Citizens Omnibus Initiative

The Austrian Social Insurance welcomes the European Commissions commitment towards improving the daily lives of its citizens, as envisioned by the planned Omnibus. In this vein, we generally support the Commissions efforts regarding the simplification of unnecessary administrative burdens in EU legislation, thus also following the recommendations by the Letta report and appreciate all digitalisation efforts which…

Response to citizens omnibus The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) represents 8 million public service workers across Europe. We are the strong trade union voice that workers need, whether thats with employers, the European Parliament, the Commission or national governments.

Autism-Europe welcomes the European Citizens Omnibus initiative in its aims to reduce the administrative complexities associated with availing of EU services and moving between different EU member states. While we support the EUs efforts to remove existing barriers for people living in the EU, we stress that simplification shouldnt not lead to lower standards for Persons with Disabilities.

The status of firefighter, whether exercised on a professional or voluntary basis, cannot be disconnected from the physical realities and dangers inherent in this task. Being a firefighter is a high-risk occupation: responding to fire, handling toxic substances and intervening in disasters directly exposes people to serious occupational diseases and puts their health at risk on a daily basis.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

ECA represents 44.000 pilots in Europe. The members of the association experience every day working across borders. The EU is a framework that facilitates movements also for pilots. However, pilots as citizens that work and move across countries also experience difficulties due to the complexity of some atypical situations. We would like to share some examples and ideas.

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their service from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not employment; it is a civic commitment that is essential to the safety of our communities. Without volunteer firefighters, Europe would be less resilient in the face of disasters and crises.

Stakeholders in the French equine sector wish to share a legislative difficulty concerning the weight of light vehicles dedicated to the transport of horses. Throughout Europe, horses are frequently transported on the road, whether for hoisting, recreation, competitions, races or even at the point of sale or veterinary care.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

The fourth French asset managemer OFI INVEST welcomes the ECs call for evidence on citizens omnibus initiative and fully supports the objective of reducing administrative burdens and regulatory complexity in existing EU legislation, rules and processes affecting EU citizens, especially with respect to asset management products and services.

Pearle* - Live Performance Europe, representing through its members over 13,000 organisations and companies in the music, performing arts and live event sectors, welcomes the Commissions intention to identify practical ways to make EU rules and procedures simpler for people in their daily lives.

We call on the European Union to safeguard health and safety rules by maintaining volunteer firefighters under Directive 2003/88. It is important to recognise the binding nature of voluntary firefighter activity, due to the nature of the tasks, and to ensure that they are entitled to leave and rest periods.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

The French asset management association (AFG) welcomes the ECs call for evidence on citizens omnibus initiative and fully supports the objective of reducing administrative burdens and regulatory complexity in existing EU legislation, rules and processes affecting EU citizens, especially with respect to asset management products and services.

The situation for people with intellectual disabilities People with intellectual disabilities are especially subjected to significant administrative, legal, digital and institutional barriers when exercising their rights across the EU. These barriers are even more severe in cross-border situations.

We call on the European Union to preserve the status of volunteer firefighter by maintaining it under Directive 2003/88. However, it is essential to strengthen the safety and health of staff, in particular by taking into account rest periods and recognising the binding nature of voluntary firefighter activity, due to the nature of the tasks and periods of stand-by time and stand-by time.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

We respectfully call upon the European Union to take the necessary legislative measures to protect volunteer firefighters by explicitly excluding volunteer fire and rescue service from the scope of the European Working Time Directive. Volunteer firefighting is not employment. It is a civic commitment undertaken freely by citizens who dedicate their time, expertise, and energy to protecting their communities.

Deutsche Börse Group supports the European Commission's Citizens' Omnibus Initiative to reduce administrative burdens for citizens. We wish to draw attention to a critical area for simplification within financial services, where retail investors face significant onboarding frictions when accessing transparent, regulated markets.

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their service from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not employment; it is a civic commitment that is essential to the safety of our communities. Without volunteer firefighters, Europe would be less resilient in the face of disasters and crises.

