Openbare raadpleging over de richtsnoeren van de Commissie voor de raadpleging van belanghebbenden

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by  Nederlandse overheid

ResponseofthegovernmentoftheNetherlandstothe
EuropeanCommission’sconsultation
onstakeholderconsultation
Introduction
1. TheDutchgovernmentagreeswiththeCommissionthatwidestakeholderconsultationthroughout
theentirelegislativeprocessisessentialforeffective,transparent,coherent,viable,cost-efficient
andlegitimateEUlawmakingandhelpstakingdecisionsthatrespecttheprinciplesof
proportionalityandsubsidiarity.Continuousconsultationandpro-activeoutreachbythe
Commissiontoheartheviewsofpublicandstakeholderssupportstheprinciplesofopenness,
strengthenstheevidence,increasesthequalityofEUlegislationandtransparencyandhelpstobring
focusinEUlawmaking.
2. TheDutchgovernmentwelcomestheCommission’sinitiativetostrengthenitsconsultationpolicy
andtoolsanditsapplicationinthedifferentphasesofthelegislationprocess,fromroadmapsand
impactassessmentstoevaluationandfitnesschecks.TheNetherlandsalsowelcomesthe
Commission’sapproachtoactivelyreachouttoallrelevantstakeholdersinordertoreceivethe
necessaryessentialinput(information,data,views)fromthosewhomightbeconcernedbya
Commission’sinitiative.
3. Stakeholdersshouldbeconsultedinasystematicmannerand,inordertomakefulluseof
consultation,itisimportantthatstakeholders’adviceisprovidedbeforeimportantdecisionsare
made.Consultationofstakeholdersshouldbeannouncedinatimelymannerandshouldpreferably
takeplacewhenthereisstillenoughscopetoarriveatalternativeoptions.Wealsounderlinethe
importanceweattachtoconsultnationalparliamentsinanearlystageinorderthatpossible
objectionscanbemetearlier.
4. Itisimportantthattheconsultationprocedureisclearandtransparent;fromthebeginningofthe
processtoensuresufficientinputfromstakeholderstotheendoftheprocessinwhichclearand
comprehensivefeedbackonstakeholders’inputshouldbeprovidedtosafeguardlegitimacyof
decisions.
Feedbacktoconsultationquestions
1. DoyouthinktheStakeholderConsultationGuidelinescoverallessentialelementsof
consultation?Shouldanyoftheseelementsreceivemoreattentionorbecoveredmore
extensively?
- Inadditiontothe10stepsoftheconsultationprocessdescribed,wethinktheguidelinescould
describemoreclearlytheexacttiming-theplaceinthepolicycycle-oftheconsultations(also
withintheimpactassessmentprocedure,asconsultationsareoftenonlyofthesourcesofinput
besidesdatacollectionsandexpertgroups).
- Wealsobelieveitisimportantthatclearcriteriaaresetandmadepubliconthenecessityfor
consultation.Theseshouldalsobeincludedintheguidelines(e.g.inchapter1.3)andthe10
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consultationsteps.Ifasked,theCommissionshouldalsobeabletomotivate,withinaspecified
timeframe,whyitdecidednottolaunchaconsultation.
- Furthermore,wehaveafewquestionsconcerningthesupervisionoftheconsultationprocess:who
decideswhetheraconsultationtakesplaceandonwhichcriteriaandwhodecidesontheformof
theconsultationstrategy?Isthestrategyevaluatedbysomeone,aspecialboardordepartment
withintheCommissionbeforethestrategyisputintopracticeandisitmonitoredwhiletheprocess
isongoing(e.g.theImpactAssessmentBoardorsomethingsimilar)?
2. Doyouthinktheguidelinessupporttheidentificationoftherighttargetaudiences?Ifnot,
howwouldyouimprovethem?
- Theguidelinesprovideanelaboratedescriptionofhowtoidentifytargetaudiences.Itisimportant
tousetherightcommunicationchannelstoidentifythestakeholders.Intheguidelines,socialmedia
arerightfullymentionedasawaytoadvertiseaconsultation,buttheycanalsobeusedtoidentify
yourtargetaudience–byseeingwhoisinvolved/interactingincommunicationnetworksrelevantto
acertainpolicyarea.Wealsosupporttheideaofapressreleaseaccompanyingtheconsultation.
