### – it is completely irrelevant to the concession , being incapable of meeting the contracting authority or contracting entity’s needs as specified in the concession documents . ### – it is irrelevant to the concession , being incapable of meeting the contracting authority or contracting entity’s needs as specified in the concession documents and failing to correspond to the concession documents .


### services concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 2 500 000 but lower than eur 5 000 000 other than social services and other specific services shall be subject to the obligation to publish a concession award notice in accordance with articles 27 and 28 . ### services concessions lasting for up to five years the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 2 500 000 but lower than eur 5 000 000 other than social services and other specific services shall be subject to the obligation to publish a concession award notice in accordance with articles 27 and 28 . services concessions lasting more than five years , the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 5 000 000 but lower than eur 10 000 000 , other than social services and other specific services , shall be subject to the obligation to publish a concession award notice in accordance with articles 27 and 28 .


### this directive shall apply to the following concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 5 000 000 : ### this directive shall apply to the following concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 5 000 000 for concessions lasting up to five years :


### contracting authorities or contracting entities may award concessions for individual lots without applying the provisions on the award provided for under this directive , provided that the estimated value net of vat of the lot concerned is less than eur 1 million . however , the aggregate value of the lots thus awarded without applying this directive shall not exceed 20% of the aggregate value of all the lots into which the proposed work or the proposed purchase of services has been divided . ### contracting authorities or contracting entities may award concessions for individual lots without applying the provisions on the award provided for under this directive , provided that the estimated value net of vat of the lot concerned is less than eur 500 000 . however , the aggregate value of the lots thus awarded without applying this directive shall not exceed 20 % of the aggregate value of all the lots into which the proposed work or the proposed purchase of services has been divided .


### this directive shall apply to the following concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur&#160 ; 5&#160 ; 000&#160 ; 000 : ### this directive shall apply to the following concessions the value of which is equal to or greater than eur 8&#160 ; 000&#160 ; 000 :


### as invasive alien species are numerous , it is important to ensure that priority is afforded to addressing the subset of invasive alien species considered to be of union concern . a list of such invasive alien species considered to be of union concern should therefore be drawn up . an invasive alien species should be considered of union concern if the damage it is causing in the affected member states is so significant that it justifies the adoption of dedicated measures the scope of which extends across the union , including in the member states that are not yet affected or even unlikely to be affected . in order to ensure that the subset of invasive alien species of union concern remains proportionate , the list should be developed in line with a gradual and phased - in approach including an initial capping of the number of invasive alien species of union concern to the top 3% of some 1500 invasive alien species in europe and be focused on those species that cause or are likely to cause significant economic damage , including that deriving from biodiversity loss . ### as invasive alien species are numerous , it is important to ensure that priority is afforded to addressing the subset of invasive alien species considered to be of union concern . a list of such invasive alien species considered to be of union concern should therefore be drawn up . an invasive alien species should be considered of union concern if the damage it is causing in the affected member states is so significant that it justifies the adoption of dedicated measures the scope of which extends across the union , including in the member states that are not yet affected or even unlikely to be affected .


### by way of derogation from the bans set out in points , , , and of article 7 , member states shall establish a permit system allowing establishments that are authorised to carry out research or ex - situ conservation to perform such activities on invasive alien species of union concern . ### by way of derogation from the restrictions set out in article 7 , points , , , , and , member states shall establish a permit system allowing establishments that are authorised to carry out research or ex - situ conservation on invasive alien species of union concern . activities involving farming of animal species shall also be allowed provided that they are covered by directive 1998 / 58 / eec and article 11 of directive 2009 / 147 / ec .


### by [ 12 months from the date of entry into force of this regulation &#8211 ; date to be inserted ] at the latest , member states shall have in place fully functioning structures to perform the official controls on animals and plants including their seeds , eggs , or propagules , brought into the union , necessary to prevent the intentional introduction into the union of invasive alien species of union concern . ### by [ 24 months from the date of entry into force of this regulation &#8211 ; date to be inserted ] at the latest , member states shall have in place fully functioning structures to perform the official controls on invasive alien species brought into the union , necessary to prevent the intentional introduction into the union of invasive alien species of union concern .


### the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts , in accordance with article 23 to further specify the type of admissible scientific evidence referred to in article 4 and to provide a detailed description of the application of the elements set out in paragraph 1 to of this article , including the methodology to be applied in the assessment of such elements , taking into account relevant national and international standards and the need to prioritise action against species associated with or that have the potential to cause significant economic damage , including that deriving from biodiversity loss . ### the commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts , in accordance with article 23 to further specify the type of admissible scientific evidence referred to in article 4 and to provide a detailed description of the application of the elements set out in paragraph 1 to of this article , including the methodology to be applied in the assessment of such elements , taking into account relevant national and international standards and the need to prioritise action against species associated with or that have the potential to cause significant damage to human health and the economy , including that deriving from biodiversity loss .


### a description of the negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services , including on native species , protected sites , endangered habitats , on human health and the economy including an assessment of the magnitude of future impact ; ### a description of the negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services , including on native species , protected sites , endangered habitats , on human health and the economy ;


### ' alien species ' means any live specimens of species , subspecies or lower taxon of animals , plants , fungi or micro - organisms introduced outside its natural past or present distribution ; it includes any part , gametes , seeds , eggs , or propagules of such species , as well as any hybrids , varieties or breeds that might survive and subsequently reproduce ; ### ' alien species ' means any live specimens of species , subspecies or lower taxon of animals , plants , fungi or micro - organisms introduced outside its natural past or present distribution ; it covers all stages in the development of such species and their parts , as well as any hybrids , varieties or breeds that might survive and subsequently reproduce ;


### by 12 months of an invasive alien species being included on the list referred to in article 4 at the latest , member states shall have in place management measures for those invasive alien species of union concern which the member states have found to be widely spread on their territory , so that their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services , human health and the economy are minimised . those management measures shall be based on an analysis of costs and benefits and also include the restoration measures referred to in article 18 . ### by 24 months of an invasive alien species being included on the list referred to in article 4 at the latest , member states shall have in place management measures for those invasive alien species of union concern which the member states have found to be widely spread on their territory , so that their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services , human health and the economy are minimised . those management measures shall be based on an analysis of costs and benefits and also include the restoration measures referred to in article 18 .


### by way of derogation from the bans set out in points , , , and of article 7 , member states shall establish a permit system allowing establishments that are authorised to carry out research or ex - situ conservation to perform such activities on invasive alien species of union concern . ### by way of derogation from the bans set out in points , , , and of article 7 , member states shall establish a permit system allowing establishments that are authorised to carry out research or zoos or botanical gardens to perform such activities on invasive alien species of union concern . the research shall be geared to mitigating the impact of biological invasions and may be carried out by establishments whose remit includes such activities .


