European Citizens’ Initiative: Commission closes an infringement case against Italy

The Commission decided today to close its infringement procedure against Italy regarding the national rules on the certification of online collection systems for European Citizens’ Initiatives. The previous national rules obliged organisers of the European citizens’ initiatives to obtain an ex ante evaluation of their online collection systems by an external body before requesting the certification of the systems to the competent national authority in Italy (“Agenzia per l’Italia Digitale”). Such national rules run against EU law (Regulation (EU) No 211/2011). Italy has adopted new national rules for the certification of the online collection systems in conformity with EU law and the infringement procedure is, therefore, closed. The new rules ensure that organisers of initiatives in Italy can obtain the certification of their online collection systems in a more simple way and within one month. According to EU law, the national authorities in the Member States are responsible to carry out the certification of online collection systems for European Citizens’ Initiatives within one month and without the need for organisers to obtain an additional ex ante evaluation by an external body other than the designated authorities.