Public consultation on the Commission's Stakeholder Consultation Guidelines

Consultations - together with impact assessments, evaluations and expertise - are a key tool for transparent and informed policy making. The Commission consults widely, at each stage of the policy cycle, respecting principles of openness and transparency and following minimum standards, which are generally acknowledged as appropriate and respond to international best practice. Over the last five years, stakeholders' views were sought through more than 500 open consultations published on the ‘Your Voice in Europe’ website. The guidelines focus on consultations carried out in policy preparation. They also apply to consultations in the context of evaluations. While these guidelines are intended for internal Commission use only, stakeholder inputs are an essential element in ensuring the quality of the final product. The Commission therefore encouraged stakeholders to participate in this consultation. The deadline for the consultation is 30 September 2014.