Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL laying down temporary measures concerning the time limits for the collection, verification and examination stages provided for in Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the European citizens' initiative in view of the COVID-19 outbreak
Date: 2020-05-20
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: EU initiative, European citizenship, data collection, data protection, epidemic, infectious disease, participatory democracy, personal data, petition, power of initiative

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   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 20.5.2020  COM(2020) 221 final 2020/0099 (COD)  Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL laying down temporary measures concerning the time limits for the collection, verification and examination stages provided for in Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the European citizens' initiative in view of the COVID-19 outbreak  
 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

1. 

• 

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL 

Reasons for and objectives of the proposal 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected Member States and their citizens in an unprecedented 
way. In response to the pandemic, Member States have taken measures to stop or slow down 
COVID-19  transmission,  including  lockdown  measures  that  have  led  to  a  near  standstill  of 
public life in almost all Member States.  

The pandemic inevitably also has a serious impact on the European citizens’ initiative (ECI); 
a  participative  democracy  instrument  that  depends  on  the  engagement  of  citizens  across  the 
EU. The right to submit an ECI is enshrined in the Treaty on European Union (Article 11(4) 
TEU).  The  national  confinement  measures  and  more  generally  the  omnipresence  of  the 
pandemic  make  it  currently  nearly  impossible  for  organisers  to  successfully  continue  their 
local  campaigning  activities  and  the  collection  of  paper  statements  of  support  to  help  them 
gather the required statements within the set period of 12 months.  

Member  States  and  the  European  institutions  have  also  certain  obligations  as  regards  the 
verification (including certification) of the validity of the collected statements of support and 
the examination of a successful initiative. These obligations are equally time-bound. Due to 
the exceptional circumstances stemming from the national measures taken in response to the 
unprecedented  public  health  crisis  caused  by  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  Member  States  and 
the European institutions may not be able to fulfil these obligations within the set legal time 
limits.  

In  order  to  preserve  the  efficacy  of  the  European  citizens’  initiative  instrument  during  this 
pandemic  and  to  provide  reassurance  and  legal  clarity  to  organisers  of  initiatives  the 
collection, verification or examination of which is ongoing, it is necessary to adopt temporary 
measures  that  allow  to  extend  the  collection  periods  of  these  initiatives.  Similar  temporary 
measures should be taken to allow Member States to request the European Commission for an 
extension  of  the  verification  period  in  case  their  competent  authorities  due  to  the  measures 
taken  to  combat  the  pandemic,  cannot  complete  the  verification  in  time.  Likewise,  the 
European Parliament and the European Commission should be allowed to postpone the public 
hearing  and  the  meeting  with  the  organisers  until  the  public  health  situation  in  the  country 
where they plan to organise these meetings, allows again to do so. The corresponding period 
for examining a valid initiative should be extended accordingly.   

• 

Consistency with existing policy provisions in the policy area 

The  legislation  concerned  by  this  Regulation  is  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  of  the  European 
Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  17  April  2019  on  the  European  citizens’  initiative.  That 
Regulation does not contain specific provisions which would allow extending the collection, 
verification  and  examination period of registered initiatives in  situations  as those  caused by 
the  COVID-19  crisis.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  adopt  relevant  provisions  in  order  to  take 
into account the effect of the measures taken in response to the public health crisis caused by 
the COVID-19 pandemic and to provide legal certainty to groups of organisers and Member 
States authorities. 

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• 

Consistency with other Union policies 

The substantial difficulties that organisers currently face, due to the Member States’ measures 
taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to collect paper statements of support and to 
organise  local  campaigns  to  inform  the  public  of  their  initiatives,  could  compromise  their 
ability to reach the threshold of one million statements of support in  at least seven Member 
States. This is a precondition to ask the European Commission to submit a proposal for a legal 
act  of  the  Union  on  the  subject  matter  for  the  purpose  of  implementing  the  Treaties.  As  a 
result,  the  efficacy  of  this  participatory  democracy  instrument  at  Union  level,  which  Union 
citizens  has  granted  the  right  to  submit  a  proposal  for  such  a  legal  action,  would  be 
undermined. Like for other Union policies and legal instruments, impacted by the COVID-19 
pandemic, it is therefore proposed to take temporary measures to counter these unforeseeable 
and exceptional impacts. 

