EU institutions urged to promote 'service culture'

EU institutions need to develop a “service culture” in order to bridge the well-documented democratic deficit with European citizens.

That was the message from European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros, who presented his annual report to parliament’s plenary in Strasbourg.

He told MEPs that, in the last 12 months, it was necessary for him to issue 41 “critical remarks” against EU institutions, a slight rise on the previous year.

Such reports are usually issued in order to prevent repetition of alleged maladministration.

“This is a cause for concern, particularly for those who are seeking to establish better relations between the institutions and citizens,” he said.

He said the increase in cases requiring critical remarks highlighted the need for the institutions to develop a “service culture”.

His report said that the total number of cases he handled last year, 586, was similar to recent years. About two-thirds of these concerned complaints of alleged maladministration against the commission.

“On a more positive note, it is encouraging that there appears to be a far greater willingness to use the ombudsman in order to resolve complaints.

“Many of my inquiries result in a ‘win-win’ situation for both the citizen and institution concerned.”

Speaking in the same debate, Margot Wallstrom, the EU commissioner responsible for communication strategy, said she supported the ombudsman’s call for a service culture.

“We have to more freely acknowledge our mistakes and the commission should be taking a lead role in promoting this,” said Wallstrom.

Italian ALDE deputy Luciana Sbarbati, whose report on the ombudsman’s activities in 2006 was approved, called on the Strasbourg-based official to produce a detailed analysis of the critical remarks he made last year.

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