Mifundo, the pan-European credit data infrastructure that enables banks to assess foreign-resident customers using complete cross-border financial data, highlights that EU citizens exercising free movement become financially invisible when crossing borders because credit histories do not transfer between Member States.

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to identify opportunities for simplification, better implementation, and the reduction of unnecessary administrative burdens affecting citizens. The MSA emphasizes that efforts to streamline legislation and public administration should be informed by robust Social Impact Assessment (SIA).

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their service from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not employment; it is a civic commitment that is essential to the safety of our communities. Without volunteer firefighters, Europe would be less resilient in the face of disasters and crises.

Austrian notaries apply Regulation (EU) No 650/2012 in their daily practice, among others, as court commissioners in charge of succession procedures in Austria. After more than 10 years of application of the Regulation, it can be observed that the practical use of the European Certificate of Succession needs to be improved, also since this is a key instrument put in place by the Regulation.

BETTER FINANCE supports the Citizens' Omnibus initiative as an opportunity to ensure that EU financial services rules and markets work more effectively for individual investors, savers and pension beneficiaries.

ENSIE, the European Network of Work Integration Social Enterprises, represents 34 local, regional, and national networks in 19 EU and neighbouring countries. Its members are Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs), which support the social and professional integration of disadvantaged people through employment, economic activity, and strong pedagogical support.

UNESPA welcomes the EC consultation on the future Citizens Omnibus Initiative, which aims to reduce the administrative burdens arising from EU legislation that directly affect the daily lives of citizens legally residing in the EU, particularly in cross-border situations, incl. burdens relating to access to financial services.

CALL FOR EVIDENCE ON REDUCING ADMINISTRATIVE BURDENS II. Obstacles identified A. Level playing field 1. Divergent transposition of maximum harmonization directives. The national implementation of MiFID II, IDD, the Consumer Credit Directive (CCD II) and the Payment Accounts Directive (PAD) has generated asymmetric regimes between Member States, to the detriment of a level playing field and the homogeneous protection…

The following response relates to the aspect 'untapping the potential of the cross-border dimension of the retail energy market to allow citizens to benefit from simplified and consistent consumer right rules in energy throughout the EU.' In general, it is the job of Member States to ensure that consumer rights become concrete by transposing and implementing EU legislation, in particular the Clean Energy Package and…

Protecting volunteer firefighters Voluntary firefighters are the backbone of relief in many European countries. In France, they account for almost 80 % of the workforce and ensure the protection of the population every day. However, some interpretations of the EU Working Time Directive could call this model into question by assimilating voluntary engagement to a professional activity.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

The Malta Business Bureau welcomes the opportunity to contribute towards the public consultation on the Citizens Omnibus. For a stronger single market, the reduction in administrative burdens is crucial for more streamlined business operations, which can in turn benefit citizens and the interaction between both.

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their service from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not employment; it is a civic commitment that is essential to the safety of our communities. Without volunteer firefighters, Europe would be less resilient in the face of disasters and crises.

Proposals for a more active involvement of local authorities in the process of evaluating and drafting EU information and legislation: (1) more active involvement of local authorities for simpler and more accessible EU information: citizens often find it difficult to understand their rights and obligations stemming from EU legislation, as information is often available in legal or technical languages.

Filed in Hungarian · English published by the European Commission

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their service from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not employment; it is a civic commitment that is essential to the safety of our communities. Without volunteer firefighters, Europe would be less resilient in the face of disasters and crises.

If the EU wishes to deepen the single market and strengthen Europes competitiveness, it must also strengthen the economic capacity of private households to act. For consumers are not merely objects of legal protection, but sustain the European economy on a daily basis through their consumption, contractual, mobility and financial decisions.

CEPES encourages the European Commission to establish a permanent European stakeholder platform on administrative simplification, bringing together EU institutions, Member States, Social Economy organisations together with social partners and other representative stakeholders.

The AK is the statutory representative body for the interests of 4 million workers and consumers in Austria. We are part of www.kettensaege-stoppen.at and oppose blind deregulation projects. In the light of the Commission’s omnibus proposals to date, the WG has serious concerns about the announced citizens’ omnibus.