### within 5 years from [ date of adoption ] , the commission shall assess the effectiveness of the current regulation including the list referred to in article 4 , the action plans referred to in article 11 , the surveillance system , border checks , eradication obligation and management obligations , and submit a report to the european parliament and to the council which may be accompanied by proposals for its amendment including changes to the list in article 4 . ### within 5 years from [ date of adoption ] , the commission shall assess the effectiveness of the current regulation including the list referred to in article 4 , the action plans referred to in article 11 , the surveillance system , border checks , eradication obligation and management obligations , as well as the appropriateness of the financing of implementation , and submit a report to the european parliament and to the council which may be accompanied by proposals for its amendment including changes to the list in article 4 and which , on the basis of an examination of the financial background , shall make a proposal concerning european union financial support in the next financial cycle .


### to support the achievement of the objectives of directive 2009 / 147 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 30 november 2009 on the conservation of wild birds7 , council directive 92 / 43 / eec of 21 may 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora8 , directive 2008 / 56 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 17 june 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy 9 and directive 2000 / 60 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 23 october 2000 establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy10 , the primary objective of this regulation should be to prevent , minimise and mitigate the adverse effects of invasive alien species on biodiversity and ecosystem services , as well as to reduce their economic and social impact . __________________ 7 oj l 20 , 26 . 1 . 2010 , p . 7 . 8 oj l 206 , 22 . 7 . 1992 , p . 7 . 9 oj l 164 , 25 . 6 . 2008 , p . 19 . 10 oj l 327 , 22 . 12 . 2000 , p . 1 . ### to support the achievement of the objectives of directive 2009 / 147 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 30 november 2009 on the conservation of wild birds7 , council directive 92 / 43 / eec of 21 may 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora8 , directive 2008 / 56 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 17 june 2008 establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy 9 and directive 2000 / 60 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 23 october 2000 establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy10 , the primary objective of this regulation should be to prevent , minimise and mitigate the adverse effects of invasive alien species on biodiversity , ecosystem services , safety and public health as well as to reduce their economic and social impact . __________________ 7 oj l 20 , 26 . 1 . 2010 , p . 7 . 8 oj l 206 , 22 . 7 . 1992 , p . 7 . 9 oj l 164 , 25 . 6 . 2008 , p . 19 . 10 oj l 327 , 22 . 12 . 2000 , p . 1 .


### they are physically isolated and they cannot escape or spread or be removed from the facilities were they are kept by unauthorised persons ; cleaning and maintenance protocols shall ensure that no specimens or reproducible parts can escape , spread or be removed by unauthorised persons ; ### they are physically isolated and they cannot escape or spread or be removed from the facilities were they are kept by unauthorised persons ; cleaning , waste handling and maintenance protocols shall ensure that no specimens or reproducible parts can escape , spread or be removed by unauthorised persons ;


### the commission or the member states , as relevant , shall carry out the risk assessment referred to in article 4 and having regard to the following elements : ### the commission shall carry out the risk assessment referred to in article 4 and , on the basis of an opinion delivered by the committee composed of member state representatives , having regard to the following elements :


### in order to enable commercial operators , who may have legitimate expectations , for instance those who have received an authorisation in accordance with regulation no . 708 / 2007 , to exhaust their stock of invasive alien species of union concern when these new rules enter into force , it is justified to allow them two years to slaughter , sell or hand over the specimens to research or ex - situ conservation establishments . ### in order to enable commercial operators , who may have legitimate expectations , for instance those who have received an authorisation in accordance with regulation no . 708 / 2007 , to exhaust their stock of invasive alien species of union concern when these new rules enter into force , it is justified to allow them two years to slaughter , sell or hand over the specimens to research establishments , zoos or botanical gardens .


### by way of derogation from the bans set out in points , , , and of article 7 , member states shall establish a permit system allowing establishments that are authorised to carry out research or ex - situ conservation to perform such activities on invasive alien species of union concern . ### by way of derogation from the restrictions set out in article 7 , points , , , , and , member states shall establish a permit system regarding activities on invasive alien species of union concern . activities involving farming of animal species shall also be allowed provided that they are covered by directive 1998 / 58 / ec and without prejudice to point of article 22 of directive 92 / 43 / eec and article 11 of directive 2009 / 147 / ec . in exceptional cases of undeniable contribution to human health , if there is no other option than the use of invasive alien species of union concern , member states can also permit their medicinal use .


### eradication methods are not available or are available but have very serious negative impacts on human health or the environment . ### eradication methods are not available or are available but have very serious negative impacts on human health , the environment or other species .


### council regulation no 708 / 2007 of 11 june 2007 concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture14 , regulation no 528 / 2012 of the european parliament and of the council of 22 may 2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products15 and regulation no 1107 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 21 october 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing council directives 79 / 117 / eec and 91 / 414 / eec16 provide for rules concerning the authorisation for the use of certain alien species for particular purposes . the use of certain species has already been authorised under those regimes at the time of entry into force of these new rules as they do not pose unacceptable risks to the environment , human health and the economy . in order to ensure a coherent legal framework , those species should thus be excluded from the new rules . __________________ 14 oj l 168 , 28 . 06 . 07 , p . 1 . 15 oj l 167 , 27 . 06 . 12 , p . 1 . 16 oj l 309 , 24 . 11 . 09 , p . 1 . ### council regulation no 708 / 2007 of 11 june 2007 concerning use of alien and locally absent species in aquaculture , regulation no 528 / 2012 of the european parliament and of the council of 22 may 2012 concerning the making available on the market and use of biocidal products and regulation no 1107 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 21 october 2009 concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market and repealing council directives 79 / 117 / eec and 91 / 414 / eec provide for rules concerning the authorisation for the use of certain alien species for particular purposes . the use of certain species has already been authorised under those regimes at the time of entry into force of these new rules . in order to ensure a coherent legal framework , those species should thus be excluded from the new rules . __________________ 14 oj l 168 , 28 . 06 . 07 , p . 1 . 15 oj l 167 , 27 . 06 . 12 , p . 1 . 16 oj l 309 , 24 . 11 . 09 , p . 1 .


### member states shall take proportionate restoration measures to assist the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded , damaged , or destroyed by invasive alien species of union concern . ### member states shall ensure that appropriate restoration measures are taken to assist the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded , damaged , or destroyed by invasive alien species of union concern . where the liability of a person , natural or legal , private or public , who intentionally or out of negligence causes the introduction and spread of invasive alien species of union concern , can be established , member state shall ensure that such person contributes to the restoration of damaged ecosystem .


