Ombudsman Eorpach

Brussels, Belgium, 24 April 2012

Europe in crisis: the challenge of winning citizens' trust
Seminar organised by the European Ombudsman
Brussels, 24 April 2012, 10.00-12.30
Welcome speech by P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, European Ombudsman

Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen! A warm welcome to you all to this seminar on "Europe in crisis: the challenge of winning citizens' trust".

I think it is fair to say that the European Union is currently facing its most severe crisis since its creation, more than half a century ago. A major aspect of this crisis is obviously the serious economic problems and challenges that my own country and many other Member States are having to cope with. Every day, it seems, we receive more bad news not only about the nervous international financial markets, but also about growing social unrest linked to the tough austerity measures which are being implemented in a number of Member States.

As severe as the economic crisis is for the future of the Euro and the European Union, we should not forget a second aspect of the crisis: Citizens all over the EU are losing trust in the ability not only of national political institutions but also of the European Union to find solutions to the current problems. I am most concerned about this situation, especially given that part of my mission is to increase trust between European citizens and the EU administration.

I would like warmly to welcome the President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, and thank him for having graciously accepted my invitation to take part in, and indeed to launch this initiative. The Commission plays a key role in the ongoing discussions about how best to address the current crisis. Mr Barroso himself has thrown his weight behind the Commission's efforts to identify concrete proposals to promote growth and employment, ensure financial stability, and put in place a better governance system for the future. In this context, I would like to stress the importance of the recent Commission Communications on how to stimulate growth and employment in the EU, and especially in Greece. Today, I very much look forward to hearing his views on how to win citizens' trust in the EU.

I am also delighted that the President of the European Parliament, Mr Martin Schulz, as well as the current President of the Council of the EU, the Danish Prime Minister, Ms Helle Thorning-Schmidt, have accepted our invitation to deliver keynote addresses during the second half of our event.

Thanks also are due to Shirin Wheeler, the BBC's longstanding and experienced EU correspondent, for agreeing to moderate the event.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the audience in the room and those watching the event live. We were overwhelmed by the large response to our invitation which clearly shows that today's topic constitutes a central concern for many citizens.

Before hearing from President Barroso, I would like to share with you a few thoughts reflecting the Ombudsman's perspective regarding today's topic. I will focus on four key principles which I consider fundamental to the challenge of winning citizens' trust in the current crisis: dialogue, citizens' participation, transparency, and accountability.

Dialogue and citizens' participation

The Lisbon Treaty calls and provides for a transparent and open dialogue between EU institutions and citizens, as well as increased citizens' participation, for example, in the framework of the new European Citizens' Initiative. These are indeed crucial steps forward on the long road to strengthening the right of citizens to participate in the democratic life of the European Union.

In the current economic and political crisis, dialogue and citizens' participation become even more important, if not indispensable. If the EU institutions do not do their utmost to take citizens' concerns, opinions, and suggestions into account, citizens' trust in the European Union will decrease further.

Holding a dialogue implies engaging in genuine debate on policy with representative organisations and civil society, and recognising and accepting that, in addition to potentially supporting the various initiatives put forth by the institutions, they may well criticise or even oppose them. To be fair, all EU institutions are already making efforts to engage in a dialogue with civil society and to strengthen citizens' participation.

The European Commission, for example, is devoting significant resources in its public consultations, with a view to enhancing the capacity of citizens, associations, and other stakeholders to participate more fully in the EU's decision-making process.

There is, however, much room for improvement. To give an example: I recently investigated a complaint about the fact that many public consultation documents are only available in English or in a limited number of EU languages, even if the consultation is intended for the general public.

I concluded that European citizens cannot be expected to participate in a consultation which they are unable to understand. Multilingualism is essential in order for citizens to exercise their right to participate in the democratic life of the EU, which is guaranteed by the Lisbon Treaty.

I am fully aware that multilingualism puts a heavy burden on the EU administration and its limited resources. However, if the EU institutions want to be seen as engaging in a genuine dialogue with citizens and civil society, they must find ways of reaching out to citizens in their own language.

I just mentioned that the European Citizens' Initiative is another crucial instrument for citizens' participation in the years ahead. Thanks to this initiative, which was launched on 1 April 2012, one million citizens from at least seven Member States now have the possibility to call on the Commission to bring forward new legislative proposals. It should make a vital contribution to the empowerment of European citizens and is a concrete example of how to bring Europe closer to its citizens.

Transparency and accountability

Let me now briefly address the important issue of transparency. Without transparency in the work and decision-making of the EU institutions, no genuine dialogue or citizens' participation can take place. Indeed, it constitutes a precondition for this very dialogue.

I should stress that, in recent years, the EU institutions have done a lot to improve transparency. This, in turn, has increased the accountability of the EU administration. The Commission's Transparency Initiative and the introduction of the Transparency Register are two good examples, but there are many more to which I could refer. In this realm, as well, however a lot remains to be done.

Together with the European Parliament, the Ombudsman commissioned last year a Special Eurobarometer on citizens' rights and on the performance of the EU administration. Of the persons surveyed, 42% were not satisfied with the level of transparency in the EU administration.

This confirms my own experience: The most common allegation of maladministration examined by the Ombudsman concerns lack of transparency. I remain very concerned about the findings of the survey and the consistently high number of transparency-related complaints that I receive, since an accountable and transparent EU administration is key to building citizens' trust in the EU, especially in times of crisis.

A range of articles in the Lisbon Treaty now provides for greater transparency in the activities of EU institutions. To give one example, the Treaty includes a provision for the Council to meet in public when it deliberates and decides on draft legislation. This allows citizens to see what the governments they have elected are doing at the European level. It also allows them to monitor more effectively the work of the Council, thereby promoting accountability.

Article 42 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights is especially important in this context. It provides that citizens shall have a right of access to the documents of all the Union institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies, including, for the first time, the European Council.

Only if civil society and citizens have the broadest possible access to documents and information about EU policy-making in the current crisis will their trust in the institutions regain momentum.

I receive more and more complaints about the refusal to give access to important documents related to the current crisis, for example, in an ongoing case, letters the European Central Bank sent to the Spanish authorities concerning public debt limits.

Public service principles

The Charter of Fundamental Rights also includes the "right to good administration", a citizens' right which goes to the heart of the European Ombudsman's role. The EU civil servants themselves need to be fully aware of the vital role that they can play in gaining citizens' trust by providing citizen-friendly services.

Before the summer break, I will launch a set of "public service principles" for EU officials that take account of best practice in the Member States, as well as of the many constructive contributions which I received following my public consultation regarding the principles. I believe that the principles can provide an important tool for both EU officials and for citizens in helping to build trust between them.

Conclusion

To sum up: The provisions on dialogue, citizens' participation, transparency, and accountability are operational and are being progressively implemented in a positive way. I am convinced that they can substantively help in gaining citizens' trust in these difficult times.

However, the biggest problem remains that most European citizens are still not aware of these provisions. The EU institutions need to inform citizens better and to find concrete ways to increase dialogue. Still, I remain convinced that the EU institutions cannot and should not do this alone. All segments of civil society should undertake greater efforts to inform citizens.

Without a joint effort, by the EU institutions on the one hand and civil society on the other, we will not be able to achieve more citizen involvement in finding ways to tackle the current crisis. We cannot afford to fail, however, as to do so risks widening the gap between the EU and its citizens and puts the very future of the European Union in peril.

Thank you very much!