1. Cross-border Administrative Burdens Citizens
Peter Rem
EUPAN WG E-government
Portugal
22 October 2007

2. Overview of presentation
Approach AB citizens: quantitative and qualitative
Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Background
Methodology
Preliminary results
Next steps

3. Rationale behind AB citizens programme
“Citizens feel that the government has insufficient comprehension of the problems of citizens”
“People complain about the quality of public services. The distance between government and citizens is too large”
“The Government wants less rules to provide more space to citizens and organizations”

4. Approach: quantitative and qualitative
2004: Quantitative approach: 25% reduction
Goal: 25% reduction by end 2007, compared to 2004
AB citizens: measured in time and out-of-pocket costs
Focus on target groups with large number of AB: chronically ill and handicapped, elderly, benefit claimants, unemployed and volunteers.
2007:Also qualitative targets:
New programme focuses on ten bottlenecks: i.e. waiting lists, plain Dutch, more trust, quality of government services
Must lead to a noticeable reduction of administrative burdens and better services

5. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Background (1)
Signals that citizens are confronted with cross-border bureaucracy:
Examples in the media:
Extending driving license in foreign country: it took a Dutch citizen numerous calls and visits to government organisations, five months and € 470,- to extend his driving license in Greece
Bringing your car when moving to another country can be quite a hassle!

6. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Background (2)
Complaints in our complaints office for citizens: (botheredbythegovernment)
Examples :
Polish student who wanted to study, work and marry in the Netherlands
this combination proved to be almost impossible to achieve due to the number of administrative burdens and bureaucracy
it took her two years!
So, we will need to remove a great number of obstacles to really achieve free traffic within Europe!

7. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Goal
Study must give insight in:
Information obligations (AB) of these citizens
To find the cause of these information obligations
How much time do citizens spend on these information obligations? (quantitative measurement)
How do citizens experience these burdens? (qualitative measurements by interviews)
Suggestions to address these burdens

8. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Methodology (1)
selection of role models
identification of the needed services,
and connected information obligations
(collecting, processing, registering and storing)
calculating T*F + C
signing up experiences (through interviews)

9. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Preliminary results
Administrative burdens Maarten:
Theme
Time per year
Costs per year
General
1 hour and 7 minutes
€ 0,-
Identity
4 hours and 59 minutes
€ 7,84
Work and income
21 hours and 30 minutes
€ 206,76
Health
3 hours and 20 minutes
€ 0,67
Mobility
1 hour and 51 minutes
€ 45,28
Education
1 hour and 3 minutes
Total:
33 hours and 50 minutes
€ 260,55

10. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Preliminary results (2)
Judgement on the basis of 5 factors
clearness
proportionality/efficacy
return time
service level
accessibility
Score: 4,8 /10

11. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Preliminary results:
Most mentioned irritations
Cross-border workers have to do their tax declaration both in Belgium and the Netherlands
Calculation of the tax is unclear and difficult
Workers bear the costs of mistakes by tax service: (retrospective collection of taxes with high interest)
Slow processing: it takes 3 years to “close” a financial year
No free choice of health insurance company
Lease car not interesting option for all cross-border workers
Unclear information on contributions pensions and health insurance

12. Study on cross-border administrative burdens
Next steps
Dutch programme on reducing administrative burdens for citizens will:
Further elaboration three role models
Address the government services responsible for the burdens of these “mobile citizens” and agree on reduction proposals
English translation of study (end Nov)
European discussion on usability of this methodology as a tool to compare levels of administrative burdens for citizens in different countries
Selection best practices and identification high impact barriers.

13. Thank you for your attention!
For more information:
Administrative Burdens Citizens:
Peter Rem
John Kootstra