Filed in German · English published by the European Commission

We welcome the European Commissions initiative to improve EU policies for citizens and to strengthen the Single Market in practice. The decisive criterion for success will be whether the initiative makes it easier for people to live, work and access opportunities across borders. A key principle should guide this work: what is good for citizens and workers is also good for companies.

As President of CTIF - International Association of Fire services I strongly support initiative: - to explicitly exclude voluntary civil protection activities from the scope of the European Working Time Directive; - or, failing that, to create a specific European framework protecting citizens involvement in civil protection and public interest missions.

Feedback on the Citizens Omnibus Initiative reducing administrative burdens This contribution concerns the practical application of EU social security coordination rules in integrated border regions, especially the FinlandSweden border region and the Torne Valley area.

IDiPD, I.P.'s contribution argues that any European initiative aimed at administrative simplification should explicitly incorporate the perspective of persons with disabilities, ensuring that reducing administrative burdens effectively removes barriers and facilitates the exercise of rights. Accordingly, the contribution submitted by this Institute should highlight the following aspects: I.

The Citizens Omnibus Initiative should be an opportunity to remove long-standing barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from fully benefiting from freedom of movement and the Single Market. Simplification efforts should therefore strengthen, rather than weaken, the rights and protections afforded to persons with disabilities.

TCO welcomes the opportunity to comment on European Commissions forthcoming Citizens Omnibus initiative. TCO is broadly supportive of efforts to make it easier for EU citizens and individuals lawfully residing in Sweden to benefit from the internal market.

Info Norden is the Nordic Council of Ministers information service, which informs people in the Nordic Region about mobility between the Nordic countries. Info Norden answers questions from the public and identifies potential border obstacles. The following are examples of issues recently encountered by Info Nordens users.

LO’s response to the European Commission’s consultation on the Citizens’ aromnibus LO initiative thanks for the opportunity to comment on the upcoming Citizens’ aromnibus initiative of the European Commission. Lo welcomes the intention to make it easier for EU citizens and persons legally residing in Sweden to reap the benefits of the internal market.

Filed in Swedish · English published by the European Commission

The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) wishes to give its views on the announced Citizens Omnibus initiative. As the ETUC, CFDT is particularly concerned about references in the call for evidence to labour mobility, skills portability, labour market participation and related social policies.

The Social Insurance Institution (Kela, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution) implements Finnish social security extensively. Kela manages more than 60 different social security benefits and the contact point for cross-border healthcare is located in Kela.

Filed in Finnish · English published by the European Commission

The trade union CFDT Interco Moselle points out that the European Union must protect the voluntary work of firefighters by guaranteeing their rights as workers when their activity falls within the scope of the Working Time Directive.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

EBU would like to take this opportunity to make the case for accessible tourism in the EU for blind and partially sighted travellers, building on the principle of design for all in legislation, public policies, and tourism industry.

As an intermediary between EU citizens and the national authorities of EU Member States, we (SOLVIT Lithuania) regularly encounter barriers and administrative difficulties that Lithuanian citizens face when exercising their rights within the Internal Market. We therefore strongly support this initiative.

The situation regarding volunteer fire departments in Belgium serves as a notable example of how European regulations, combined with a strict national implementation and subsequent domestic case law, can unintentionally jeopardize a historically effective and cost-efficient operational model. This issue stands in contrast with the broader policy objectives outlined by European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib.

Operating in 15 EU countries, we actively leverage the EU Single Market to deliver value to our customers in submetering (heat and water), who benefit from increased competition, the entry of innovative service providers and the possibility of scaling services across borders.

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their service from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not employment; it is a civic commitment that is essential to the safety of our communities. Without volunteer firefighters, Europe would be less resilient in the face of disasters and crises.

There is so much to say. The EU does not truly offer equity between citizens. We Maltese coming from an Island state are isolated from most advantages of being European citizens. Our travelling is blocked by having to catch a plane, and since there are no real competing channels we have absolutely no bargaining power with the airlines.

