EU complaints procedure set to be reviewed

Date: 01/08/1996

By Fiona McHugh

EUROPEAN Ombudsman Jacob Söderman will meet his national counterparts in Strasbourg next month to examine ways of handling citizens' complaints more efficiently.

Söderman's job was created during the Maastricht Treaty negotiations to help bridge the gap between the EU's institutions and its citizens.

But almost 80&percent; of the 537 complaints sent to the Finn's office in the European Parliament since April 1994 have had to be returned to their senders.

Söderman's remit is to inquire into “complaints concerning instances of maladministration” in the EU's institutions or, in other words, allegations of corruption, bungling or incompetence by Union officials.

“I have no authority whatsoever to supervise national authorities, even if they are in breach of EU law,” he says.

That is where the national ombudsmen come in. Since they have powers to investigate governments, regional authorities and councils, Söderman wants to pass inadmissible complaints on to his national counterparts.

To help national ombudsmen cope with such cases, officials from the European institutions will brief them on some of the key EU issues and give advice on the supervision of Union law at the meeting on 13 September.

The event will also provide Söderman with an opportunity to smooth ruffled feathers.

When Spain and Denmark first suggested creating an EU post, they recommended giving the holder wide-ranging powers of investigation. But they were forced to accept an emasculated version of their plan after it

ran into opposition. National ombudsmen were particularly unhappy about having a European rival with a powerful mandate, and lobbied heavily to have his powers diluted.

But in response to Söderman's efforts in forging links with his national counterparts, they have all agreed to attend the meeting.