- Inordertoreachtherelevanttargetgroupsandtomakeclearwhytheyaretargeted,foreach
consultationtheobjectiveshouldbeclearlycommunicated.Thecovernoteoftheconsultation
shouldindicateaclearproblemdefinition,adescriptionofthepossibleoptionsanditsimpacton
thedifferentpartiesinvolved.
3. Participationbystakeholdersinopenpublicconsultationsisoftendisappointinglylow.How
cantheCommissionencourageorenablemorestakeholderstotakepart?Howcanthe
Commissionbetterreachandengageunderrepresentedgroupsofstakeholdersandassist
theminreplyingtocomplexissues?
- ItisimportantthattheCommissionactivelyapproachesstakeholdersinatimelymannertoprovide
inputandwewelcomethemethodstoadvertisementionedintheguidelines.Fromconversations
withbusinessesandtradeorganisationswelearnedthat,insteadofbeingapproachedinanadhoc
manner,theywouldratherbeinvolvedcontinuouslyduringtheprocessofcreatingandassessing
legislation.ContinuousoutreachbytheCommissiontopublicandstakeholderssupportsthe
principlesofopennessandtransparencyandisthereforerecommended.Itwouldalsobeusefulto
keeptheconsultedstakeholdersinformedaboutthedifferentstepsintheprocessofcreating
legislation(e.g.byemail-notification).
- TheNetherlandswelcomesandencouragestheCommission’seffortsinmaintainingavastnetwork
ofstakeholdersindifferentfields.Thesespecificgroupsareusefultoconsultsystematicallyand
continuouslyinordertogainmoreinsightfromcasuistryinthewaylegislationworksinpractice,
besidestheopenconsultationsontheinternetaimedatreachingouttoawidepublic.Itisadvisable
toreachthesegroupsinatargetedmannerwithtargetedcommunicationtools(e.g.platforms,
LinkedIngroups,specificwebsites).
- TheNetherlandshasgoodexperienceswithinternetconsultation.In2012,theMinistryofEconomic
AffairsstartedadialogueviaaLinkedIngroup(‘STROOM’,counting1320members)tocollectinput
forrevisedlegislationonelectricityandgas,withtheaimofdraftingclearandcomprehensive
legislation,withlowadministrativeburdenforbusinessesandauthorities.Thereceivedresponses
ledtoreconsiderationandamendmentstotheproposal.Afirstdraftofthespecificbillhasbeen
finishedandwillbesubjecttointernetconsultationoncemore.Giventhevaluableresponses
received,theNetherlandswouldrecommendtheuseofLinkedInasamediumtoreachrelevant
stakeholders.
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4. Isthereariskof'overconsultation',makingitdifficultforyouasastakeholderto
distinguishbetweenimportantandlessimportantconsultations?
- Ingeneral,wedon’tseeaparticularriskof‘overconsultation’.Stakeholderswouldratherhave
morethanlessopportunitytobeinvolvedinlegislationandtheythemselvesarebestcapableto
assesswhetheraconsultationisrelevantornottothem.Tothatenditisimportantthatthe
Commissionmakesclearwhatthereasonsandobjectivesoftheconsultationare.
- However,inordertomaximizeresponsetoaconsultation,aneffortshouldbemadetolimitthe
approachofnon-relevantstakeholdersasmuchaspossible,asthismightdecreasethechancethat
theywillreactonconsultationsrelevanttothem.Thismostlyappliestobusinesses,notto
representationsofsectors/businesses.
- FortheidentificationofrelevantstakeholdersitcouldbehelpfultosetupanEC-widedatabaseof
stakeholders(insteadofseparatedatabasesfortheDGs),providinganoverviewofthecontactsof
thedifferentDGswithcertainstakeholders.Thismightbehelpfultostimulatecoherenceincontacts
withexternalpartiesandtoavoidduplication.
- Inorderforstakeholderstobeabletograsptheopportunitytoparticipateinlegislationtheymust
haveaccesstotherightinformation.TheCommissionmakesavailablealargeamountof
information,andthisisofahighquality.Butthemediumthroughwhichitismadeavailable(the
Commissionwebsite)couldbemoreclearlystructuredsothatstakeholdersarebetterabletofind
theinformationrelevanttothem.Inaddition,itcouldbemademoreclearontheCommission’s
websitewhichgroup(s)ofrespondentsaremainlytargeted,e.g.companiesor(national,regionalor
local)governments.