### the commission or the member states , as relevant , shall carry out the risk assessment referred to in article 4 and having regard to the following elements : ### the commission shall have the primary responsibility to carry out the risk assessment referred to in article 4 and , in order to have common standards and response measures , having regard to the following elements :


### directive 2003 / 35 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 26 may 2003 providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment21 establishes a framework for public consultation in environment related decisions . in defining action in the field of invasive alien species , effective public participation should enable the public to express , and the decision - maker to take account of , opinions and concerns which may be relevant to those decisions , thereby increasing the accountability and transparency of the decision - making process and contributing to public awareness of environmental issues and support for the decisions taken . __________________ 21 oj l 156 , 25 . 6 . 2003 , p . 17 . ### directive 2003 / 35 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 26 may 2003 providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment21 establishes a framework for public consultation in environment related decisions . in defining action in the field of invasive alien species , effective public participation should enable the public to express , and the decision - maker to take account of , opinions and concerns which may be relevant to those decisions , thereby increasing the accountability and transparency of the decision - making process and contributing to public awareness of environmental issues and support for the decisions taken . local and regional authorities must also be involved in decisions taken by the member states on tackling invasive species , as they play a vital role in the implementation of those decisions and in raising public awareness and providing information . __________________ 21 oj l 156 , 25 . 6 . 2003 , p . 17 .


### permits for research and ex - situ conservation ### exemptions from prohibitions of invasive alien species of concern to the union


### kept or grown , including in contained holding ; ### notwithstanding article 8 , kept or grown , including in contained holding ;


### the delegation of power referred to in article 5 shall be conferred on the commission for an undetermined period of time from the entry into force of this regulation . ### the delegation of power referred to in article 5 shall be conferred on the commission for a period of five years from [ the date of entry into force of this regulation ] . the commission shall draw up a report in respect of the delegation of power not later than nine months before the end of the five - year period . the delegation of power shall be tacitly extended for periods of an identical duration unless the european parliament or the council opposes such extension not later than three months before the end of each period .


### by way of derogation from to article 7 and , owners of companion animals not kept for commercial purposes that belong to the species included on the list referred to in article 4 shall be allowed to keep them until the end of the animals ' natural life , provided the following conditions are met : ### by way of derogation from to article 7 and , owners of pet animals not kept for commercial purposes that belong to the species included on the list referred to in article 4 shall be allowed to keep them until the end of the animals ' natural life , provided the following conditions are met :


### member states shall develop guidelines and training programmes to facilitate the identification and detection of invasive alien species of union concern through cooperation between all authorities involved in the verifications referred to in paragraph 2 . the training programmes for custom authorities shall include information on filling the single administrative document on which the customs declaration is made . ### based on best - practices , member states shall develop guidelines and training programmes to facilitate the identification and detection of invasive alien species of union concern through cooperation between all authorities involved in the verifications referred to in paragraph 2 .


### trust service providers and supervisory bodies shall ensure fair and lawful processing in accordance with directive 95 / 46 / ec when processing personal data . ### trust service providers and supervisory bodies shall ensure fair and lawful collecting and processing of personal data in accordance with directive 95 / 46 / ec .


### a trust service provider shall be liable for any direct damage caused to any natural or legal person due to failure to comply with the obligations laid down in article 15 , unless the trust service provider can prove that he has not acted negligently . ### a trust service provider shall be liable for any damage caused to any natural or legal person due to non - compliance with the obligations laid down in article 15 , unless the trust service provider can prove that he has not acted negligently .


### the commission shall , by means of implementing acts , establish the necessary modalities to facilitate the cooperation between the member states referred to in paragraph 1 with a view to fostering a high level of trust and security appropriate to the degree of risk . those implementing acts shall concern , in particular , the exchange of information , experiences and good practice on electronic identification schemes , the peer review of notified electronic identification schemes and the examination of relevant developments arising in the electronic identification sector by the competent authorities of the member states . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 39 . ### the commission shall , by means of implementing acts , establish the interoperability framework to facilitate the cooperation between the member states referred to in paragraph 1 with a view to fostering a high level of trust and security appropriate to the degree of risk . those implementing acts shall concern , in particular , the exchange of information , experiences and good practice on electronic identification schemes , the peer review of notified electronic identification schemes and the examination of relevant developments arising in the electronic identification sector by the competent authorities of the member states . those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in article 39 .


### for the purposes of legal certainty and market predictability , it should be clarified that , in order to ensure an orderly functioning of the market , the commission is able in exceptional circumstances to adapt the auction timetable pursuant to article 10 of directive 2003 / 87 / ec . ### for the purposes of legal certainty , it should be clarified that the commission is able in exceptional circumstances to adapt the auction timetable pursuant to article 10 of directive 2003 / 87 / ec . in order to ensure an orderly functioning of the market , the commission shall consider the possibility of setting up an independent authority responsible for overseeing the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system in the european union .


### the commission shall , where appropriate , adapt the timetable for each period so as to ensure an orderly functioning of the market . ### the commission may , in exceptional circumstances , adapt the timetable for the period referred to in article 13 beginning on 1 january 2013 so as to ensure an orderly functioning of the market . the commission shall make no more than one such adaptation .


### the commission shall , where appropriate , adapt the timetable for each period so as to ensure an orderly functioning of the market . ### should exceptional circumstances require one single intervention on the auctioning timetable over the whole third period of eu - ets , member states shall immediately adopt financial measures to offset the short and medium - term indirect costs on carbon leakage - sectors passed - through in electricity prices , derived from such an intervention . such financial measures must be in accordance with state aid rules in this area .


### enhancing institutional capacity and an efficient public administration by strengthening of institutional capacity and the efficiency of public administrations and public services related to implementation of the cohesion fund . ### enhancing institutional capacity and efficient public administration by providing technical assistance and fostering the efficiency of public administrations and public services with a view to an effective and transparent implementation of the cohesion fund .


### promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy use in small and medium - sized enterprises ; ### promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy use in enterprises ;


### the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in installations falling under directive 2003 / 87 / ec ; ### investment to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities falling under annex i of directive 2003 / 87 / ec ;


### the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in installations falling under directive 2003 / 87 / ec ; ### the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in installations falling under directive 2003 / 87 / ec , with the exception of district heating , district cooling and combined heat and power plants ;


### protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by : ### preserving and protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency by :


### promoting the production and distribution of renewable energy sources ; ### promoting the production and distribution of renewable energy sources and of information technology .