1. Administrative barriers to EU free movement stem less from EU legislation itself than from its inconsistent or incorrect implementation by Member States. Therefore, the proposals put forward by the Renew Group, which informed the Citizens Omnibus, are mainly a catalogue of national barriers rather than obstacles arising from EU Law.

In 2025, 23.4% of EU households had children, with 37.6% of those households having two children and 12.2% having three or more. Given that a large share of EU households are familiesand large families in particularthey represent a key stakeholder group in efforts to reduce administrative barriers in cross-border situations and improve the daily lives of EU citizens.

Small and non-accredited organizations often face a high administrative burden in Erasmus+ projects. Application, reporting, and documentation requirements can be complex and time-consuming, especially for organizations with limited staff and resources.

The SOLVIT network has around 25 years of experience in resolving administrative and legal obstacles in the internal market in cross border situations. Building on this broad practical foundation, SOLVIT draws on a database that is jointly used and continuously maintained by the network, which constitutes a rich and comprehensive source for the preparation of this omnibus.

From a National Agency perspective, we strongly welcome the Commissions efforts to reduce administrative burdens and improve access to EU funding programmes. Based on our experience in implementing Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps, we would like to particularly emphasise the need to simplify application processes for small organisations, newcomers, and informal groups, which often face the greatest…

Citizen engagement is today one of the pillars of European resilience to crises. Extreme weather events, natural disasters and emergencies that regularly affect our territories demonstrate every day the soundness of the citizens involved in the rescue services, operational reserves, civil security associations and public protection measures.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their engagement from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not a job but a civic commitment that is essential for the security of our territories. Without volunteers, Europe will be less resilient to disasters and crises. CNE BERCHON Nicolas. Head of the CUBLISE Centre. Head of the AMPLEPUIS CIS.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

As citizens and consumers navigating the EU single market, one of the most persistent barriers we encounter is not the absence of rules, but the fragmentation of how those rules are communicated and implemented across Member States.

Removing barriers to cross-border apprentice mobility by establishing common legal standard Apprenticeships are widely recognised as a key driver for skills development, economic competitiveness, and social cohesion. When combined with learning and training abroad, apprenticeships can have an even greater impact.

CEV welcomes the Citizens Omnibus Initiative and its aim to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens affecting citizens. Its achievement requires explicitly addressing barriers to volunteering, civic participation and engagement through CSOs.

ETUC wishes to give its views on the announced Citizens Omnibus initiative, expressing serious concerns about the substance and approach envisaged by the Commission, particularly given the negative experiences and impacts for workers stemming from previous omnibus proposals.

Freedom of association for citizens is a fundamental right recognised by article 12 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFR) and enshrined in the democratic principles of the Treaty in article 11 TEU. Despite this, citizens cannot exert this right across borders contrary to citizens that have a business and they face many and sometimes insurmountable challenges in operating across borders.

Within the Solvit network, a couple of recurrent and systematic issues hindering citizens from making use of their free movement rights in Sweden. These hinders are: - Users of national eID struggle to use public services in other countries because eIDAS nodes are not fully operational or are not integrated with all public services - Family members from third countries who are family members of unioncitizens face…

Our institution and our students greatly value and appreciate the Erasmus+ programme and the life-changing experiences it has enabled over the last decades. However, the programme is becoming more complicated with every new generation. This has increased the errors in administration, frustrations from participants, and work load of our admin staff significantly.

The European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) provides here recommendations in response to the challenges identified in the attached document, the Fifth Freedom study, on this area: Free movement of researchers. ECAS calls for the full and automatic recognition of all professional and research qualifications, so that researchers are no longer required to undergo heavy administrative procedures such as apostille…

The European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) provides here recommendations in response to the challenges identified in the attached document, YEA annual trends, on this area: social security and the residence rights of mobile EU citizens.

Overal, the changes are meant to make life easier on SMEs, yet undermining human rights. The EU bubble in Brussels is highly influenced by lobbyists and hardly aware of the EU potential already in existence. This push is a odd one. Benefits are claimed by a handful, yet everyone will suffer the consequences. The EU mindset is proper, yet the way forward is very much unclear.

