Known for winning two cases on the transparency of the European legislative process at the Court of Justice of the European Union (see EUROPE 12333/10), Italian Emilio De Capitani is one of six candidates for the post of European Ombudsman who will be heard on Tuesday 3 December by the European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions (see EUROPE 13500/36).
At the heart of Mr De Capitani’s candidacy is the launch of an ‘Administrative Procedure Act’, which would enshrine in EU law a code of good administrative conduct, which is currently based on guidelines only. Through such an act, all staff at European institutions would be required to respect the same principles (objectivity, impartiality, ethics, right to be heard and to express an opinion, etc.) and procedures (consultation of stakeholders, use of an official EU language, transfer of documents to the relevant departments, taking decisions within a reasonable timeframe, providing reasons for the decisions taken, etc.).
In this way, the former European Parliament official aims to put into practice a Parliament resolution which, in June 2016, called on the European Commission to present a proposal for a regulation “in favour of an open, efficient and independent European Union administration” (see EUROPE 11569/14).
Another of Mr De Capitani’s key proposals is to promote a culture of transparency among staff at EU institutions. As well as stimulating interactions between staff from different institutions, his idea is to set up an academy in Strasbourg that would provide training in EU administrative law and promote best practice in terms of e-governance.
After hearing the candidates at hearings held by the relevant parliamentary committee and within certain political groups, the MEPs will hold an initial vote in plenary session on Tuesday 17 December in Strasbourg, and will decide between the two finalists the following day. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)