### improving the urban environment , including regeneration of brownfield sites and reduction of air pollution ; ### action to improve the urban environment , revitalisation of cities , regeneration and decontamination of brownfield sites , reduction of air pollution and promotion of noise - reduction measures ;


### the decommissioning of nuclear power stations ; ### the decommissioning and the construction of nuclear power stations ;


### promoting the production and distribution of renewable energy sources ; ### promoting the production and distribution of energy derived from renewable sources ;


### by way of derogation from article 94 of regulation no [ … ] [ rd ] , for the measures of article 36 to and and of regulation no 1698 / 2005 , member states may continue to undertake new legal commitments to beneficiaries in 2014 pursuant to the rural development programmes adopted on the basis of regulation no 1698 / 2005 even after the financial resources of the 2007 - 2013 programming period have been used up , until the adoption of the respective rural development programme for the 2014 - 2020 programming period . the expenditure incurred on the basis of these commitments shall be eligible in accordance with article 3 of this regulation . ### by way of derogation from article 94 of regulation no [ … ] [ rd ] , for the measures of article 20 i , iii , iv , and v as well as article 36 to and and of regulation no 1698 / 2005 , member states may continue to undertake new legal commitments to beneficiaries in 2014 pursuant to the rural development programmes adopted on the basis of regulation no 1698 / 2005 even after the financial resources of the 2007 - 2013 programming period have been used up , until the adoption of the respective rural development programme for the 2014 - 2020 programming period . member states should be given the possibility to extend and use the existing system and programmes for the transitional period 2014 , by financing it from the funds from the 2014 - 2020 period . the expenditure incurred on the basis of these commitments shall be eligible in accordance with article 3 of this regulation .


### in the initial period , the eit has mainly focused its efforts on establishing the kics . while it is a clear goal for the eit to strengthen existing centres of excellence , the eit will need to ensure it also delivers benefits to areas of the union which are not directly participating in kics . it is therefore mission critical for the eit to actively promote the dissemination of good practices for the integration of the knowledge triangle in order to develop a common innovation and knowledge sharing culture . ### in the initial period , the eit has mainly focused its efforts on establishing the kics . it must be a clear goal for the eit to strengthen existing centres of excellence with a balanced participation of member states . the eit will need to ensure that it also delivers benefits to areas of the union which are not directly participating in kics . it is therefore mission critical for the eit to actively promote the dissemination of good practices for the integration of the knowledge triangle in order to develop a common innovation and knowledge sharing culture .


### moreover , active consultation with other eu institutions , in particular with relevant services of the commission , from early on in the process will help to maximise synergies and mutual learning with other eu initiatives . ### moreover , active consultation with other eu institutions from early on in the process will help to maximise synergies and mutual learning with other eu initiatives . the eit will engage into a regular dialogue with the european parliament and with the relevant services of the commission .


### when the limit values relating to the test method are laid down in unece regulation no 51 , the commission shall consider replacing the technical requirements laid down in annex iii with a direct reference to the corresponding requirements of unece regulations no 51 and no 59 . ### when the limit values relating to the test method are laid down in unece regulation no 51 , the commission shall evaluate the possibility of replacing the technical requirements laid down in annex iii with a direct reference to the corresponding requirements of unece regulations no 51 and no 59 and , if appropriate , submit a proposal to the european parliament and to the council to amend annex iii .


### ‘ vehicle type’ means a set of vehicles as defined in annex ii part b to directive 2007 / 46 / ec . ### ‘ vehicle type’ means : for vehicles , tested according to annex ii , paragraph 4 . 1 . 2 . 1 a set of vehicles as defined in annex ii part b to directive 2007 / 46 / ec ; for vehicles , tested according to annex ii , paragraph 4 . 1 . 2 . 2 a set of vehicles which do not essentially differ in such respects as : – the shape or materials of the bodywork ; – the type of engine , number and capacity of cylinders , type of injection system , arrangement of valves , rated engine speed , or the type of electric motor . – vehicles having the same type of engine and / or different overall gear ratios , may be regarded as vehicles of the same type . however , if the above differences provide for a different test method , these differences are to be considered as a change of type .


### this regulation should also further reduce noise limits . it should take account of regulation no 661 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 13 july 2009 concerning type - approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles , their trailers and systems , components and separate technical units intended therefor , which introduced new stricter noise requirements for motor vehicle tyres . studies highlighting the annoyance and health effects from road traffic noise , and the associated costs and benefits should also be heeded . ### this regulation should also further reduce noise limits . it should take account of regulation no 661 / 2009 of the european parliament and of the council of 13 july 2009 concerning type - approval requirements for the general safety of motor vehicles , their trailers and systems , components and separate technical units intended therefor , which introduced new stricter noise requirements for motor vehicle tyres and which underlined the need for a coherent and comprehensive approach to addressing the problem of road noise , including taking into account the contribution of ' silent ' road surfaces and noise reducing materials in mitigating the road traffic sound level . this horizontal approach will more efficiently reduce the overall road traffic noise compared to a sectoral and vertical approach . studies highlighting the annoyance and health effects from road traffic noise , and the associated costs and benefits should also be heeded .


### the sound level measured in accordance with the provisions of annex ii shall not exceed the limits set out in annex iii . ### the sound level measured in accordance with the provisions of annex ii and mathematically rounded to the nearest integer value shall not exceed the limits set out in annex iii . for special purpose vehicles according to paragraph 5 of annex ii to directive 2007 / 46 / ec , the applicable limit values are increased by + 3 db . for vehicles produced in small series according to section 1 of part a of annex xii to directive 2007 / 46 / ec , the application dates for phase 1 and phase 2 are postponed by 2 more years . the applicable limit values are increased by + 1 db for phase 1 .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organiser shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organiser may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organiser shall , in any case , request that certification prior to submitting statements of support for verification in accordance with article 9 . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organisers shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organisers may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organisers shall , in any case , request that certification prior to starting the collection of statements of support . the organiser shall make a copy of the certificate issued in that regard publicly available on the website used for the online collection system . within six months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall make available an open - source software incorporating some of the technical and security features necessary for compliance with the provisions of this regulation regarding the online collection systems . the software shall be freely made available to organisers .


### ' organiser ' means a natural or legal person or organisation responsible for the preparation and submission of a citizens’ initiative to the commission . ### ' organisers ' means natural persons forming a citizens ' committee responsible for the preparation and submission of a citizens’ initiative to the commission .


### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , it is appropriate to clarify that the organiser of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subject to access to his / her personal data as well as the correction and erasure of his / her personal data . ### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , for the sake of legal certainty , it is appropriate to clarify that the organisers of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subjects to have access to their personal data as well as to procure the correction and erasure of their personal data .


### in order to ensure coherence and transparency in relation to proposed citizens ' initiatives , it should be mandatory to register such initiatives on a website made available by the commission prior to collecting the necessary statements of support from citizens ; proposals that are abusive or devoid of seriousness should not be registered and the commission should reject the registration of proposals which would be manifestly against the values of the union . the commission should deal with registration in accordance with the general principles of good administration . ### in order to ensure coherence and transparency in relation to proposed citizens ' initiatives and to avoid a situation in which signatures are collected for a proposal which does not fall within the scope of this regulation , it should be mandatory to register such initiatives on a website made available by the commission prior to collecting the necessary statements of support from citizens . proposals that are not citizens ' initiatives within the meaning of this regulation should not be registered . registration is an administrative procedure aimed at selecting those initiatives that fall within the scope of this regulation ; therefore any refusal of registration should be based only on legal grounds and not , on any account , on grounds of political expediency . the commission should deal with registration in accordance with the general principles of good administration , and should therefore be obliged to inform the organisers of an initiative of the reasons for any refusal to register that initiative and of all possible judicial and extrajudicial remedies available to them . it should also be made clear by the commission that registration and the collection of the required number of statements of support will not necessarily result in the commission adopting a proposal for a legal act and that the registration of an initiative does not constitute a formal decision on competence issues .


