union …”“The organisers shall form a citizens’ committee …”
No governance structure and unlimited liability See Art 12, 13, 14 Penal Administrative Civil Each member of the Citizens’ Committee is liable down to his/her
last penny.
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Solution 1: Art 3
Define legal character of Committee …
… ideally, by reference to an existing legal construct(eg, association under Belgian Law)
Defines registration and legal declaration obligations Defines internal decision mechanism Defines tax treatment Gives the Committee a legal frame
Define change process in composition of Committee
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Issue 2: Privatisation of Collection Process (Art 5,6)
“The organisers shall be responsible for the collection of the statements of support …”
The Citizens’ Committee is mainly an economic entity, not a political decision-making body.
Costs of the collection process Only software (OCS) provided by COM Legal disputes, risk exposure
Art 13: “... liable ... in accordance with applicable national law.“
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Issue 2: Example
Local supporters of an ECI in Italy violate Italian privacy law.
Need Italian lawyer to counter charges
Italian court issues fine of EUR 20 per case.
100,000 cases = EUR 2,000,000
Who is liable?
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Issue 2: Example
The ruling of the Italian court is enforceable all over the Union.
=> It is the combination of Art 3 and 5/6 that creates an unacceptable risk exposure for those who exercise a civil right granted to them by the Lisbon Treaty
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Solution 2: Art 5, 6
Online system permanently run by COM(if paper relevant => MS)
Assign responsibilities emerging from running the system to COM (who may employ commercial contractor)
Plus: Strong Support Infrastructure for all other questions and issues
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Issue 3: Annex III
1 million support declarations overall
National quota => declaration must be attributable to an MS
To attribution principles are possibleResidence or Passport principle
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Issue 3: Annex III
SEITE 11 Source: wikipedia under Creative Commons
Werner
Karl-Heinz
Sue
Jane
Issue 3: Annex III
SEITE 12 Source: wikipedia under Creative Commons
Werner
Karl-Heinz
Sue
Jane
Passport Principle
Issue 3: Annex III
SEITE 13 Source: wikipedia under Creative Commons
Werner
Karl-Heinz
Sue
Jane
Residence Principle
Issue 3: Annex III
SEITE 14 Source: wikipedia under Creative Commons
Werner
Karl-Heinz
Sue
Jane
Annex III
Residence Principle
Passport Principle
Issue 3: Annex III
11 million citizens* are deprived of their right to support an ECI due to Annex III
* Robert Müller-Török/Robert Stein: Die Europäische Bürgerinitiative aus Sicht nationaler Wahlbehörden; Verwaltung und Management 2010/5
This issue (like most current issues) was already pointed out in the public consultation process in Dec 2009 by Prosser/Müller-Török:http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/secretariat_general/citizens_initiative/docs/prosser_mueller_toeroek_en.pdf
Solution 3: Annex III
Either residence OR passport principle for all MS
Unify Annex III requirements
Side-step: Dir 93/109/EC
Harmonisation mechanism for voter rolls (EP)
COM Report 2010/603:“information on EU citizens sent by MS ... Very often cannot be used”In 2009 elections, identified / total received:CZ: 2,500 / 3,800IE: 208 / 4,795PT: 38,619 / 83,556
Department Informationsverarbeitung und Prozessmanagement
Augasse 2-6, 1090 Wien, Österreich
Univ.Prof. Dr. Alexander Prosser
http://e-voting.at http://www.wu.ac.at
Kontaktdaten ergänzen
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