Making European politics transparent

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Rating: 4/5 with 2 votes

Published Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 11:18
by Editor (1259 views and 1 comments)

What is going on in Brussels? Who is deciding what?

Transparency is crucial for democracy. If citizens are to participate in the political process, they need to receive information about new laws and to be able to hold public authorities to account.

Article 255 of the Treaty establishing the European Community gives any citizen of the Union, and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State the right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. In practice, since 2001, this right is governed by a regulation.

However, the EU ombudsman notes that about a quarter of the inquiries he receives concern lack of transparency, for example, complaints about EU institutions denying or delaying the access to documents. Moreover, member states have the right to veto public access to documents they have submitted to the institutions.

In the framework of its 2005 “European Transparency Initiative”, the Commission decided to review the regulation. For this purpose, a public consultation has been carried out in 2007, on the basis of a Green Paper (PDF). The results are to be published soon.

Some steps to increase transparency have already been taken: in 2006, the Council of the EU decided to hold its meetings in public. All institutions communicate more visibly, for example with online press releases. The Ombudsman, Mr. Nikiforos Diamandouros, recently called upon MEPs to disclose their travel expenses and use of allowances for staff.

Should the PES 2009 manifesto suggest other ways of increasing transparency?

Read more on the Commission’s consultation and the European Ombudsman.

Tags: citizens, democracy, EU, transparency

Comments

1. Transparency is not the main issue... by chourka Join PES activists on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 15:10

Of course, it's a pure shame that for many many years, Chiefs of State/Government gathered in European Summits and their ministers have decided behind closed doors. But, the key issue there, is more the political accountability of those who ruled. EU Commission has to responsed before the European Parliament, but who are able to control the Council ? Untill now, nobody. And as the votes within the Council are kept secret, citizens are not allowed to know who's voted what. Why the Council has such a preemince in the institutional Triangle when it runs under any control.

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