At a hearing on Monday 18 September before the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI), the European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, gave her expert opinion on the digitalisation of European administrative procedures, which is the subject of an own-initiative report by Karen Melchior (Renew Europe) of Denmark (see EUROPE 13211/20).
On the subject of this text, which aims to “consolidate citizens’ rights by clarifying their interactions with administrations” within the framework of existing legislation via a “minimum set of rights”, Ms O’Reilly emphasised the importance of digitalisation in facilitating interactions between citizens and administrations. “Speed and efficiency are essential in an ever-changing Europe. Our citizens cannot wait indefinitely for answers”, she declared. In her view, although the issue does not necessarily appeal to a wide audience, it is fundamental to the public.
And with good reason: as Emily O’Reilly and Karen Melchior pointed out, citizens are looking for an efficient administration that listens to them and solves their problems quickly. Mrs Melchior explained: “In an age where everything is instantaneous, our processes need to keep pace and offer responses in real time or close to it”. In a context where legislation is complex and sometimes fragmented, the digital approach aims to simplify it, making European administrative law more accessible and less bureaucratic.
One of the key issues raised was access to documents. Under the current rules, as Ms O’Reilly pointed out, waiting times of up to 18 months are sometimes necessary to obtain answers, which, for Ms Melchior, “is not acceptable”.
However, while digitalisation offers many opportunities, it also presents difficulties. As the European Ombudsman pointed out, the increasingly intense and widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public services raises questions of ethics, personal data protection and fairness, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. “Any digital initiative must be balanced with respect for privacy and fundamental rights”, she noted.
And the rapporteur, Karen Melchior, shared this opinion. She stressed the need for administrative law to meet the needs of citizens while taking account of the digital revolution which is underway. “Technology is a tool, not an end in itself. We must use it to serve our citizens, not the other way round”, she said.
According to the Danish MEP, it is essential for citizens and businesses to have total clarity, with clearly defined rights and obligations. She also sees digitalisation as a way of improving the quality of interaction between citizens and government. This interaction is said to influence the public’s perception of government, underlining the importance of modernisation. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)