trans european petitions and the eci - pep-net summit
DESCRIPTION
A brief overview of the challenges that a democratic instrument like the European Citizens Initiative face - in terms of multiple languages, clarity of process - and security over the systemTRANSCRIPT
E-Petitioning systems
European specific aspects
Peter Cruickshank
International Teledemocracy Centre
Edinburgh Napier University
@spartakan
1www.EuroPetition.eu
PETITIONING IN EUROPE
Language and
2www.EuroPetition.eu
Political dialog in the EU
Multiple languages
Need for single dialog
3www.EuroPetition.eu
LPS = Local & Euro Petitioning System
€CA = Euro Cluster Admin
€CA €CA€CA €CA €CA
European
Parliament
European
Commission
Euro Institutions
English English English English
SpanishEnglish Swedish Italian Dutch
= Euro Flag button
LPS LPS
LPS LPS
UK
LPS EPS
NetherlandsSpain
LPS LPS
LPS
Italy
LPS
Sweden
EPS
EuroPetition translated into English to
check for duplicates across all Euro clusters
Translation of EuroPetition back into
Local language to collect signatures across 5 regions
A EuroPetition checked locally
with help of local Euro cluster
Once a EuroPetition closes
it can be presented to Euro Institutions
EPS = Euro only Petitioning System
The Journey of a EuroPetition
www.EuroPetition.eu
The journey of a Europetition
Citizens see petitions and dialog in their own language
Petitioners still have to use English as common language
They are responsible for coordinating local translations
Cluster coordinators can help petitioners but cannot become too involed
5www.EuroPetition.eu
EUROPEAN CITIZENS INITIATIVE
Aspects of the
www.EuroPetition.eu6
ECI Process
7www.EuroPetition.eu
Organiser e-ECI system provider
Think of subject for
ECI
Find online ECI
system
Submit ECI and
name service provider
Basic Approval of wording
of ECI
OK
Set up ECI
(multilingual) Configure online
system
Collect paper
signatures
Obtain certification
Collate signatures by
country etc
National Competent Authorities
Give
certification
Collate e-signatures
by country etc Validate signatures according to
national practice
Target reached (in time)?
Collate certificates & submit to Commission
Verify submission
conditions met
YES
Into legislative / policy process
Advanced e-signatures
Collect e-signatures
Certificate Ref
Log Rejection reason
Record on system
ECI number, admin access
Translations
Approx 100,000 signatures
Target not reached
Confirm wording acceptable
Formal & informal
agree‟t processes
Destroy records
within onemonth
To Commission
?
European
Commission
ECI Process
8www.EuroPetition.eu
Organiser e-ECI system provider
Think of subject for
ECI
Find online ECI
system
Submit ECI and
name service provider
Basic Approval of wording
of ECI
OK
Set up ECI
(multilingual) Configure online
system
Collect paper
signatures
Obtain certification
Collate signatures by
country etc
National Competent Authorities
Give
certification
Collate e-signatures
by country etc Validate signatures according to
national practice
Target reached (in time)?
Collate certificates & submit to Commission
Verify submission
conditions met
YES
Into legislative / policy process
Advanced e-signatures
Collect e-signatures
Certificate Ref
Log Rejection reason
Record on system
ECI number, admin access
Translations
Approx 100,000 signatures
Target not reached
Confirm wording acceptable
Formal & informal
agree‟t processes
Destroy records
within onemonth
To Commission
?
European
Commission
What is a system?How is it
approved? By whom?
11www.EuroPetition.eu
Quality Audited Business
ECI application designed built
and tested
Registered with Data Protection
Authorities
Apply for certification(Art 4)
Functionality tested by National Competent Body
System certified(And certification logged and made visible somehow)
Registrations verified by National Competent Body
Registration of ECI system under Art 6.4
ECI Process
12www.EuroPetition.eu
Organiser e-ECI system provider
Think of subject for
ECI
Find online ECI
system
Submit ECI and
name service provider
Basic Approval of wording
of ECI
OK
Set up ECI
(multilingual) Configure online
system
Collect paper
signatures
Obtain certification
Collate signatures by
country etc
National Competent Authorities
Give
certification
Collate e-signatures
by country etc Validate signatures according to
national practice
Target reached (in time)?
