Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-11-18-Speech-4-014"
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"en.20041118.4.4-014"2
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"Mr President, Mr De Rossa, the Commission has read the report on the activities of the Ombudsman for the year 2003 with great interest. As you are aware, this debate comes at a critical time, when the new parliamentary term has just begun and the procedure for appointing the future European Ombudsman is underway.
So, Mr De Rossa, Mr President, Mr President of the Commission, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, this is what the Commission has to say for the time being in response to the report that has been put forward. The Commission would also like to extend its sincere thanks, on its own behalf and on behalf of all citizens, to the Committee on Petitions for its excellent work. I should like to take this opportunity to remind the chairman of this committee that I myself held this office 15 years ago. The Committee on Petitions is making a tremendous contribution to citizenship.
During last year’s debate on the report on the activities of the European Ombudsman for the year 2002, the Commission took the opportunity to congratulate the first European Ombudsman, Mr Söderman, on the role he had played in establishing a European ombudsman system, and I would like to congratulate Mr Diamandouros, his successor, for the excellent work he has carried out. Mr Diamandouros took up his post in April 2003, and has improved the efficiency of the institution he represents in promoting good public administration and respect for the rule of law and human rights. The contribution he has made has been an invaluable one, both for the Commission and for the European public as a whole.
The Commission believes that the stepping up of contacts with national and regional authorities which act as mediators between citizens and public administrations in the Member States has made it possible to heighten the role of the European Ombudsman and bring the institution to the attention of the European public, something which the Ombudsman has highlighted. This is of paramount importance, as institutions which no one knows about will not be used, and their value will not be demonstrated. Both the Commission and the Ombudsman have taken note of the increase in the number of complaints lodged with the Ombudsman, and the Commission believes that this increase will continue as the effects of enlargement become apparent. Furthermore, I agree entirely with the Ombudsman’s comments to the effect that an increase in the number of complaints does not mean that the situation on the ground is lacking in any way; it simply means that citizens are gaining an ever greater awareness of their rights, and this can only be a good thing.
With regard to the handling of cases, the Commission is delighted that in many instances the European authorities have taken measures which are likely to lead to a solution.
As far as amendments to the Statute of the European Ombudsman are concerned, it is now up to Parliament to take the initiative and to take a majority decision, with the approval of the Council, as the Commission’s role will merely be to give an opinion. You can however be sure, ladies and gentlemen, that the Commission will examine any new initiative carefully and with an open mind.
The Commission did not wish to act hastily with regard to the Code of Good Administrative Behaviour, which will be binding upon all EU institutions and bodies. The inspiration for the Commission’s Code, which entered into force in November 2000, mainly came from proposals put forward by the Ombudsman. The first implementation report only covers the year 2001, and so we do not yet have the hindsight needed to put forward a proposal on an interinstitutional code. We will therefore continue to work on the basis of more thorough information to ascertain whether this Code needs amending, and, if so, how it should be amended.
The Commission concurs with Parliament’s proposals relating to EPSO, the interinstitutional body which was recently established to draw up reserve lists from among the best candidates in open competitions in line with the needs indicated by each institution. Selection procedures must respect the rules and practices relating to transparency and openness which have been established over time, thanks in particular to the Ombudsman’s activities.
The Commission supports Parliament’s call to the EU institutions and bodies to apply the Regulation regarding public access to documents. The Commission would like to point out that Regulation 1049/2001 will in future also apply to EU agencies, which should make it easier to resolve various complaints.
With regard to access to documents relating to infringement procedures, what matters is that the Commission has the room for manoeuvre it needs to conduct its enquiries independently. A balance must be found between the principle of transparency and the confidentiality necessary for dialogue between the Commission and the Member States. The Commission’s practices comply with the case-law of the Court of First Instance. The Commission has revised its working practices for infringement procedures which have been closed, and documents are frequently made available on the basis of a case-by-case analysis."@en1
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