2. 

• 

LEGAL BASIS, SUBSIDIARITY AND PROPORTIONALITY 

Legal basis 

The  proposal  concerns  the  applicable  time  limits  for  the  collection,  verification  and 
examination phase in Regulation (EU) 2019/788. The adoption of that Regulation is based on 
Article 24 TFEU. Article 24 TFEU provides a specific legal basis for the European citizens’ 
initiative and the adoption by means of regulations of the provisions for the procedures and 
conditions required for a citizens' initiative within the meaning of Article 11 of the Treaty on 
European Union. Consequently, the proposal is also based on 24 TFEU.  

• 

Subsidiarity (for non-exclusive competence)  

The length of the relevant time limits for European citizens’ iniatives is defined in Regulation 
(EU)  2019/788.  That  Regulation  in  its  current  form  does  not  provide  for  the  necessary 
flexibility  in  the  application  of  the  time  limits  that  would  allow  the  groups  of  organisers, 
Member States and the European institutions to benefit from an extension of these time limits 
in case of exceptional circumstances such as that of a COVID-19 pandemic. Such extensions 
can  only  be  achieved  through  provisions  of  Union  law,  i.e.  in  the  form  of  temporary 
derogations.  

• 

Proportionality 

This  Union  action  is  necessary  to  achieve  the  objective  of  the  proper  functioning  of  the 
European citizens’ initiative provided for by Regulation (EU) 2019/788, given the magnitude 
of  the  effects  caused  by  the  Member  States’  measures  in  response  to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic.  The  proposal  is  limited  to  targeted  temporary  measures,  which  are  taken  in 
response to the effects caused by the Member States’ measures in the context of the COVID-
19 pandemic. The measures are limited to what is necessary to ensure legal certainty and to 
preserve  the  efficacy  of  the  European  citizens’  initiative  as  enshrined  in  the  Treaty  on  
European Union.  

The Commission implementing powers for a further prolongation of the collection period in 
respect  of  affected  intiatives  is  limited  in  scope  and  proportionate.  It  is  subject  to  the 
objective,  verifiable  requirement  that  the  measures  taken  by  the  Member  States  are  or 
continue  to  be  in  place  in  a  majority  of  Member  States  or  in  a  number  of  Member  States, 
representing more than 35% of the EU population. Likewise, the Commission only grants a 
Member  State  the  authorisation  to  apply  an  extension  of  the  verification  period  for  a  given 
initiative,  if  the  Member  State  concerned  demonstrates  that  due  to  the  COVID  measures  in 

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place, it cannot complete the verification within the set period of three months. The Member 
State concerned shall submit a reasoned request for such an extension.  

The proposed amendment is limited in time, under the assumption that the pandemic will have 
been overcome by the end 2022.   

• 

Choice of the instrument 

A Regulation is the appropriate instrument to introduce the necessary flexibilities in extending 
the  legal  time  limits  that  apply  to  the  collection,  verification  and  examination  stage  of  the 
European  citizens’  initiative  under  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788.  The  extension  of  those  time 
limits  requires  an  act  of  the  Union  of  general  application,  which  is  binding  and  directly 
applicable in  all Member States. A Regulation  is  also  considered appropriate to  provide the 
necessary legal basis for granting the Commission with implementing powers to prolong  the 
collection period and the verification period upon request of the Member State concerned.  

RESULTS 
CONSULTATIONS AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 

EX-POST 

EVALUATIONS, 

OF 

STAKEHOLDER 

Ex-post evaluations/fitness checks of existing legislation 

3. 

