Lib Dems Welcome Reform of EU Ombudsman

4.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 22nd Apr 2008

The European Parliament, during its plenary session in Strasbourg today, has finally approved, with a clear majority the report on reinforcing the Ombudsman's statute

Andrew Duff MEP, Leader of the Liberal Democrat European Parliamentary Party, said:

"People need to know they can trust the European Union. The European Parliamentary Ombudsman is one of the most successful features of EU governance: upholding good practice, helping petitioners get remedies, and penalising maladministration.

"Parliament has decided to lift the qualification that documents can be withheld from the Ombudsman 'on grounds of secrecy'. Such a caveat has no part to play in modern democratic systems. The Ombudsman must be enabled to do his job properly without bureaucratic constraints.

"Good news also is the agreement to deny officials the right to claim they were 'only obeying orders'. The Commission is a political executive, and the Commissioners themselves must take full responsibility for the actions of their officials.

"Now our proposals pass to the governments of the member states, sitting in the Council of Ministers. They should approve the new statute of the Ombudsman in good time for the election campaign next year."

ENDS