### the organiser shall destroy all statements of support received for a given citizens ' initiative and any copies thereof at the latest one month after submitting that initiative to the commission in accordance with article 10 or 18 months after the date of registration of a proposed citizens ' initiative , whichever is the earlier . ### unless the proceedings are the subject of litigation , the organiser shall destroy all statements of support received for a given citizens ' initiative and any copies thereof at the latest two months after the publication of the commission communication referred to in point of article 11 . in the event of litigation , they shall be destroyed one month after the conclusion of the litigation . save where the competent authorities of member states have not yet concluded their verification of statements of support , they shall also be destroyed if a proposed citizens ' initiative has not been submitted to the commission within 18 months after the date of its registration .


### this regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the official journal of the european union . ### this regulation shall enter into force on the first day of the month following its publication in the official journal of the european union . it shall start to apply six months after its entry into force .


### the commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union for the purpose of amending the annexes to this regulation . ### with a view to the possible need in the future to amend or supplement certain non - essential elements in the provisions of this regulation or its annexes , the commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union .


### it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected in paper form as well as online . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person can be identified and that the data are securely stored . for this purpose , the commission should be required to set out detailed technical specifications for online collection systems . ### in order to put modern technology to good use as a tool of participatory democracy , it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected online as well as in paper form . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person signs only once and that the data are securely stored . the detailed technical specifications should be worked out at an expert level and be regularly adapted to technical developments ; the power to adopt detailed technical specifications for online collection systems should therefore be delegated to the commission .


### except in the cases foreseen in paragraphs 3 and 4 , the commission shall register without delay the proposed initiative under a unique registration number and send a confirmation to the organiser . ### if it is established that the proposed initiative qualifies as a citizens ' initiative pursuant to this regulation , the commission shall register it under a unique registration number and send a confirmation to the organisers .


### requirements for the organiser and for signatories ### requirements for organisers and for signatories


### in one third of member states , signatories shall comprise at least the minimum number of citizens set out in annex i . ### in one fifth of member states , signatories shall comprise at least the minimum number of citizens set out in annex i .


### the signatories of a citizens ' initiative shall come from at least one third of member states . ### the signatories of a citizens ' initiative shall come from at least one fifth of member states .


### in order to be eligible to support a proposed citizens ' initiative , signatories shall be citizens of the union and shall be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections . ### in order to be eligible to support a proposed citizens ' initiative , signatories shall be citizens of the union and shall be at least 16 years old .


### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organiser may submit the citizens ' initiative to the commission . ### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organisers may submit the citizens’ initiative to the commission . when doing so , the organisers shall provide the commission with precise and detailed information concerning all sources of support and funding received for the citizens ' initiative . funding by political parties and european political groups shall not be permitted .


### only statements of support forms which comply with the model set out in annex iii may be used for this purpose . the organiser shall complete the forms as indicated in annex iii prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories . the information given in the forms shall correspond to the information contained in the register . ### only registered language versions of statements of support forms which comply with the model set out in annex iii may be used for this purpose . the organisers shall complete the forms as indicated in annex iii prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories . the information given in the forms shall correspond to the information contained in the register .


### the treaty on european union reinforces the citizenship of the union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the union by providing inter alia that every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the union and that not less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of member states may take the initiative of inviting the european commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties . ### the treaty on european union reinforces the citizenship of the union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the union by providing inter alia that every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the union by way of a european citizens ' initiative . that procedure affords citizens the possibility of directly approaching the commission , conferring on them a right of initiative similar to that exercised by the european parliament and the council .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organiser shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives as well as on the sources of funding and support for the proposed citizens ' initiative . this information shall be provided in one of the official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organisers shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives of the proposed citizens ' initiative . the organisers shall provide , for the register defined in the third subparagraph and where appropriate on their website , regularly updated information on the sources of support and funding for the initiative . this information shall be provided in one or more official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . information in an official language other the language in which it was originally provided may be provided subsequently for entry in the register . the translation of the initiative into other official languages of the union shall be the responsibility of the organisers .


### signatories shall be considered as coming from the member state which issued the identification document indicated in their statement of support . ### signatories shall be considered as coming from the member state where they have their permanent residence . for the purposes of paragraph 1 , union citizens who have permanent residence in a third country shall be considered as coming from the member state of which they are nationals .


### it is appropriate to provide that , where a citizens ' initiative has received the necessary statements of support from signatories and provided it is considered admissible , each member state should be responsible for the verification and certification of statements of support collected from citizens coming from that state . taking account of the need to limit the administrative burden for member states , they should , within a period of three months , carry out such verifications on the basis of appropriate checks and should issue a document certifying the number of valid statements of support received . ### in the absence of a competent union electoral authority , it is appropriate to provide that , where a citizens ' initiative has received the necessary statements of support from signatories , each member state should be responsible for the verification and certification of statements of support collected from citizens coming from that state . taking account of the need to limit the administrative burden for member states , they should , within a period of three months , carry out such verifications on the basis of appropriate checks , which may be based on random sampling , and should issue a document certifying the number of valid statements of support received .


### within 12 months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall adopt technical specifications for the implementation of paragraph 4 , in accordance with the regulatory procedure laid down in article 19 . ### within six months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall adopt by means of delegated acts technical specifications for online collection systems .


### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , it is appropriate to clarify that the organiser of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subject to access to his / her personal data as well as the correction and erasure of his / her personal data . ### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , for the sake of legal certainty , it is appropriate to clarify that the organisers of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subjects to have access to their personal data as well as to procure the correction and erasure of their personal data .


### five years after the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall present a report to the european parliament and the council on the implementation of this regulation . ### three years after the entry into force of this regulation , and every three years thereafter , the commission shall present a report to the european parliament and the council on the implementation of this regulation , with special emphasis on online collection systems and the application of transparency requirements concerning the funding of initiatives , together , if appropriate , with a legislative proposal for amendment of this regulation .


### it is necessary to establish the minimum number of member states from which citizens must . in order to ensure that a citizens’ initiative is representative of a union interest , this number should be set at one third of member states . ### it is necessary to establish a minimum number of member states from which citizens must come . in order to ensure that a citizens’ initiative is representative of a union interest , this number should be set at one fifth of member states .


### ' citizens ' initiative ' means an initiative , submitted to the commission in accordance with the present regulation , inviting the commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties , which has received the support of at least one million eligible signatories coming from at least one third of all member states ; ### ' citizens ' initiative ' means an initiative , submitted to the commission in accordance with the present regulation , inviting the commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties , which has received the support of at least one million eligible signatories coming from at least one fifth of all member states ;


### it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected in paper form as well as online . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person can be identified and that the data are securely stored . for this purpose , the commission should be required to set out detailed technical specifications for online collection systems . ### in order to put modern technology to good use as a tool of participatory democracy , it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected online as well as in paper form . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person signs only once and that the data are securely stored . the detailed technical specifications should be worked out at an expert level and be regularly adapted to technical developments ; the power to adopt detailed technical specifications for online collection systems should therefore be delegated to the commission .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organiser shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organiser may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organiser shall , in any case , request that certification prior to submitting statements of support for verification in accordance with article 9 . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organisers shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organisers may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organisers shall , in any case , request that certification prior to starting the collection of statements of support . the organiser shall make a copy of the certificate issued in that regard publicly available on the website used for the online collection system . within six months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall make available an open - source software incorporating some of the technical and security features necessary for compliance with the provisions of this regulation regarding the online collection systems . the software shall be freely made available to organisers .


### after having collected the necessary statements of support from signatories in accordance with articles 5 and 7 , and provided that the commission has decided that a proposed citizens ' initiative is admissible in accordance with article 8 , the organiser shall submit the statements of support , in paper or in electronic form , to the relevant competent authorities provided for in article 14 for verification and certification . for this purpose the organiser shall use the form set out in annex vi . ### after having collected the necessary statements of support from signatories in accordance with articles 5 and 7 , the organisers shall submit the statements of support , in paper or in electronic form , to the relevant competent authorities provided for in article 14 for verification and certification . for this purpose the organisers shall use the form set out in annex vi .


### the competent authority shall destroy all statements of support and copies thereof that it has received for the purpose of carrying out the verification in accordance with article 9 , at the latest one month after issuing the certificate referred to therein . ### the competent authority shall destroy all statements of support and copies thereof that it has received for the purpose of carrying out the verification in accordance with article 9 , at the latest two months after issuing the certificate referred to therein . in the event of litigation they shall be destroyed one month after the conclusion of the litigation .


### the system can generate individual statements of support in a form complying with the model set out in annex iii , in order to allow for the control by the member states , in accordance with article 9 . ### the system can generate statements of support in a form complying with the model set out in annex iii , in order to allow for the control by the member states , in accordance with article 9 .


### the organiser shall destroy all statements of support received for a given citizens ' initiative and any copies thereof at the latest one month after submitting that initiative to the commission in accordance with article 10 or 18 months after the date of registration of a proposed citizens ' initiative , whichever is the earlier . ### unless the proceedings are the subject of litigation , the organiser shall destroy all statements of support received for a given citizens ' initiative and any copies thereof at the latest two months after the publication of the commission communication referred to in point of article 11 . in the event of litigation , they shall be destroyed one month after the conclusion of the litigation . save where the competent authorities of member states have not yet concluded their verification of statements of support , they shall also be destroyed if a proposed citizens ' initiative has not been submitted to the commission within 18 months after the date of its registration .


### where the organiser is a natural person , that person shall be a citizen of the union and be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections . where the organiser is a legal person or an organisation it shall be established in a member state . organisations which do not have legal personality under the applicable national law shall have representatives that have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf and assume liability . ### organisers shall be citizens of the union and be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections .


### the organiser of a proposed citizens ' initiative should be responsible for the collection of the necessary statements of support from citizens . ### once a proposal is registered as a citizens ' initiative , statements of support from citizens may be collected by the organisers .


### where the commission receives a citizens ' initiative in accordance with article 10 it shall : publish the citizens ' initiative without delay on its website ; b . examine the citizens ' initiative and , within 4 months , set out in a communication its conclusions on the initiative , the action it intends to take , if any , and its reasons for doing so . ### where the commission receives a citizens ' initiative in accordance with article 10 it shall : publish the citizens ' initiative without delay on its website ; b . examine the citizens ' initiative , receive the organisers of the initiative at an appropriate level and , within three months , set out in a communication its initial conclusions on the initiative ; c . organise a public hearing jointly with the european parliament through its committee responsible , at which the commission shall be represented at commissioner or director - general level and at which the organisers shall have the opportunity to explain in detail the matters raised by the initiative ; d . present a legislative proposal within one year or include that proposal in its next year ' s work programme . if the commission does not present such a proposal it shall give the organisers as well as the european parliament and the council detailed explanations of its reasons for not acting on the initiative .


### the commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union for the purpose of amending the annexes to this regulation . ### with a view to the possible need in the future to amend or supplement certain non - essential elements in the provisions of this regulation or its annexes , the commission should be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with article 290 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union .


### all statements of support shall be collected after the date of registration of the proposed initiative and within a period that shall not exceed 12 months . ### all statements of support shall be collected after the date of registration of the proposed initiative and within a period that shall not exceed 12 months . at the end of that period , the register shall indicate that the period has expired and , where appropriate , that the commission has ascertained that the necessary statements of support have not been submitted .


### it is necessary to establish the minimum number of member states from which citizens must come . in order to ensure that a citizens ' initiative is representative of a union interest , this number should be set at one third of member states . ### it is necessary to establish a minimum number of member states from which citizens must come . this threshold should ensure that a citizens ' initiative is representative of a union interest but the requirements should not be too cumbersome . it therefore should be set at one fifth of the member states .


### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organiser may submit the citizens’ initiative to the commission . ### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organisers may submit the citizens’ initiative to the commission , accompanied by information regarding any support and funding received for the initiative . the amount of support and funding received from natural persons in excess of which information is to be provided shall be determined by the commission by means of delegated acts .


### the commission should examine a citizens ' initiative and set out its conclusions and the actions it envisages to take in response to it , within a period of four months . ### the commission should examine a citizens ' initiative and set out its legal and political conclusions separately ; it should also set out the actions it envisages to take in response to it . in order to demonstrate that a citizens ' initiative supported by at least one million union citizens and its possible follow - up is carefully examined , the commission should explain in a clear , comprehensible and detailed manner the reasons for its intended action , and should likewise give reasons if it does not envisage taking any action . as citizens should have the guarantee that a successful initiative will be subject of an official public hearing at union level , the institutions and bodies of the union should cooperate with a view to organising this debate .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organiser shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives as well as on the sources of funding and support for the proposed citizens ' initiative . this information shall be provided in one of the official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organisers shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives of the proposed citizens ' initiative . the organisers shall provide , for the register defined in the third subparagraph and where appropriate on their website , regularly updated information on the sources of support and funding for the initiative . this information shall be provided in one or more official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . information in an official language other the language in which it was originally provided may be provided subsequently for entry in the register . the translation of the initiative into other official languages of the union shall be the responsibility of the organisers .


### only statements of support forms which comply with the model set out in annex iii may be used for this purpose . the organiser shall complete the forms as indicated in annex iii prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories . the information given in the forms shall correspond to the information contained in the register . ### only registered language versions of statements of support forms which comply with the model set out in annex iii may be used for this purpose . the organisers shall complete the forms as indicated in annex iii prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories . the information given in the forms shall correspond to the information contained in the register .


### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , it is appropriate to clarify that the organiser of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subject to access to his / her personal data as well as the correction and erasure of his / her personal data . ### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , for the sake of legal certainty , it is appropriate to clarify that the organisers of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subjects to have access to their personal data as well as to procure the correction and erasure of their personal data .


### the competent authorities shall , within a period that shall not exceed three months , verify the statements of support provided on the basis of appropriate checks , and deliver to the organiser a certificate in accordance with the model set out in annex vii , certifying the number of valid statements of support for that member state . ### the competent authorities shall , within a period that shall not exceed three months , verify the statements of support provided on the basis of appropriate checks , and deliver to the organiser a certificate in accordance with the model set out in annex vii , certifying the number of valid statements of support for that member state . the authentication of signatures shall not be required .


### the organiser shall submit statements of support to the member state that issued the identification document indicated therein . ### the organisers shall submit statements of support to the member state where the signatories have their permanent residence or , in the case of signatories having their permanent residence in a third country , to the member state of which they are nationals .


### except in the cases foreseen in paragraphs 3 and 4 , the commission shall register without delay the proposed initiative under a unique registration number and send a confirmation to the organiser . ### if it is established that the proposed initiative qualifies as a citizens ' initiative pursuant to this regulation , the commission shall register it under a unique registration number and send a confirmation to the organisers .


### this regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the official journal of the european union . ### this regulation shall enter into force on the first day of the month following its publication in the official journal of the european union . it shall start to apply six months after its entry into force .


### the organiser shall destroy all statements of support received for a given citizens ' initiative and any copies thereof at the latest one month after submitting that initiative to the commission in accordance with article 10 or 18 months after the date of registration of a proposed citizens ' initiative , whichever is the earlier . ### the organising committee shall destroy all statements of support received for a given citizens ' initiative and any copies thereof at the latest one month after publication of the european commission ' s communication in accordance with article 11 .


### within 12 months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall adopt technical specifications for the implementation of paragraph 4 , in accordance with the regulatory procedure laid down in article 19 . ### within six months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall adopt by means of delegated acts technical specifications for online collection systems .


### proposed citizens ' initiatives which can be reasonably regarded as improper because they are abusive or devoid of seriousness will not be registered . ### the commission shall register a proposed initiative within two months from its receipt when the following conditions are fulfilled : the citizens ' committee has been formed and the contact persons have been designated ; there are no manifest , significant inconsistencies between the linguistic versions of the title , subject - matter and objectives of the proposed initiative ; the initiative does not manifestly fall outside the scope of the commission’s power under the treaties to submit a proposal for the requested legal act ; the proposed initiative is not manifestly abusive , frivolous or vexatious ; the proposed initiative is not manifestly contrary to the values of the union as set out in article 2 of the treaty on european union .


### where the organiser is a natural person , that person shall be a citizen of the union and be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections . where the organiser is a legal person or an organisation it shall be established in a member state . organisations which do not have legal personality under the applicable national law shall have representatives that have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf and assume liability . ### organisers shall be citizens of the union and be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections .


### the treaty on european union reinforces the citizenship of the union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the union by providing inter alia that every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the union and that not less than one million citizens who are nationals of a significant number of member states may take the initiative of inviting the european commission , within the framework of its powers , to submit any appropriate proposal on matters where citizens consider that a legal act of the union is required for the purpose of implementing the treaties . ### the treaty on european union reinforces the citizenship of the union and enhances further the democratic functioning of the union by providing inter alia that every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the union by way of a european citizens ' initiative . that procedure affords citizens the possibility of directly approaching the commission , conferring on them a right of initiative similar to that exercised by the european parliament and the council .


### the commission should examine a citizens ' initiative and set out its conclusions and the actions it envisages to take in response to it , within a period of four months . ### the commission should examine a citizens ' initiative and respond to it in a clear , comprehensible and detailed manner and within a time frame corresponding to its handling of legislative initiatives of the european parliament under article 225 of the treaty on the functioning of the european union . thus , as a first step , the commission should receive the organisers within three months and inform them of how it intends to act . as a second step , the european commission should organise a public hearing jointly with the european parliament , through its responsible committee , with a representative of the commission in attendance as the main addressee . as a third step , the commission should come forward with its final response to the initiative after one year , either by proposing legislation accordingly or by explaining in a detailed manner its reasons for not acting on the initiative . the commission should also give a thorough explanation in the event that the legislative proposal diverges significantly from the citizens ' initiative .


### these procedures and conditions should be clear , simple , user - friendly and proportionate to the nature of the citizens ' initiative . ### these procedures and conditions should be clear , simple , user - friendly and proportionate to the nature of the citizens ' initiative , so as to encourage participation by citizens and to make the union more accessible . they should strike a judicious balance between rights and obligations .


### where the organiser is a natural person , that person shall be a citizen of the union and be of the age to be entitled to vote in the european elections . ### the organising committee shall be comprised of members who are citizens of the union , who are old enough to be entitled to vote in the european elections , and who are not currently serving as members of the european parliament .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organiser shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organiser may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organiser shall , in any case , request that certification prior to submitting statements of support for verification in accordance with article 9 . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories , the organisers shall ensure that the online collection system used for that purpose complies with the provisions of paragraph 4 . the organisers may , at any time , ask the relevant competent authority of the member state in which the data collected is or will be stored , to certify that the online collection system complies with those provisions . the organisers shall , in any case , request that certification prior to starting the collection of statements of support . the organiser shall make a copy of the certificate issued in that regard publicly available on the website used for the online collection system . within six months following the entry into force of this regulation , the commission shall make available an open - source software incorporating some of the technical and security features necessary for compliance with the provisions of this regulation regarding the online collection systems . the software shall be freely made available to organisers .


### member states shall ensure that organisers resident or established on their territory shall be liable under their civil or criminal law for infringements of this regulation and in particular for : ### member states shall ensure that organisers resident on their territory shall be liable under their civil or criminal law for infringements of this regulation and in particular for :


### where the commission receives a citizens ' initiative in accordance with article 10 it shall : publish the citizens ' initiative without delay on its website ; b . examine the citizens ' initiative and , within 4 months , set out in a communication its conclusions on the initiative , the action it intends to take , if any , and its reasons for doing so ### where the commission receives a citizens ' initiative in accordance with article 10 it shall : publish the citizens ' initiative without delay on its website ; ab . receive the organisers at an appropriate level to allow them to explain in detail the matters raised by the initiative and organise a public hearing on the subject - matter of the initiative , if appropriate jointly with other institutions or bodies of the eu ; b . within three months , set out in a communication its final legal and political conclusions on the initiative , the action it intends to take , if any , and its reasons for doing or not doing so .