• 

N/A 

• 

Stakeholder consultations 

Given  the  urgency  of  the  matter,  formal  stakeholder  consultation  has  not  been  carried  out. 
However,  the  proposal  follows  on  a  consultation  with  the  Expert  Group  on  the  European 
Citizens’ initiative. A meeting was held on 30 April 2020 with the Expert Group, following a 
survey on the main  outline of an  amendment.  The Commission  also  received several  letters 
from  organisers  of  ongoing  initiatives  during  the  pandemic,  asking  to  find  adequate  and 
appropriate  solutions  -  notably  extension  of  time  limits  -  to  address  their  problems  in  the 
collection  of  the  necessary  statements  of  support.  Similar  requests  have  been  received  from 
Members of Parliament, including the Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs.  

Collection and use of expertise 

• 

N/A 

• 

Impact assessment 

The  proposed  targeted  temporary  measures  primarily  aim  at  providing,  for  exceptional 
reasons  in  the  context  of  the  COVID-19  outbreak,  extensions  of  the  relevant  periods  in 
Regulation 2019/788. The measures apply for a relatively short period of time. Therefore, an 
impact assessment is not considered necessary. 

Regulatory fitness and simplification 

Fundamental rights 

• 

N/A 

• 

N/A 

4. 

BUDGETARY IMPLICATIONS 

The proposal does not have budgetary implications.  

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Under  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788,  the  organisers  have  to  put  in  place  an  online  collection 
system  for  the  online  collection  of  statements  of  support.  They  can  decide  to  set  up  such 
system themselves, but they can also use the central online collection system that is set up and 
managed  by  the  Commission.  For  initiatives  using  the  central  online  collection  system,  the 
extension of the collection period implies a longer continued use by the groups of organisers 
of  the  centralised  collection  system.  As  the  system  has  been  designed  to  host  multiple 
initiatives at the same time, there are no additional costs of such continued use. An extension 
of the collection period does not require additional human resources within the Commission 
administration in handling these initiatives, as the obligations for the Commission laid down 
by Regulation (EU) 2019/788 with regard to the initiatives remain the same.  

5. 

• 

OTHER ELEMENTS 

Implementation plans and monitoring, evaluation and reporting arrangements 

The implementation of the measures will be monitored and reported upon in the framework of 
the general reporting mechanisms established in Regulation (EU) 2019/788. 

Explanatory documents (for directives) 

• 

N/A 

• 

Detailed explanation of the specific provisions of the proposal 

The  proposed  temporary  measures  concern  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  on  the  European 
citizens’ initiative.  

The proposal provides for an extension of the time limits for the collection of statements of 
support for initiatives  registered under Regulation  (EU) 2019/788  or under Regulation (EU) 
No 211/2011. The proposal also provides for the possibility for a Member State to request a 
prolongation  of  the  verification  period.  A  similar  measure  is  proposed  to  prolong  the 
examination  period  of  a  valid  initiative,  depending  on  the  specific  circumstances.  The 
measures are temporary in nature, as these only apply until end 2022. 

As regards the extension of the collection period, the proposal  contains as a first  temporary 
measure that the  collection period is  extended with  six months  for initiatives, for which the 
collection  of  statements  of  support  was  ongoing  on  11  March  2020,  the  day  on  which  the 
World  Health Organization formally announced that  the COVID-19 outbreak had become a 
worldwide  pandemic.  Since  then,  all  Member  States  have  taken  measures  to  stop  or  slow 
down the pandemic, which substantially hampers the possibility for organisers of initiatives to 
do local campaigning and to collect paper statements of support.  

The  relevant  provision  is  complemented  by  a  Commission  empowerment  to  prolong  the 
collection  period  of  these  initiatives  and  of  initiatives  that  started  their  collection  at  a  later 
date, in case a majority of Member States, or a number of Member States representing more 
than 35% of the EU population (continue to) have in place such measures or in case of a new 
outbreak  requiring  Member  States  to  take  again  such  measures,  affecting  initiatives  to  the 
same  extent.  The  empowerment  is  limited  in  time  (only  extensions  of  three  months,  with  a 
maximum total collection period of 24 months), and based on objective criteria.  

Implementing  acts  for  the  further  prolongation  of  the  collection  period  of  initiatives  the 
collection of which was already ongoing on 11 March 2020 or on the date of entry into force 
of  this  Regulation  can  only  be  adopted  after  this  Regulation  has  entered  into  force.  The 

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extension period of six months provided for in this Regulation provides sufficient time after 
its entry into force for the Commission to decide on a further prolongation of the collection 
period for these initiatives, if needed.  

The  proposal  contains  a  specific  temporary  measure  in  case  a  Member  State  considers  that 
due  to  the  exceptional  circumstances  caused  by  the  measures  in  its  country,  its  national 
authority  reasonably  cannot  complete  the  verification  and  certification  of  the  statements  of 
support  within  the  three  months  period.  In  such  a  case,  the  Member  State  can  submit  a 
reasoned request to the Commission to extend this period, with a minimum of one month and 
a maximum of three months.  

Several  initiatives  that  are  currently  in  the  process  of  collecting  statements  of  support  have 
been  registered  under  Regulation  (EU)  No  211/2011.  As  regards  the  collection  and 
verification process, these initiatives are still subject to the provisions of that Regulation. The 
proposal ensures that the relevant measures on the extension of the collection and verification 
period also apply to these initiatives.  

Under  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788,  the  examination  period  is  also  subject  to  specific  time 
limits. The European institutions are required to organise a meeting with the organisers (to be 
organised  by  the  Commission  within  one  month  after  submission  of  a  successful  initiative) 
and a public hearing (to be organised by the European Parliament within three months after 
submission).  The  organisation  of  such  events  may  be  difficult  within  the  time  limits  set  by 
Regulation  (EU) 2019/788, taking into account  the measures put  in  place in  response to  the 
COVID-19 pandemic in the country where the institutions intend to organise these events. In 
such a case, the European institutions should be allowed to organise such events  as soon as 
the  public  health  situation  in  that  country  again  allows  for  organising  such  events.  In  such 
cases,  the  European  Commission  shall  adopt  its  Communication  in  response  to  a  valid 
initiative within three months after the public hearing in the European Parliament.   

If, because of the temporary measures defined in this proposal, the collection, verification or 
examination  period  is  extended,  a  temporary  measure  catering  for  an  extension  of  the 
retention  periods  defined  in  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  is  necessary  to  avoid  a  legal 
requirement that would lead to a premature destruction of the statements of support.  

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2020/0099 (COD) 

Proposal for a 

REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 

laying down temporary measures concerning the time limits for the collection, 
verification and examination stages provided for in Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the 
European citizens' initiative in view of the COVID-19 outbreak 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Functioning  of  the  European  Union,  and  in  particular 
Article 24 thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, 

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee1,  
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions2,  

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, 

Whereas: 

(1) 

(2) 

On  11  March  2020,  the  World  Health  Organization  announced  that  the  COVID-19 
outbreak had become a worldwide pandemic. The Member States have been affected 
in a dramatic and exceptional way by the consequences of that pandemic. They have 
taken  a  series  of  restrictive  measures  to  stop  or  slow  down  the  transmission  of 
COVID-19,  including  lockdown  measures  to  restrict  the  free  movement  of  their 
citizens,  the  prohibition  of  public  events,  and  the  closure  of  shops,  restaurants  and 
schools.  Those  measures  have  led  to  a  near  standstill  of  public  life  in  almost  all 
Member States.   

The measures taken by the Member States have inevitably also had a serious impact 
on European citizens’ initiatives. For a European citizens’ initiative to be successful, 
Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council3 requires the 
organisers  to  collect  at  least  1  million  statements  of  support  in  at  least  7  Member 
States within a period of 12 months. In particular, paper-based collection of statements 
of  support,  local  campaigning  and  the  organisation  of  public  events,  which  are  of 
significant  importance  for  a  successful  initiative,  have  become  substantially  more 
difficult because of the measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

(3)  Member  States  and  the  Union  institutions  also  have  certain  legal  obligations  under 
Regulation  (EU)  2019/788.  Those  obligations  are  subject  to  strict  time  limits  from 
which Regulation (EU) 2019/788 does not allow any derogations.    

1 
2 
3 

OJ C , , p. . 
OJ C , , p. . 
Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  17  April  2019  on  the 
European citizens' initiative (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019, p. 55). 