Collate certificates & submit to Commission
Verify submission
conditions met
YES
Into legislative / policy process
Advanced e-signatures
Collect e-signatures
Certificate Ref
Log Rejection reason
Record on system
ECI number, admin access
Translations
Approx 100,000 signatures
Target not reached
Confirm wording acceptable
Formal & informal
agree‟t processes
Destroy records
within onemonth
To Commission
?
European
Commission
Will the EC allow unofficial
translations?
How to audit signatures?
What can be used from e-petitioning systems?
A quick look at security…
13www.EuroPetition.eu
Journey of an ECI signature
www.EuroPetition.eu14
National Identity
Database(s)
Se
cu
re
Sto
rag
e
Certified,
tamper-proof
records
Signature
records
Va
lida
tion
By N
atio
na
l Au
tho
rities
10
0%
or s
am
ple
ba
se
d
Certification
Authority
eg Verisign,
EuroPKI
Ve
rifi
ca
tio
n
First line verification
Handwritten
Signature
Confirmation
emailOther
methods
Identity
Spam checks
CAPTCHA etc
Record
signature
15www.EuroPetition.eu
• Verification is conceptually split between
• Authentication: proving who you are
• Authorisation: whether you are entitled to sign
• But in practice it seems best to start with the two together. A range of authentication techniques can be used.
• A statistical approach can be taken
• Storage should ensure data retains integrity and is auditable, confidential and available to authorised
users only
– And the minimum required should be used
– How much auditability is needed?
The ECI and Information Security
• Protecting privacy
• Is too much information currently required?Confidentiality
• Protection from accidental or deliberate (malicious) modification – where?Integrity
• …for legitimate users
• How defined?Availability
• who are you – supports non-deniabilityAuthentication
• what can you do? Are you an EU citizen?Authorization
• Key to non-repudiation. How can this work if signature records must be destroyed?Auditing
CONCLUDING NOTES
The ECI
17www.EuroPetition.eu
Some thoughts and issues
• The process has more in common with e-petitions than e-voting
• A ECI system is the technology-in-use – it‟s the organisation providing the ECI that matters. Just checking code is a diversion.
• The system must be online – but allow for multichannel , multilingual campaigns, including the use of paper
– dealing with campaigns and initiatives in multiple languages has to be at the core of the system. It is unacceptable to force citizens to work in English.
• Data protection/privacy is central– Data Protection Directive should act as the basis for the security requirements
– including different application of the law in Member States
• Signature verification…– I‟d prefer a loose checks on who can sign, with tighter (statistical) checks later on
– relationship to electoral registers or national identity databases
– verification must be auditable
• Need for standards for recording and sharing details of Initiatives– to share, compare and campaign across systems
– along the lines that have been discussed for e-petitions in England
18www.EuroPetition.eu
Some questions
•Will they be reserved to the big lobbying organisations?
•What set up will support the „little people‟
Who will run ECI campaigns
•What is meant by „system‟
•What process can certify it?
ECI systems providers
•Role for national/ regional clusters
•Wordings will appear on official ECI website
•Can EC avoid responsibility?
Clustering & Translations
•To share, compare and campaign across systems
• standards for recording and sharing details of ECIsECI as service
19www.EuroPetition.eu
Helping shape the ECI
ECI Campaign
http://www.citizens-initiative.eu/
Current timeline
•30.9. AFCO/PETI meeting with National Parliaments (COSAC)
•5.10 EP: expert hearing with Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann and Prof. Jürgen Meyer
•8.11. AFCO discussion of the draft report
•November PETI and AFCO adopt their reports•October / November: trilogy negotiations on basis of the draft report
ECI Board
Jan Linhart
http://www.youreci.org/
Focus on the “e-” aspects of ECI
Call for papers/suggestions for improvement by 4 October
20www.EuroPetition.eu