Skip to content
Magazine
Sunday, August 3, 2025
SUBSCRIBE
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
SUBSCRIBE

EU Ombudsman unveils 4-year strategy amid transparency woes

Marta Pacheco by Marta Pacheco
26 January 2021
in EU Institutions News
The Statue of Justice symbol

The Statue of Justice symbol

Brussels (Brussels Morning) The EU Ombudsman —official EU watchdog — released its four-year strategy today, a few days after its chief Emily O’Reilly criticised “the lack of transparency” in the European Council.

The rebuke was made public in an interview given to Investigate-Europe, on 2 December, when O’Reilly said “the Council should record the member states’ position” whenever EU draft laws are negotiated.

“The Council still sees itself as a group of diplomats, working in a diplomatic sphere, with confidentiality. Even though it is technically, legally, in every way, a legislative body”, said the EU Ombudsman’s chief.

This lack of transparency leads to a number of vulnerabilities, including a lack of citizen participation and the potential for undue lobbying influence, reads the strategy.

The EU Ombudsman said it recognises the EU administration has, in general, “higher standards” of administration, ethics and transparency, “when compared to other global actors and even many member states.”

Ombudsman’s goals

Through its four-year plan, the EU watchdog proposes to have a lasting impact on the EU administration, ensuring real-life relevance to European citizens. 

The increased safety of medicines authorised in the EU and transparency in the negotiations between the EU and the US on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal are some of the public interest cases hailed as flagships by O’Reilly over the past four years.

The EU Ombudsman has also been active in curbing revolving doors. In February last year, the EU’s watchdog remitted a decision to the European Commission where it listed a number of technical suggestions for improvement. 

Other proposals from the EU watchdog for the years to come include boosting awareness about their work and increasing efficiency on its investigations.

COVID-19 as an amplifier

Adding to the existing challenges, O’Reilly considers that the pandemic has increased citizens’ concerns and fears amid strained public budgets, causing “major implications for public administrations in Europe and beyond”.

Overall, the Ombudsman says the EU administration “must become more resilient through strengthening its transparency, ethics and democratic accountability”. 

It further adds that EU institutions ought to “understand and act” on the lessons of the links between the lack of those elements and the rise of Euroscepticism. 

O’Reilly’s office investigates complaints about maladministration and examines broader systemic issues with the EU institutions, opening approximately 300 investigations per year.

Related News:

  • EU Ombudsman criticises EC for lack of transparency
  • CDG Airport strike worsens European airlines’ woes
  • Snowfall’s Crucial Role: Can Winter Bring Relief to the West’s Water Woes?
  • EU countries kickstart vaccination campaigns amid criticism of COVID-19 vaccines transparency
Tags: Brussels LatestEU OmbudsmanNewsstrategytransparency
Next Post
Caracas, Capital District/Venezuela; 01-23-2019: Group of protesters shows their support for Juan Guaido. During his oath

EU, US dismiss Venezuelan parliamentary election as illegitimate

Latest post

EU-elections-UK

EU elections: UK looks on from the “outside”

1 year ago
Galeries-Royales-Saint-Hubert

What Makes Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert an “Institution”?

1 year ago

Most Read

    Follow Brussels Morning
    Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

    Browse Important News

    Belgium News
    Brussels News
    Culture and Society News
    Economy News
    EU Institutions News
    European Commission News
    European Council News
    European Parliament News
    Europe News
    Health And Fitness News
    Southeast Europe News
    Sustainable Perspective
    World News
    Diplomacy News
    US Elections News

    About Us

    Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

    More Info

    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookies Policy

    Join Our Newsletter

    Brussels Morning Newspaper – All Rights Reserved © 2024

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Belgium News
      • Belgium Police News
      • Brussels News
    • Brussels Bubble
      • European Parliament News
      • European Commission News
      • European Council News
    • Wider Europe
      • Member States
    • World News
    • Business & Society
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Culture & Society
    • Policy Talks
      • Place de la Bourse
      • The Macro-Economist
      • Sustainable Perspective
      • Ambassador’s Corner
      • The American Angle
      • Southeast Europe
    • Print Magazine

    Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT