On 20 January 2010, Nikiforos Diamandouros was re-elected as European Ombudsman by the European Parliament. Today participants gathered at the European Parliament in order to discuss Mr. Diamandouros priorities for the next five years at the seminar "The European Ombudsman’s new mandate – What to expect?"

Pat Cox, President of the European Movement International (EMI), appreciated in his speech concrete initiatives of the Ombudsman during his first five-year mandate stating that “Mr. Diamandouros has been an unfailing champion of openness, transparency and accountability”.

Concerning the Ombudsman’s second mandate, Mr. Cox outlined that the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty has enhanced the office of the Ombudsman as a peoples’ servant through the extension of its powers as well as introduction of new citizen’s rights related elements, such as e.g. the Citizen’s initiative. In this context Mr. Cox underlined that “this new canvas offers new perspectives and challenges. A key challenge in this regard is to ensure that the formal statement of rights on paper is transformed into their fulfillment in practice. Here the Ombudsman has an essential role to play.”

Supporting the idea of strengthening the “culture of service” of the EU administration, one of the Ombudsman’s priorities for the next five years, Mr. Cox noted that “many believe that the expenditure of a high level political capital on the necessarily introspective issues of design over the past decade, and which led to the Lisbon Treaty, needs to be complemented now by a decade of delivery in terms of policy outcomes. For institutions frequently perceived by citizens as remote and bureaucratic the concept of a culture of service, if it was to become an embedded value and practice, could enhance the EU’s capacity to re-claim popular legitimacy along with a relentless focus on delivering results.”

Mr. Cox concluded wishing Mr. Diamandouros well in the tasks that lie ahead and added: “I have no doubt that, as usual, he will be unfailingly courteous with his interlocutors and respectful of due process in the discharge of his duties but one notes also his persistence and quiet but steely determination to promote citizens’ rights. This may require occasionally being a modest stone in the EU institutional shoe. If so, let it be”.

Related links:
Homepage European Ombudsman
Ombudsman’s priorities for the next five years