In the context of European Citizens' Initiatives (ECI), the Online Collection software (OCS) is a tool for online data collection. OCS enables citizens to support a given initiative and organizers to manage its operations. The tool also streamlines both data collection and its verification by the National Authorities.

OCS respects the Regulation (EU) No 211/2011 and Regulation (EU) No 1179/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Within ISA action 1.12, the European Commission contributes to its development with the aim to provide a generic tool available to all initiative organizers. OCS is made available under a EUPL license.

The version OCS 5.0 is the last release of the Open Source version of the Online Collection Software that the European Commission had the obligation to deliver under the previous ECI Regulation (EU) 211/2011 .

For this last release, it was decided to make it compliant with the currently applicable Regulation (EU) 2019/788 on the European citizens’ initiative.

Please note that the Commission will not maintain this open source version further as the new ECI regulation does not give mandate to the European Commission to do so

Instead, the Commission encourages all organisers to use the Central Online Collection System for the following reasons:

a)       The Central Online Collection System that is built on the basis of this current software also offers support via eID (that is only allowed via the Central Online Collection System).

b)      The Central Online Collection System will continue evolving offering new features.

c)       The European Commission offers the hosting of the Central Online Collection System for free as well as guaranteeing its compliance with the Commission Decision on IT security.

d)      The Central Online Collection System is hosted in European Commission premises in its secured Hosting environment dedicated to handle Sensitive data.  All latest security patches on every component of the applications are applied as soon as possible.

e)      The Central Online Collection System ensures end to end encryption between the moment the data enters into the application until the moment they are decrypted by the Member State’s competent authority responsible for verification of statements of support .

f)        The technology used to encrypt data in the Central Online Collection System is based on non-open source HSM/KMS solution that could not be offered in a context of an open source solution.

A demo version of the Central Online Collection System is available at https://webgate.acceptance.ec.europa.eu/ECI-OCS-4/public/#/screen/home

A demo version of this open source version is available at https://webgate.acceptance.ec.europa.eu/ECI-OCS-5/public/#/screen/home

Note that this open source version could be used by any developers or organisation interested in running similar activities beyond the European Citizens’ Initiative (petitions, etc.).

OCS user manual translations and source code

Check for the latest version by clicking on the button Download releases.

The relevant downloads of the OCS tool are to be found under the Download releases button.

More information is available on the ECI Register.

For any questions, please liaise with DIGIT-ECI[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu