Strasbourg, 27/07/2004 (Agence Europe) - European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros welcomed the European Commission's response to his own-initiative inquiry into the good administration of the European Schools. According to the Ombudsman, the Commission has recognised its responsibility to promote good administration by the European Schools in accordance with the same values, principles and standards that apply to the Community institutions and bodies. The Commission also announced its intention to issue a Communication on the European Schools. Among the proposals for the Communication are: - the observance of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Rights of the Child in all the schools; - full accountability of each school and its director for issues of good administration and transparency; - and external quality evaluation of programmes and/or methods in teaching. According to the Ombudsman, the Communication represents a significant opportunity to enhance the quality of the European Schools' administration. The Commission's response to the Ombudsman identifies a "democratic deficit" in the European Schools' Board of Governors, which may limit the extent to which the necessary modernisation of the European Schools' system is possible. The Ombudsman acknowledges the problem, which the European Parliament has also identified, and offers to assist in a regular external review of progress in raising the quality of administration and enhancing the Schools' transparency and efficiency. The Ombudsman also welcomed the Commission's commitment to cooperation with parents and encouraged the Commission to seek to ensure that the European Schools themselves acknowledge, as part of their core mission, the need to empower parents and win their trust.
The decision taken by the European Ombudsman is available at: http: //http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/decision/en/03oi5.htm.