Promoting Free Movement in the EU by Simplifying the Acceptance of Public Documents: Cost of Non-Europe Report

Cost of Non Europe Reports are intended to evaluate the possibilities for gains and the realisation of a ‘public good’ through common action at EU level in specific policy areas and sectors. In particular, this study analyses the cost for citizens and businesses of the formalities which are currently necessary in order to make certain public documents acceptable in different Member States. The study concludes that the abolition of legalisation and Apostille, the simplified certification of copies and translations, the establishment of multilingual forms in all official languages concerning birth, death, marriage, registered partnership, and legal status and representation of a company would greatly reduce the current costs associated with authenticating national public documents. Citizens and businesses would be able to more freely exercise their right of free movement and freedom of establishment in another Member State without facing disproportionate obstacles.