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(4) 

(5) 

The Treaty on European Union has granted citizens of the Union the right to approach 
the Commission  with  a request  inviting it to  submit  a proposal  for a legal  act  of the 
Union for the purpose of implementing the Treaties. The citizen’s initiative is one of 
the main instruments for citizens of the Union to engage in an easy and accessible way 
in the democratic and political debate about the Union and to put issues that matter to 
them on the agenda of the Union.  

In  the  current  exceptional  circumstances  and  in  particular  because  of  the  measures 
taken  by  the  Member  States  in  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  temporary 
measures are necessary to preserve the effectiveness of that instrument, and to provide 
legal certainty regarding possible extensions of the applicable time limits. 

(6)  Member  States  have  indicated  that  they  will  only  gradually  reduce  the  level  of 
restrictions  introduced  by  the  measures  in  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  in 
order to monitor and control the public health situation. An extension of the period for 
the  collection  of  statements  of  support  by  six  months,  covering  the  period  starting 
from  11  March  2020,  when  the  World  Health  Organization  announced  that  the 
outbreak  had  become  pandemic,  is  therefore  appropriate.  That  extension  is  based  on 
the assumption that at least in the first six months since 11 March 2020 a majority of 
Member  States  or  a  number  of  Member  States  representing  more  than  35%  of  the 
Union  population  will  have  measures  in  place  that  will  substantially  hamper  the 
organisers’ possibilities to carry out local campaigning and collect paper statements of 
support. The collection period of initiatives the collection of which was ongoing on 11 
March 2020 should therefore be extended by six months. Where the collection period 
of an initiative started after 11 March, that period should be extended proportionately. 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

Given that the end of the pandemic in the Union is difficult to predict, it is appropriate 
to  empower  the  Commission  to  adopt  implementing  acts  to  further  prolong  the 
collection  period  in  respect  of  initiatives,  for  which  the  collection  period  is  still 
ongoing on 11 September 2020 in cases where the exceptional circumstances resulting 
from  the  COVID-19  pandemic  continue  to  exist.  The  six-month  extension  of  the 
collection  period  provided  for  by  this  Regulation  should  allow  the  Commission 
sufficient  time  to  decide  whether  a  further  prolongation  of  the  collection  period  is 
justified. The empowerment should also allow the Commission to adopt implementing 
acts to prolong the collection period in the case of a new public health crisis linked to 
a new outbreak of COVID-19, if a majority of Member States or a number of Member 
States representing more than 35% of the Union population have taken measures that 
are likely to have the same effect.  

In  order  to  ensure  uniform  conditions  for  the  implementation  of  the  prolongation  of 
the collection period, implementing powers should be conferred on the Commission. 
Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 
of the European Parliament and of the Council4.  

The  measures  taken  by  the  Member  States  in  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic 
may  significantly  affect  the  ability  of  competent  authorities  to  verify  the  validity  of 
statements  of  support  within  the  time  limit  of  three  months  laid  down  in  Regulation 
(EU)  2019/788.  For  example,  there  may  be  fewer  staff  available,  or  the  competent 

4 

Regulation  (EU)  No  182/2011  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  16  February  2011 
laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by the Member States 
of the Commission's exercise of implementing powers (OJ L 55, 28.2.2011, p. 13). 

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authorities  may  have  additional  tasks  and  responsibilities  as  a  consequence  of  the 
pandemic.  

(10)  Member  States  should  ensure  that,  despite  the  measures  taken  in  response  to  the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  their  administrations  function  as  normally  as  possible. 
However, in exceptional circumstances, a Member State should be allowed to submit a 
reasoned request to the Commission for an authorisation to apply an extension of the 
verification and certification period. The request should be substantiated and take into 
account  the  effects  of  the  pandemic  related  measures  on  the  functioning  of  that 
Member  State’s  competent  authorities.  Any  extension  granted  should  not  be  longer 
than the initial verification period.    

(11)  Due  to  the  measures  taken  by  the  Member  States  in  response  to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic,  it  may  be  difficult  for  the  Union  institutions  to  organise  meetings  with 
organisers or public hearings in  the context  of the examination of valid  initiatives in 
the  Member  State  where  they  intend  to  organise  such  meetings.  In  such  cases,  the 
institutions should be allowed to postpone the organisation of those meetings to a date 
when  the  public  health  situation  in  that  Member  State  allows  to  do  so.  Where    the 
public hearing is postponed, the Commission should be able to delay the adoption of 
its  communication  setting  out  its  legal  and  political  conclusions  on  the  initiative  to 
three months after the public hearing has taken place, to allow it to take due account of 
the findings at the hearing.  

(12)  Where  the  period  for  collection,  verification  or  examination  is  extended  due  to  the 
measures  taken  by  the  Member  States  in  response  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic,  the 
retention periods for statements of support laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/788 are  
extended accordingly. 

(13)  The  unforeseeable  and  sudden  outbreak  of  COVID-19  and  the  resulting  measures 
taken by the Member States, which have been regularly prolonged, have meant that as 
regards some individual situations it was not possible to adopt the temporary measures 
provided  for  in  this  Regulation  in  time.  For  that  reason,  the  temporary  measures 
should also cover the period before its entry into force.    

(14)  This Regulation should also apply to initiatives registered before 1 January 2020 under 
Regulation  (EU)  No  211/2011  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council5,  to 
which  the  provisions  of  that  Regulation  on  the  collection  period  of  statements  of 
support and verification and certification by Member States continue to apply pursuant 
to Article 27 of Regulation (EU) 2019/788. 

(15)  Considering the temporary nature of the Member States’ measures in response to the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  the  period  of  application  of  this  Regulation  should  also  be 
limited.  

(16)  This Regulation should be adopted as a matter of urgency, so that situations of legal 
uncertainty  affecting  citizens,  organisers,  national  administrations  and  the  Union 
institutions,  in  particular  where  the  relevant  time  periods  for  the  collection  of 
statements  of  support,  verification  and  examination  in  respect  of  a  number  of 
initiatives  have  already  ended  or  are  about  to  end,  remain  as  short  as  possible.  It  is 
therefore appropriate to provide for an exception to the eight-week period referred to 

5 

Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 on 
the citizens’ initiative (OJ L 65, 11.3.2011, p. 1). 

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in  Article  4  of  Protocol  No  1  on  the  role  of  national  Parliaments  in  the  European 
Union, annexed to the Treaty on European Union, to the Treaty on the Functioning of 
the  European  Union  and  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Atomic  Energy 
Community. 

(17)  This  Regulation  should enter  into  force  as  a  matter  of  urgency  on  the  day  following 

that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union,  

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 

Article 1 

Subject matter 

This Regulation lays down temporary measures applicable to the collection, verification and 
examination  periods  for  registered  citizens’  initiatives  under  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  and 
Regulation (EU) No 211/2011, in the context of the measures taken by the Member States in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

(1) 

(2) 

Article 2 

Extension of time limits for the collection of statements of support  

Notwithstanding  Article  8(1)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  and  Article  5(5)  of 
Regulation  (EU)  211/2011,  where  the  period  for  the  collection  of  statements  of 
support for an initiative the collection of which was ongoing on 11 March 2020, the 
maximum collection period shall be extended for a period of six months in each case. 

Where  the  collection  of  statements  of  support  for  an  initiative  started  between  11 
March 2020 and 11 September 2020, the maximum collection period shall run until 
11 September 2021. 

The Commission  may adopt  implementing acts  to  prolong the maximum  collection 
periods of initiatives referred to in paragraph 1, if a majority of Member States or a 
number  of  Member  States  representing  more  than  35%  of  the  Union  population 
continue to  apply after 11 September 2020 measures in  response to  the  COVID-19 
pandemic which substantially hamper the possibility for organisers to collect  paper 
statements of support and to inform the public of their ongoing initiatives.  

The Commission  may adopt  implementing acts  to  prolong the maximum  collection 
period  of  initiatives  for  which  the  collection  is  ongoing  at  the  moment  of  a  new 
COVID-19 outbreak requiring a majority of Member States or a number of Member 
States  representing  more  than  35%  of  the  Union  population  to  apply  measures  that 
affect organisers of those initiatives to the same extent.  

Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the advisory procedure 
referred to in Article 6(2) and shall identify which initiatives are concerned and the 
new end date of their collection period. 

The duration of each prolongation shall be three months.  

For  the  purpose  of  assessing  whether  the  requirement  in  the  first  and  second 
subparagraph  is  fulfilled,  the  Member  States  shall  provide  the  Commission,  upon 
request,  with  information  on the measures that they have taken or intend to  take in 
response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

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(3) 

(4) 

Notwithstanding paragraphs 1 and 2, the total duration of the collection period shall 
not exceed 24 months. 

The Commission shall inform the organisers and the Member States of the extension 
granted in respect of initiatives concerned. It shall publish its decision in the online 
register referred to in Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788. 

Extension of time limits for the verification and certification of statements of support by 
the Member States 

Article 3 

(1) 

(2) 

(1) 

(2) 

Notwithstanding  Article  12(4)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788  and  Article  8(2)  of 
Regulation  (EU)  No  211/2011,  where  a  Member  State  considers  that  due  to  the 
measures it has taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will not be possible 
to  complete  the  verification  and  certification  of  statements  of  support  for  a  given 
initiative within the period laid down in those provisions, it may submit a reasoned 
request for an authorisation to apply an extension of that period. That request shall be 
submitted  to  the  Commission  at  the  latest  one  month  before  the  end  of  the  period 
concerned.  

Where,  upon  a  request  submitted  in  accordance  with  paragraph  1,  the  Commission 
finds that the requirements laid down in that paragraph are fulfilled, it shall adopt an 
implementing act authorising the Member State concerned to apply an extension of 
the period specified in paragraph 1. The extension shall not be less than one month 
and shall not exceed three months. 

The Commission shall inform the Member State and the organisers of the initiative 
concerned of the extension. It shall publish its decision in the online register referred 
to in Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) 2019/788. 

Article 4 

Extension of time limits for the examination of valid initiatives 

Notwithstanding  Articles  14(2)  and  15(1)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788,  where  the 
European  Parliament  or  the  Commission  have  encountered  difficulties  since  11 
March  2020  in  organising  a  public  hearing  or  a  meeting  with  organisers, 
respectively,  because of the measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 
by  the  Member  State  where  those  institutions  intend  to  organise  the  hearing  or 
meeting, they shall organise the hearing or the meeting as soon as the public health 
situation in the Member State concerned makes it possible to do so.  

Notwithstanding  Article  15(2)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788,  where  the  European 
Parliament postpones the public hearing pursuant to paragraph 1 of this Article, the 
Commission  shall  adopt  its  communication  setting  out  its  legal  and  political 
conclusions on the initiative within three months after the public hearing. 

Article 5 

Extension of time limits for retention of personal data  

(1) 

Notwithstanding  Article  19(5)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788,  where  the  maximum 
collection or verification and certification period for a given initiative is extended in 
accordance  with  Articles  2  and  3  of  this  Regulation,  the  time  limit  of  21  months 

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within  which  statements  of  support  and  copies  thereof  are  to  be  destroyed  shall  be 
extended by the same period.  

Notwithstanding  Article  19(8)  of  Regulation  (EU)  2019/788,  where  the  maximum 
collection  period,  verification  and  certification  period,  or  examination  period  for  a 
given initiative is extended in accordance with Articles 2, 3 and  4 of this Regulation, 
the time limits within which records of email addresses are to be destroyed pursuant 
to that Article shall be extended by the same period.  

Article 6 

Committee procedure  

The  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  the  committee  on  the  European  citizens’ 
initiative established by Article 22 of Regulation (EU) 2019/788.  

Where  reference  is  made  to  this  paragraph,  Article  4  of  Regulation  (EU)  No 
182/2011 shall apply. 

(2) 

(1) 

(2) 

Article 7 

Entry into force 

This  Regulation  shall  enter  into  force  on  the  day  following  that  of  its  publication  in  the 
Official Journal of the European Union. 

It shall apply until 31 December 2022. 

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

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