Fuente: © Comisión Europea
http://europa.eu.int

EU: Making Brussels more transparent

/noticias.info/ - Who gets Community funding? What influence do the lobbies have? What rules of conduct do those in charge of the European institutions have to follow? These are some of the questions often asked by Europe’s citizens about ‘Brussels’. Therefore the College of Commissioners has today decided to launch a European Transparency Initiative. A Green Paper is to be published by the beginning of 2006 to launch a debate with all the stakeholders on how to improve transparency on the Community Funds, consultation with civil society and the role of the lobbies and NGOs in the European institutions’ decision-making process. Discussions will also be started at interinstitutional level to promote the EU’s framework on professional ethic. Lastly, the European Commission will continue its progress on transparency by taking concrete action to improve its own transparency vis-à-vis Europe’s citizens. This initiative is a logical complement to Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate.


As one of this Commission’s main strategic objectives[1], this initiative is designed to increase the transparency with which the EU handles the responsibilities and funds entrusted to it by the European citizen. This is an essential condition for the legitimacy of any modern administration and a key element in European citizens’ trust in their public institutions.

Over the last few years the European Commission has made major advances in the field of openness and transparency, in particular: publication of the 2001 White Paper on European governance, the drafting of precise rules on ethical standards in the new Staff Regulations for its officials and the introduction of codes of conduct[2], clear rules on access to documents, and making detailed information on Committees and expert groups available.

A subject close to the heart of all the institutions

Polls show that the confidence curves of the European institutions continue to move in lockstep (Eurobarometer 63), indicating that European institutions either win or lose public trust together, and a credible transparency initiative should embrace all the institutions. That is why the Commission plans to take the debate to the other European institutions and all other stakeholders.
For further information:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/commission_barroso/kallas/transparency_en.htm
SPEECH/05/628



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[1] COM(2005)12 final.

[2] For example: the code of good administrative behaviour governing relations between the Commission and the general public, and the code of conduct for Members of the Commission and their obligation to publish a declaration of financial interests. notas_de_prensa_archivo