COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT SYNOPSIS REPORT ON THE STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ON THE SINGLE DIGITAL GATEWAY Accompanying the document Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a single digital gateway to provide information, procedures, assistance and problem solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012
Date: 2017-05-02
Institutions: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission
Subjects: EU national, access to information, administrative cooperation, administrative formalities, cross-frontier data flow, exchange of information, information system, service, single market, type of business

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   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 2.5.2017  SWD(2017) 212 final   Compliance Package COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT SYNOPSIS REPORT ON THE STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ON THE SINGLE DIGITAL GATEWAY Accompanying the document Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on establishing a single digital gateway to provide information, procedures, assistance and problem solving services and amending Regulation (EU) No 1024/2012  {COM(2017) 256 final} {SWD(2017) 211 final} {SWD(2017) 213 final} {SWD(2017) 214 final}  
 
 
SYNOPSIS REPORT ON THE STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION  
ON THE SINGLE DIGITAL GATEWAY 

1.  OVERVIEW OF THE CONSULTATION PROCESS 

The consultation process on the single digital gateway (SDG) started in November 2015 and 
closed in December 2016.  

It included a dedicated stakeholders' workshop, an online public consultation, meetings with 
stakeholder representatives, as well as exchanges with Member States (MS). Considering the 
scope of and responses to these activities it was decided not to launch a specific consultation 
targeting SMEs and start-ups. 

The main outcomes of each consultation activity are analysed below. 

2.  RESULTS OF THE CONSULTATION ACTIVITIES 

2.1  Conclusions from the SDG stakeholders' workshop 

A  workshop  on  the  SDG  took  place  in  March  2016  in  Brussels.  Participants  included 
representatives of the Points of Single Contact (PSCs), chambers of commerce and national 
authorities.  

Participants stated that there are many problems relating to access to information, availability 
of e-procedures and access to assistance services. These are due to gaps in legislation, lack of 
information  or  assistance,  as  well  as  unsatisfactory  implementation  by  national  and  local 
authorities. 

2.1.1  Online information on applicable EU and national rules  

Participants  claimed  that  it  is  costly  and  burdensome  for  businesses  to  establish,  provide 
services or sell goods across borders.  Even when online information exists, it is difficult to 
find  or  understand,  mostly  due  to  lack  of  alternative  languages  and  the  widespread  use  of 
jargon.  Moreover,  when  only  general  information  is  offered,  it  cannot  be  applied  to  a 
particular  case.  Participants  recommended  using  high  quality  standards  for  online 
information.  The  content  and  presentation  of  information  should  be  constantly  improved 
based on user feedback. 

2.1.2  E-procedures to comply with national rules  

Participants pointed out that it is very difficult to use e-procedures across borders. Although 
some Member States have made impressive progress in terms of e-government domestically, 
the  recognition  of  foreign  e-Signature  and  e-IDs  is  still  very  limited,  making  access  to  e-
procedures for foreign users impossible. 

2.1.3  Services for personalised assistance and advice  

Access  to  assistance  and  problem-solving  services  is  still  limited  due  to  low  levels  of 
awareness  and  language  obstacles.    In  the  participants'  views,  a  SDG  should  offer 
personalised information services and assistance in both the national language and in English, 
with the response in a reasonably short time.  

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2.2 

Input from the online public consultation 

The  public  consultation  was  open  from  28  August  2016,  until  28  November  2016.  Target 
groups  were  businesses  (including  companies,  self-employed  and  business  representative 
organisations),  citizens  (including  private  individuals,  organisations  representing  citizens  or 
consumers and academics) and public authorities.  

Table 1 - Distribution of respondents 

Type of respondent 

N° of answers 

% of answers 

Self-employed 

Company 

Of which: 

- 

- 

SME (1 to 249 employees) 

Firm with more than 250 employees 

87 

7 

Business representative organisation 

Total for business category 

162 

Private individual 

Organisation representing citizens / consumers 

Academic / research institution 

Total for citizens 

Public authority (including government) 

Total for Public authority (including 
government) 

TOTAL NUMBER OF REPLIES 

166 

39 

367 

33 

94 

35 

147 

11 

8 

39 

9% 

26% 

93% of respondent companies 

7% of respondent companies 

10% 

40% 

3% 

2% 

10% 

45% 

45% 

10% 

100% 

See Annex 16 of the IA for a detailed analysis of the results. 

It highlighted a strong consensus among business and citizens on the importance of the main 
pillars of the single digital gateway, notably: 

- 

- 

- 

the need for online information about rules and procedures in other EU countries: 93% 
of  business  respondents  and  92%  of  citizen  respondents  consider  it  very  important  or 
important; 

access  to  e-procedures:  94%  of  business  respondents  and  92%  of  citizen  respondents 
consider it very important or important;  

access to services providing assistance upon request: 88% of business respondents and 
87% of citizen respondents consider it very important or important.  

2.2.1  Online information on applicable EU and national rules  

Businesses and citizens expressed very similar concerns regarding online information on EU 
and  national  rules.  Most  respondents  use  the  internet  as  the  first  source  of  information  on 
these issues (74% of businesses and 80% of citizens). Most of them have tried to find such 

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information  online  (78%  and  70%  respectively)  but  found  it  was  difficult  (80%  and  60% 
respectively). The main difficulties are the lack of findability (48% and 43% respectively), the 
quality (40% in both cases) and the language (24% and 13% respectively). 

This  is  reflected  in  the  responses  about  the  quality  criteria  for  online  information.  For  both 
categories,  the  top  three  elements  are  that  information  should  be  findable  (82%  and  72% 
respectively), relevant, practical and up-to-date (77% and 69% respectively) and available in 
another  EU  language  (72%  and  64%  respectively).  91%  of    businesses  and  87% of  citizens 
can understand information in a different EU language, the most common one being English 
(88% and 78% respectively), followed by French and German. 

Respondents believe it should be mandatory for authorities to provide the minimum level of 
information  needed  to  carry  out  cross-border  activities  (80%  in  both  cases)  and  that  this 
should be in at least one other EU language (77% and 72% respectively). The most effective 
means  to  prevent  gaps  is  for  national  authorities  to  provide  all  the  information  (77%  of 
business and 63% of citizens consider it very effective) or at least the minimum information 
necessary for cross-border users (68% of businesses consider it very effective) and in at least 
one other language (72% of businesses and 63% of citizens consider it very effective). Most 
public  authorities  consider  that  the  information  needed  is  already  provided  (50%).  Most  of 
consider  it  challenging  but  feasible  to  provide  all  the  information  needed  for  cross-border 
activities (50%), information in a centralised EU database (48%) and information in at least 
one other EU language. 

Regarding rules and procedures for products and services, the majority of businesses (81%) 
are in favour of merging the respective contact points. This is a realistic option for respondent 
public authorities (70%). The majority of them consider it desirable or very desirable, despite 
considering integration difficult or somewhat difficult (28% and 48% respectively).  

2.2.2  E-procedures to comply with national rules  

About  half  of  businesses  and  citizens  have  tried  carrying  out  an  e-procedure  in  another 
EU/EEA country. The main problems faced by business are the excessive use of jargon, the 
lack  of  full  transactionality  and  the  need  to  translate  or  certify  documents.  For  citizens  the 
main  problems  are  the  lack  of  full  transactionality,  the  lack  of  findability  and  language 
problems.  Issues  relating  to  language  and  document  provisions  were  identified  as  the  most 
urgent to address by both groups of respondents. 

The  most  important  quality  elements  of  e-procedures  are  the  online  transactionality  of 
procedures (69% of businesses and 72% of citizens), the ease of navigation and step-by-step 
guidance  (80%  and  72%  respectively),  translated  into  another  EU  language  (65%  and  67% 
respectively) and a helpdesk (51% and 63% respectively). 

The  three  priority  procedures  to  be  put  online  for  businesses  are  1)  registration  of  business 
activity,  2)  VAT  registration  and  3)  VAT  return.  For  citizens,  they  are  1)  requesting  or 
renewing an ID, 2) requesting the recognition of professional qualifications and 3) registering 
a change of address. 

Respondents agree that it should  be mandatory  to make  procedures available in at least one 
other  EU  language  (78%  of  businesses,  73%  of  citizens  and  55%  of  public  authorities).  It 
should  also  be  mandatory  that  the  most  important  procedures  (67%,  69%  and  70% 
respectively) or any relevant ones required under future European law (69%, 67% and 48% 
respectively) are fully online.  

These  actions  were   judged as  the most effective measures to  encourage the transition  to  e-
procedures.  Half  of  public  authorities  consider  these  actions  challenging  but  feasible.  The 

4 

 
other half is split between those that consider these procedures already in place and those that 
consider them unfeasible or unnecessary. 

Most  public  authorities  see  their  transition  to  e-government  as  neutral  (50%)  or  positive 
(30%).  Administrations  are  evenly  split  amongst  those  that  are  planning  to  put  more 
procedures online in the next two years (fully transactional in 83% of those cases) and those 
that do not.  

