The European Ombudsman

Suite à un recours de l’ENAAT, le Défenseur des droits européen lance une enquête sur l’indépendance d’un « Groupe de personnalités » de l’UE

Accédant à une demande de l’ENAAT (réseau européen contre le commerce des armes), dont l’Observatoire des armements est le membre français, le Défenseur des droits européen a lancé une enquête sur l’indépendance d’un Groupe de personnalités de l’UE. Ce Groupe de personnalités avait été nommé par la Commission européenne pour travailler sur le financement de la recherche militaire. Pourtant, 9 membres sur 16 sont des représentants de l’industrie de la défense, ce qui pose la question de l’indépendance de ce Groupe. Le Défenseur des droits européen a ouvert une enquête, demandant à la Commission des éclaircissements sur la transparence de sa procédure. Le « courrier » du Défenseur des droits est visible ici : ►https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu…/co…/fr/81385/html.bookmark

Cet épisode met en lumière le poids des lobbys de l’industrie militaire et le manque de démocratie au sein de l’Union européenne.

Le dernier communiqué de l’ENAAT sur le financement par l’Union européenne de la recherche militaire :
►http://obsarm.org/spip.php?article292

Request to the European Commission to submit a supplementary opinion on complaint 852/2014/LP »Médiateur européen
▻http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/cases/correspondence.faces/en/58075/html.bookmark

Dear Mr President

On 30 September 2014, the Commission sent me its opinion on the above complaint.

In its opinion, the Commission reiterated its strong commitment to complying with the EU’s international commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and expressed its conviction “that the EU and the Commission in particular have well-established rules for that purpose”.

In its opinion, the Commission argues that the "ethical framework applicable to Members of the Commission and staff, and the Commission’s rules and instruments concerning transparency and lobbying, meets high public service standards and it is thus “fully compatible with the non-binding FCTC guidelines”. According to the Commission, the recent amendments to the Staff Regulations in the area of conflicts of interest, its 2012 guidelines on gifts and hospitalities, and the recently revised Practical Guide to staff on ethics and conduct contain recommendations regarding contacts with interest groups in general, while Regulation 1049/2001 ensures a high level of transparency and is compatible with the transparency requirements of the FCTC guidelines.

I note, however, that the Commission’s opinion does not at all address the specific arguments that the complainant put forward in support of its allegation that, in practice, the Commission has failed properly to implement Article 5(3) of the WHO Convention and the accompanying guidelines.

In particular, the complainant argued that, in the context of the discussions on the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive, a substantial number of undisclosed meetings between Commission officials and the tobacco industry took place, and that only one Commission DG has rules and procedures in place to provide the required transparency concerning such meetings (DG SANCO).

According to the complainant, it is clear from the Commission’s responses to questions from MEPs and from documents released under Regulation 1049/2001, that at least 14 undisclosed meetings with representatives from the tobacco industry took place, involving senior Commission officials, including officials from the Commission’s Secretariat-General and members of your cabinet. The complainant also submitted that even though DG SANCO published online information on meetings it held with tobacco industry representatives, there have also been meetings for which despite its own stricter rules, DG SANCO did not provide the required information.

I should therefore be grateful if you could submit a supplementary opinion in which the Commission properly addresses the above issues.

Dans la serie « relai »

#Migrations #Asile #Frontex #Droitshumains #Frontières

►http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=EO/12/14&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Ombudsman launches public consultation on Frontex and fundamental rights - 19 July 2012

The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, has invitedindividuals, NGOs, and other organisations active in the area of fundamental rights protection to submit comments in his ongoing inquiry concerning the EU Borders Agency, Frontex. Frontex coordinates the operational cooperation between Member States in the field of border
security. In March 2012, the Ombudsman asked Frontex a number of questions about the implementation of its fundamental rights obligations. Frontex replied in May 2012. Comments on Frontex’s responsecan be submitted to the Ombudsman until 30 September 2012.

Fundamental rights organisations and NGOs invited to submit comments

In 2009, the Charter of Fundamental Rights became legally binding on Frontex, which is based in Warsaw. Since then, a number of civil society organisations have questioned whether Frontex is doing enough to comply with the Charter, for example, in its deployment of EU border guards to Greece where migrant detainees were kept in detention centres under conditions which have been criticised by the European Court of Human Rights.

In October 2011, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a Regulation setting out additional specific fundamental rights obligations for Frontex. In March 2012, the Ombudsman asked Frontex a number of questions about how it is fulfilling these obligations, including the obligation to draw up a fundamental rights strategy, as well as codes of conduct applicable to its operations.

Frontex submitted its opinion in May 2012. It explained that, since 2010, it has developed a fundamental rights strategy, as well as a binding code of conduct for those participating in its activities. Frontex also listed other measures it is currently taking to ensure full respect for fundamental rights.

All documents related to the inquiry, including Frontex’s opinion, are available at:

►http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/cases/correspondence.faces/en/11757/html.bookmark

The European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the EU institutions and bodies. Any EU citizen, resident, or an enterprise or association in a Member State, can lodge a complaint with
the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman offers a fast, flexible, and free means of solving problems with the EU administration.

For more information:

►http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu

For inquiries: Ms Gundi Gadesmann, Media and External Relations Officer, tel.: +32 2 284 26 09, Twitter: @GundiGadesmann