Söderman: draft Convention treaty has ‘little of substance’ for public

Date: 28/11/02

By Martin Banks

THE draft constitutional treaty drawn up by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing promises 'little of substance' for the benefit of ordinary people, according to EU Ombudsman Jacob Söderman.

The Finn says the outline document prepared by the Convention praesidium should have included a commitment to openness and inform the public about the remedies available to enforce their rights under Community law.

Söderman, who is due to step down in April, said the preliminary treaty contained 'several important omissions and errors' and that its origins were 'a little mysterious'.

'Perhaps that is why it seems to concentrate on power play at the highest level of the Union and on relations between the institutions,' he commented.

'A constitution should provide a legitimate framework for these matters but it seems to me that two of the ideas put forward - a president of the European Council and Congress - would take EU decision-making to even higher levels rather than bring it closer to the citizens.'

Addressing a meeting on the future of Europe in Lisbon, Söderman said he was particularly concerned about the absence of a provision guaranteeing the citizen's right of access to public documents, which he described as 'an essential element of openness'.

'Another important omission from the draft is a commitment to a consistent set of good administrative practices in the EU administration.

'Citizens in all member states want a well-managed European administration that is open, accountable and service-minded.

'The draft contains some hint of these principles but there is nothing to remedy the present chaotic situation in which every institution's administration has its own idea of how to treat citizens,' he added.

Söderman said he hoped a second draft treaty would address the omissions he had identified.

'Only in this way can EU citizens truly have confidence in the Union,' said the Finn.

The Lisbon event was organised by the Instituto Superior de Ciencias Sociais e Politicas and the Jacques Delors Foundation.

The draft constitutional treaty drawn up by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing promises 'little of substance' for the benefit of ordinary people, according to EU Ombudsman Jacob Söderman.