Ombudsman

Making the Union more human

This afternoon, at my invitation, the European Ombudsman addressed a meeting to which all EESC staff were invited. I feel strongly that each and every official is a part of the European Union’s overall communication team. Most European citizens have difficulty in distinguishing between the different institutions but most if not all of them have in mind the idea of a European public administration. Therefore, each contact that we have with the public, wherever it may be and with whoever it may be, will have an effect on the cumulative image of the European Union and of the European public service. The current European Ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, entirely shares that vision and indeed sees himself not so much (and certainly not only) as a policeman of the Code of Good Administrative Behaviour but as a pro-active member of the same EU communication team, standing alongside the other institutions and seeking to give the EU a more human and humane image. Professor Diamandouras informed us that we are relatively good pupils – 29 cases concerning the Committee’s administration out of the 30,000 the Ombudsman has dealt with so far – but he also underlined the need to go ‘beyond legality’, by which he meant that there can be maladministration even if an institution or body has not acted unlawfully. I would go further. I think we need also to get beyond formality. All too often we restrict ourselves to polite but completely unhelpful replies… hence the emphasis in the Code, in Article 12, on courtesy.