### the identity of the person can be verified ; ### the fact that each person submits only one statement can be verified ;


### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organiser may submit the citizens ' initiative to the commission . ### after having obtained the certificates provided for in article 9 , and provided that all relevant procedures and conditions set out in this regulation have been complied with , the organisers may submit the citizens’ initiative to the commission , accompanied by information regarding any support and funding received for the initiative . the information shall be published on the commission ' s homepage .


### it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected in paper form as well as online . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person can be identified and that the data are securely stored . for this purpose , the commission should be required to set out detailed technical specifications for online collection systems . ### in order to put modern technology to good use as a tool of participatory democracy , it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected online as well as in paper form . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person signs only once and that the data are securely stored . the detailed technical specifications should be worked out at an expert level and be regularly adapted to technical developments ; the power to adopt detailed technical specifications for online collection systems should therefore be delegated to the commission .


### the european parliament and the council may object to the delegated act within a period of two months from the date of notification . at the initiative of the european parliament or the council this period shall be extended by one month . ### the european parliament and the council may object to the delegated act within a period of two months from the date of notification . at the initiative of the european parliament or the council this period shall be extended by two months .


### it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected in paper form as well as online . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person can be identified and that the data are securely stored . for this purpose , the commission should be required to set out detailed technical specifications for online collection systems . ### it is appropriate to provide for statements of support to be collected in paper form as well as online . however , in order to simplify the procedure and to make it more accessible , online collection should be encouraged . online collection systems should have adequate security features in place in order to ensure , inter alia , that the person can be identified and that the data are securely stored . citizens ' confidence in the citizens ' initiative scheme will be one of the main contributors to its success . for this purpose , the commission should be required to set out detailed technical specifications for online collection systems in order to facilitate the process . the commission should freely make available secure tools enabling online signatures to be collected in a way which does not jeopardise privacy .


### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , it is appropriate to clarify that the organiser of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subject to access to his / her personal data as well as the correction and erasure of his / her personal data . ### directive 95 / 46 / ec of the european parliament and of the council of 24 october 1995 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data is fully applicable to the processing of personal data carried out in application of this regulation . in this respect , for the sake of legal certainty , it is appropriate to clarify that the organisers of a citizens ' initiative and the competent authorities of the member states are the data controllers within the meaning of directive 95 / 46 / ec and to specify the maximum period within which the personal data collected for the purposes of a citizens ' initiative may be retained . in their capacity as data controllers , organisers need to take all the appropriate measures to comply with the obligations imposed by directive 95 / 46 / ec , in particular those relating to the lawfulness of the processing , the security of the processing activities and the provision of information and the rights of data subjects to have access to their personal data as well as to procure the correction and erasure of their personal data .


### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organiser shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives as well as on the sources of funding and support for the proposed citizens ' initiative . this information shall be provided in one of the official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . ### prior to initiating the collection of statements of support from signatories for a proposed citizens ' initiative , the organisers shall be required to register it with the commission , providing the information set out in annex ii , in particular on the subject - matter and objectives of the proposed citizens ' initiative . the organisers shall provide , for the register defined in the third subparagraph and where appropriate on their website , regularly updated information on the sources of support and funding for the initiative . this information shall be provided in one or more official languages of the union , in an online register made available for that purpose by the commission . information in an official language other the language in which it was originally provided may be provided subsequently for entry in the register . the translation of the initiative into other official languages of the union shall be the responsibility of the organisers .


### the communication referred to in paragraph 1 shall be notified to the organiser of the citizens ' initiative as well as to the european parliament and the council and shall be made public . ### the communication referred to in paragraph 1 shall be notified to the organisers as well as to the european parliament and the council and shall be made public .


### in order to ensure coherence and transparency in relation to proposed citizens ' initiatives , it should be mandatory to register such initiatives on a website made available by the commission prior to collecting the necessary statements of support from citizens ; proposals that are abusive or devoid of seriousness should not be registered and the commission should reject the registration of proposals which would be manifestly against the values of the union . the commission should deal with registration in accordance with the general principles of good administration . ### in order to ensure coherence and transparency in relation to proposed citizens ' initiatives and to avoid a situation in which signatures are collected for a proposal which does not fall within the scope of this regulation , it should be mandatory to register such initiatives on a website made available by the commission prior to collecting the necessary statements of support from citizens . proposals that are not citizens ' initiatives within the meaning of this regulation should not be registered . registration is an administrative procedure aimed at selecting those initiatives that fall within the scope of this regulation ; therefore any refusal of registration should be based only on legal grounds and not , on any account , on grounds of political expediency . the commission should deal with registration in accordance with the general principles of good administration , and should therefore be obliged to inform the organisers of an initiative of the reasons for any refusal to register that initiative and of all possible judicial and extrajudicial remedies available to them . it should also be made clear by the commission that registration and the collection of the required number of statements of support will not necessarily result in the commission adopting a proposal for a legal act and that the registration of an initiative does not constitute a formal decision on competence issues .


### except in the cases foreseen in paragraphs 3 and 4 , the commission shall register without delay the proposed initiative under a unique registration number and send a confirmation to the organiser . ### if it is established that the proposed initiative qualifies as a citizens ' initiative pursuant to this regulation , the commission shall register it under a unique registration number and send a confirmation to the organisers .


### the organiser of a proposed citizens ' initiative should be responsible for the collection of the necessary statements of support from citizens . ### once a proposal is registered as a citizens ' initiative , statements of support from citizens may be collected by the organisers .


### it is appropriate to clarify that for the purpose of verifying compliance with the target of 147 g co2 / km , co2 emissions should continue to be measured in accordance with regulation no 715 / 2007 of the european parliament and of the council of 20 june 2007 on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information and its implementing measures and innovative technologies . ### it is appropriate to clarify that for the purpose of verifying compliance with the target of 147 g co2 / km , co2 emissions should continue to be measured in accordance with regulation no 715 / 2007 of the european parliament and of the council of 20 june 2007 on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information and its implementing measures and innovative technologies . however , studies carried out by the commission have demonstrated that the test procedures used to measure co2 emissions under that regulation have not prevented an increased utilisation of flexibilities by manufacturers which have resulted in alleged co2 emissions reductions that are not attributed to technological improvements and cannot be achieved in real driving on the road . regulation no 715 / 2007 , the new european driving cycle , should therefore be amended as a matter of urgency , and at the latest by the end of 2014 , to ensure that the test procedures adequately reflect the co2 emissions which occur in real driving conditions . as the next step , the world light duty test procedure , which is currently being developed under the auspices of the united nations economic commission for europe , should be incorporated into european law as soon as possible after it has been finalised . the commission should , however , consider the need to supplement the wltp by additional provisions when integrating it into union law in order to ensure that test procedures reflect adequately the emissions generated by real driving on the road .