Europaudvalget 2017-18
EUU Alm.del Bilag 920
Offentligt
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Accountability of National Governments
in the EU legislative process
Aidan O’Sullivan
Meeting with Danish EU Affairs Committee
Copenhagen – 25 May 2018
European Ombudsman
 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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European Ombudsman - Ms. Emily O’Reilly
Former Irish Ombudsman
Elected in 2013 by EP
Independent
Created in Maastricht Treaty
Approx. 70 staff
European Ombudsman
2
 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Inquiry background
‘Blame
Brussels’
culture!? EU democratic deficit?
Council is
EQUAL
legislator with the EP (Lisbon Treaty);
Discussions in Council working parties (~150) and COREPER
are
intrinsic part of the EU legislative process
but do not
meet in public;
Need for
an easy, timely, complete and coherent access
to
the records of discussions within Council;
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Ombudsman inquiry timeline
March 2017: Launch of inquiry
July 2017: Council replies to 14 questions of Ombudsman
October – December 2017: Public consultation
January 2018: Inspection of 3 Council legislative files
Conclusion: Maladministration (Feb 9
th
)
No response from Council within the deadline (May 9
th
)
Special Report sent to European Parliament (May 17
th
)
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Council of EU structure
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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European Parliament – co-legislator
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Council ‘black-box’?
Council NON PAPER – April 2015
Supported by Denmark - Estonia - Finland – The Netherlands – Slovenia – Sweden
“Enhancing transparency in the EU”
1. Towards accessibility to information – creating a one-stop-shop IT portal
2. Towards a clear assessment framework for limité documents
3. Towards a transparency register for the Council
4. Towards a register for delegated acts
5. Towards transparent trilogues
6. Transparency regulation 1049/2001 – adaptation to the Lisbon Treaty
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Two main issues for citizens
Existence
of Documents
Are there documents that record legislative discussions?
Consistency of documentation between preparatory bodies
Recording individual
Member States’ positions
“Indicative” informal votes?
Accessibility
of Documents
Are documents accessible in an easy and timely manner?
Completeness and accessibility of Council’s public register
Use of ‘LIMITE’ marking
Disclosing individual
Member States’ positions
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Council’s 2017 reply to Ombudsman
Progress:
New recording system in autumn 2016
More user-friendly access to public register
Reflection on how to make it easier to proactively release
‘LIMITE’ documents
Open questions:
Application of ‘LIMITE’ status of documents
Recording of Member States’ positions
Consistency of drafting practices
Completeness of public register
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Submissions to public consultation
Dutch Tweede Kamer (COSAC Tallinn report)
Dutch Eerste Kamer
UK House of Commons (2016 report)
European Movement International
European Consumer Organisation
European Disability Forum
Transparency International
Various other NGOs
Various academics
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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EU law on legislative transparency
Article 1 TEU:
“This Treaty marks a new stage in the process of creating an ever
closer union among the peoples of Europe, in which decisions are taken
as openly as possible and as closely as possible to the citizen. “
Regulation 1049/2001 – legislative documents directly accessible
“In particular, legislative documents, that is to say, documents drawn up
or received in the course of procedures for the adoption of acts which
are legally binding in or for the Member States, should, subject to
Articles 4 and 9, be made directly accessible.”
C-52/05 P
Sweden and
Turco
vs. Council
[2008]
C-280/11 P
Council vs.
Access Info Europe
[2013]
European Ombudsman
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Recommendations of Ombudsman
1. Record the
identity of Member States
expressing positions in
preparatory bodies;
2. Review within 12 months
how it meets legal obligation
to
make legislative documents directly accessible;
3. Develop clear and publish criteria for
‘LIMITE’ status;
4. Systematically
review the ‘LIMITE’ status
at early stage,
before ‘trilogues’ and before final adoption of legislative act;
5. Develop a
up-to-date webpage
for each legislative proposal,
following the example of EP Legislative Observatory.
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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Next steps
Meeting with President Tajani on Special (May 22
nd
)
AFCO & PETI committees report (possible hearings)
Planned plenary vote before end 2018
COSAC initiative with national parliaments
EU 2019 elections topic?
European Ombudsman
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 920: Præsentationer fra møde med europaparlamentarikere (MEP-møde) om åbenhed i EU den 25. maj 2018
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www.ombudsman.europa.eu
@EUOmbudsman
@aidanosullivan
European Ombudsman