IV. Part II - Instruments of participation

     A.        Petitions (Articles 6-8)

Petitions can be a useful means to redress grievances where there is no formal means of appeal available (but in that case they are not limited to matters of general interest). Also, petitions may serve as a means to achieve policy goals, mainly where there are no effective instruments of direct political participation in the form of initiatives or referendums. Requests for information should not have to be drafted as petitions, but regulated by legislation on access to information held by the authorities.