5. Doyouseeaneedtoexplainthelimitsofconsultationsinthisguidancedocument?
- Wedon’tthinkthisisindispensable,sinceunderpoint1.8theconsultationdocumentalready
describesthattheoutcomesofaconsultationmaynotberepresentative.Itcouldhoweverbetaken
intoconsiderationtoinsertsomesortofdisclaimerwhichexplainsthefactthatconsultationhasits
limits.
- Onpage7ismentioned:‘’Aspectswhichcannotbechangedduetolegalorpoliticalnatureshould
notbesubjectofConsultation’’.Canyouexplainwhatismeantby‘politicalnature’inthiscontext?
6. Doyouthinktheguidelinesprovideenoughguidanceonhowtoanalysetheresultsand
assesstherepresentativenessofrespondentsandhowtoprovidefeedbacktostakeholders
participatinginaconsultation?Ifnot,howcouldthisprocessbeimproved?
- Wethinktheguidelinesprovideenoughguidanceonanalysisandassessmentandweverymuch
welcometheCommission’scommitmenttoprovidetransparentandadequatefeedbackto
stakeholdersparticipatinginaconsultation.Providingfeedbackisessentialfortransparencyandthe
legitimacyofchoicesmadebytheCommission.Also,itkeepsstakeholdersinvolvedandstimulates
themtoalsointeractinfutureconsultations.Alackoffeedbackmayleadtotheperceptionthatthe
givenadviceduringconsultationhaslittleinfluenceonthefinalproposals.Currently, itisnotalways
clearwhatisdonewiththestakeholders’adviceandhowtheadviceofdifferentstakeholdersis
assessed.Theprocedureshouldbecomemoretransparent.WethereforesharetheCommission’s
suggestiontoputasummaryoftheresultsonitswebsite,andtoincludemoreinformationinthe
impactassessmentsontheconsultation,withaclearexplanationaboutwhathasbeendonewith
thestakeholderadviceplusthereasonsfornotfollowinguponthisadvice.
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7. Doyouagreewiththepresentationofthedifferentconsultationsteps(1-10)?Or,doyousee
additionalsteps?
- Althoughwebelievethatthestepsdescribedcovertheconsultationprocessingeneral,wewould
recommendtoincorporatethe(mandatory)Commission’sminimumstandardsforconsultation
(COM(2002)704final)inthe10steps,inordertoensurethattheseareapplied.
- Step1(1.6.1.):mappingofthestakeholders:itwouldbeusefultofurtherdifferentiatethetypeof
stakeholder.E.g.under2.‘Industry/business’SMEscouldbeaddedaswellasregional/local
[businesses]andthespecificsectors.
8. Doyouthinktheseconsultation"toolsandmethods"areadequateordoyouseeothers
whichshouldbereferredtointheguidelines?
- Thedescriptionofthetoolsandmethodsintheannexprovidesagoodbasisforofficialstodecide
onwhatapproachtotakefortheconsultation.
- Withregardtothequestionnaireitisimportanttoavoidposingleading/biasedquestions.
9. Doyouhaveanyothercommentsorsuggestions,whichcouldhelpmaketheseGuidelines
ascomprehensiveandclearaspossible?
- InadditiontotheguidelinesitmightbeusefultodraftaconcisepracticaloperationalplanfortheEC
officials,whichguidesthemthroughthedifferentstepsoftheconsultationprocedureasdescribed
intheguidelines,includingapracticaloverviewofthestepsandthedifferentchoicestobemade
andsomeusefultipsandtrickstofacilitatethework.Inordertoensurecorrectexecutionofthe
consultationprocedure,itwouldbeusefultosetcertainconcreterulesintheabovementioned
operationalplanorintheguidelinesitself,forexampleindicatingconcreteminimumactionsand
settingtimeslotsforthedifferentconsultationsteps.
- Secondly,withregardtotiming,wewouldadvisenottolaunchconsultationsinsummer,asthey
mayattractlittleattention/responsesandstakeholdersmaynothavesufficienttimetorespond.
- Thirdly,werecommendtolimitthenumberofquestionsinquestionnaires.Toomanyquestions
mightdiscouragepotentialrespondents.
- Finally,itwouldbeusefulifthequestionnairescanalsobedownloadedinWordformat(insteador
besidesPDF),asrespondentsmayneedtoconsultothersbeforeresponding.
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