In general, it is the responsibility of Member States to ensure that consumer rights are effectively realised in practice by transposing and implementing EU legislation. This includes energy related legislation, including the revised Electricity Market Directive, together with the consumer protection regime.

Best solutions Can digitally be added to Omnibus from Award winning process & global acts that are created via citizen lobbying via municipalities & Governments & Eu regulations are a tool to be implemented in all eu countries as new era in medicice by pure registration of IP innovation by znconsulting & Euipo & WIPO & TechConnect to hava access to AI innovation & legal regulations involved with logical process of…

I would like to comment on two areas where, in Lithuania’s view, the principles of the single market do not work sufficiently effectively in practice: certification of organic production and business access to banking and financial services.

Filed in Lithuanian · English published by the European Commission

I call on the European Union to protect volunteer firefighters by clearly excluding their engagement from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not a job but a civic commitment that is essential for the security of our territories. Without volunteers, Europe will be less resilient to disasters and crises.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

Volunteer firefighter working in Luxembourg A volunteer firefighter residing in France works as an employee in Luxembourg and carries out several monthly guards at his French rescue centre. His employer wonders whether this commitment is compatible with European rules on working time and daily rest. In the absence of legal clarification, the employer asks him to severely limit his voluntary activities.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

I want rail travel to be more fluid and reassuring. I have already taken a journey that included different companies and I was not reimbursed when there was a break in the connection between the two (SNCF and Renfe).

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

Per the previous feedback(F33448448), I would like to add exactly what happened: 1. Without any explanation or warning, our train suddenlyy stopped outside the Dutch border. 2. We were told by the train conductor that he was not allowed to enter the train station. He stopped at a distance from the Dutch border. He was accompanied by a co-conductor. Both were non-caucasian but German employees of DB. 3.

FNSPF calls on the EU to protect volunteer firefighters and clearly exclude their engagement from the scope of the Working Time Directive. Volunteering is not a job but a civic commitment that is essential for the security of our territories. Without volunteers, Europe will be less resilient to disasters and crises.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

Dear Members, I am writing to formally express several concerns regarding the business and travel environment between the Netherlands and Germany, which are significantly impacting cross-border operations. First, I have experienced consistent issues with Dutch business banking, specifically regarding advertised "instant" transfers to German banks.

The recently adopted EU anti-poverty strategy states that new investments and reforms need to be poverty proof. Following this logic, the EU should, as part of the Citizens Omnibus Initiative, initiate a reform of Directive 2004/38/EC (free movement directive) in such a way that mobile EU citizens are at least able to access emergency shelters, emergency healthcare (that also includes birth), education for the…

If the European Commission wants to improve the daily lives of European Citizens, the priority should be to protect them and not to focus on alleged "red tape" at the expense of their safety and wellbeing. The current deregulation drive severely weakens - if not erases - key protections for social and environmental rights, necessary to ensure a fair and sustainable future.

As the owner of a small business operating within the European Union, I welcome efforts to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for citizens and businesses. However, I believe simplification should not be confused with deregulation. The European Union has created some of the strongest consumer protection, environmental, product safety, and privacy standards in the world.

Complexity of the procedure, legal uncertainty and unfair transfer of bureaucratic burdens to non-administrative entities in fisheries aid (EMFAF). We note the following shortcomings from the people processing aid in the fisheries sector: Legal uncertainty and the transfer of complex bureaucratic burdens in the processing of fisheries aid.

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

FISHERIES: Socio-economic impact, precariousness and real ineffectiveness of EU funds due to bureaucracy. We would like to express our deep regret at the real ineffectiveness of fisheries budgets and aid, which, far from being a support, have become cumbersome, complex and severely delayed administrative traps.

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

The Citizens Omnibus initiative represents an important opportunity to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens affecting citizens across the European Union, particularly in cross-border situations where individuals must interact with multiple authorities, legal systems, and administrative procedures.