2.2.3  Services for personalised assistance and advice  

Respondents stated that the following are the most important quality criteria for personalised 
assistance services; replies should be quick (70% of businesses and 63% of citizens), answer 
the specific question/query (75% and 79% respectively), be reliable and legally sound (69% 
and  60%  respectively),  clear,  simple  and  in  non-legal  terminology  (64%  of  businesses), 
services should be available in a foreign language (68% and 58% respectively) and through 
different channels (35% of citizens). 

2.2.4  Feedback mechanism 

The  majority  of  respondents  are  willing  to  give  feedback  on  their  experience  of  the  single 
market, so as to orient policy-making. 

2.3  Meetings and exchanges with business and citizens stakeholders 

Key inputs include:  

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

The hearing "EU Citizenship in practice" in March 2016;  

Discussion  at  the  Annual  SME  Assembly  in  Luxembourg  in  November  2015; 
discussion with the SME Envoys in June and October 2016;  

Bilateral  meetings  with  organisations  representing  business and  consumers  throughout 
2016  (Eurochambres,  Eurocommerce,  BUSINESSEUROPE,  national  chambers  of 
commerce,  CEA-PME,  Startup  City  Alliance  Europe,  European  Roundtable  of 
Industrialists, etc.), as well as businesses operating in most EU countries;  

Discussions  at  Commission  expert  groups,  including  on  e-government,  on  the 
implementation of the services directive, on the right to free movement of persons, on 
the right of unrepresented citizens to consular protection abroad and the EU Citizenship 
Inter-Service Group; 

Discussions  at  Commission  networks  such  as  the  committee  on  horizontal  questions 
concerning  trade  in  processed  agricultural  products,  the  REFIT  platform,  the  Single 
Market Forum,  the Small Business Act meetings;  

Business  and  consumers  associations'  position papers  sent  as  part  of  the  online  public 
consultation; 

Presentation  and  discussion  at  expert  groups  of  existing  tools,  including  Your  Europe 
Editorial  Board,  Your  Europe  Advice,  SOLVIT  network,  EU-GO  network  (Points  of 
Single Contact), Europe Direct Contact Centres etc. 

2.3.1  Online information on applicable EU and national rules  

Stakeholder  meetings  confirmed that information  about rules  in  EU countries is  needed  and 
difficult to find.   

5 

 
One  of  the  Centres  for  European  Consumers  recommends  that  MS  should  provide  all  the 
information necessary to engage in cross-border business or private activities in at least one 
foreign language. 

Business stakeholders pointed out that information should be high quality, complete, reliable, 
up to date and trustworthy so that users can rely on it. It should include detailed technical and 
regulatory requirements on testing and reporting, as well as information on taxation and social 
security etc..  

Eurochambres  internal  survey  identified  top  single  market  obstacles.  These  included 
inaccessibility  of  information  on  rules  and  requirements  (81%)  and  different  national 
product/service rules (81%).  

A  big  company  present  in  almost  all  MS  pointed  out  that  the  mapping  legal  requirements 
applying to their products in a new country takes at least 2 years before starting operations.  
They devote considerable resources to this process.  

In  their  position  papers,  various  business  organisations  consider  it  useful  to  streamline  all 
online information tools under a single umbrella. Some encourage a common architecture for 
information across MS.  This will assist information providers in identifying the information 
they are obliged to make accessible and facilitate the search process for users. 

2.3.2  E-procedures to comply with national rules  

Most  business  stakeholders  argue  that  all  procedures  should  be  fully  available  online, 
avoiding wasting time and money. Some are willing to accept exceptions only when security 
is at stake.  

Some  business  associations'  regret  that  only  a  few  procedures  are  available  online and  only 
for certain sectors on current PSCs. They support linking contact points to make them more 
useful  and  efficient.  Some  stakeholders  suggest  that  the  Commission  should  coordinate  and 
enforce quality criteria and improve interoperability between national portals, including cross-
border e-signatures and user-friendly eIDs. 

Some  stakeholders  highlighted  that  local  authority  permits  are  hard  to  obtain  electronically, 
due to system incompatibility..  

Some  businesses  would  find  it  useful  to  have  a  glossary  to  help  them  find  the  authority  in 
charge of a specific procedure in another country, since competences are often distributed in 
different ways.  

The  majority  of  business  representatives  support  the  idea  of  common  forms  and  more 
harmonisation across MS for e-procedures and rules.  

