The European Ombudsman, Professor P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, will visit Portugal from 21 to 22 October, on the latest leg of his information tour of the EU. During his visit, Professor Diamandouros will be hosted by the National Ombudsman of Portugal, Dr. Henrique Nascimento Rodrigues and will meet with the Prime Minister, Dr. Pedro Santana Lopes, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Antonio Monteiro and the Minister of Justice, Dr. José Aguiar Branco. The Ombudsman will also meet with the President of the Portuguese Parliament, Mr. João Mota Amaral, and hold discussions with Portuguese Members of the European Parliament. He will address students at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon and speak at an event organised by the Representation of the European Commission in Lisbon.

The visit is part of the European Ombudsman's information tour 2003-2004, which aims to increase citizens' knowledge of their rights at the European level and of their right to complain to the European Ombudsman in particular.

Programme

On Thursday 21 October, Professor Diamandouros will meet with his Portuguese counterpart, Dr. Nascimento Rodrigues, and his staff to explore ways of further developing co-operation between their respective offices. He will then meet with the President of the Portuguese Parliament, Mr. João Mota Amaral, and high parliamentary representatives. In the afternoon, the Ombudsman will meet with the Minister of Justice, Dr. José Aguiar Branco, before continuing to the Representation of the European Commission, where he will deliver a public lecture entitled "Building a Citizen-centred Europe: the European Ombudsman and the European Constitution".

On Friday 22 October, Professor Diamandouros will address students at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon on "Fundamental Rights in the European Union and the European Ombudsman". He will then attend a working lunch with Portuguese Members of the European Parliament. The Ombudsman will complete his visit with meetings with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Background

EU citizens who need to complain to the European Ombudsman about maladministration in the Union's institutions and bodies should be informed of how to do so. The general public should equally be aware of the existence of the European Ombudsman and of the role he plays in promoting the rule of law, good administration and respect for human rights. Since taking up the post of Ombudsman in April 2003, Mr. Diamandouros has pursued a programme of information visits to raise awareness among citizens and has already visited 23 of the 25 Member States.

 

For further information, please call Rosita Agnew, Press and Communications Officer, tel. +32 2 284 25 42.