Procedures  identified  as  a  priority  for  cross-border  transactionality  by  BusinessEurope  are: 
company establishment, fiscal registration, submission of tax forms and e-procurement. 

2.3.3  Services for personalised assistance and advice  

SMEs  associations  have  highlighted  the  need  for  good  quality  assistance  services,  in 
particular  for  finding  and  understanding  national  requirements.  Even  bigger  businesses 
recommend  making  affordable  assistance  available  to  guide  users  through  all  steps  of  their 
cross-border  endeavour,  to  ensure  compliance  with  local  requirements.  Representatives  of 
smaller sectors argue that they do not have national associations that could help them expand 
to new markets. 

6 

 
Most of the stakeholders consulted stressed that assistance services should be available in at 
least  one  language  that  is  commonly  understood  across  Member  States,  e.g.  English  with 
some even suggesting that it should be in all the languages. 

2.4  Consultation with Member State administrations 

Member  States  have  been  consulted  through  the  Expert  Group  on  Services  Directive,  the 
Mutual  Recognition  Committee,  as  well  as  through  bilateral  meetings  with  national 
authorities and their representation offices in Brussels. Some MS have also submitted position 
papers to the online public consultation. 

In  addition,  17  Member  States  have  issued  a  position  paper  calling  for  a  network  of  digital 
single  gateways  (fully  functioning  e-government  portals)  to  help  business  start  up,  scale  up 
and  trade  across  borders  by  providing  all  the  information  needed  to  operate  in  another 
Member State. They also support the idea that businesses should only have to go through one 
digital process to set up and operate anywhere in the EU.  

2.4.1  Governance of the single digital gateway 

Most MS argue for a clear distribution of responsibilities between the national level and the 
EU.  All  respondents  believe  content  ownership  and  management  should  be  a  national 
responsibility.  Most  of  them  would  like  the  European  Commission  to  play  a  strong 
coordination  role,  defining  objectives  in  terms  of  updates,  content,  usefulness,  etc.  Some 
support the creation of a stronger coordination body compared to one for the EUGO network, 
for example. Many support the idea of enforcement measures if agreed quality standards are 
not  met.  MS  also  stressed  the  need  to  keep  their  autonomy  when  it  comes  to  national 
initiatives. 

MS have also pointed out the need to further integrate initiatives and portals at EU level. 

Most  stakeholders  in  this  category  are  in  favour  of  collecting  data  and  user  feedback  for 
improving services. 

2.4.2  Online information on applicable EU and national rules  

Most MS are in favour of providing basic information concerning cross-border operations and 
support  the  idea  of  merging  or  linking  existing  points  of  contact  as  well  as  of  mandating 
information provision in another commonly used EU language. 

2.4.3  E-procedures to comply with national rules  

The  evidence  shows  that  putting  procedures  online  requires  substantial  investments,  which 
sometimes slows down their adoption.  Nevertheless, some Member States have pointed out 
that  the  SDG  could  lead  to  more  efficient  communication  and  data-sharing  among  the 
European Commission and MS.  This will help the identification and further rationalisation of 
the most used procedures across MS. Some MS favour a digital-by-default principle for future 
EU legislation and its national implementation.  

A  majority  of  MS  stressed  the  importance  of  interoperability  and  the  challenges  posed  by 
identification, authentication and electronic signature. 

2.4.4  Services for personalised assistance and advice  

Some MS are concerned about the impact the creation of a SDG can have on the investments 
made for the creation of the PSCs and other contact points or chambers of commerce portals. 
Most would prefer the SDG to build on existing systems. 

7 

 
2.5  Conclusions 

The main elements that emerge from the consultation are the need to tackle the quantity and 
quality  of  single  market-related  information,  e-procedures  and  assistance  services  available. 
There is broad support for the aims of the initiative and a high level of stakeholder interest in 
concrete implementation.  

Businesses  and  citizens  consider  that  having  access  to  all  applicable  information  would  be 
useful  to  make  informed  decisions.  Member  States  consider  that  minimum  level  of 
information  needed  is  already  being  offered  and  that  it  would  be  challenging  to  offer  all 
information online. 

The majority of respondents would like to carry out cross-border procedures online. Member 
States  have  concerns  about  feasibility,  notably  regarding  authentication  and  mutual 
recognition of e-signatures and regarding potential cost of putting all procedures online. Most 
MS would like to make sure that the SDG builds on existing systems. 

These results are fully taken into account in the proposed preferred options package presented 
in the impact assessment.  

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