Support for rules on open, independent and efficient EU administration

The EU and its agencies need rules to clarify the procedures of EU administration, confirmed Legal Affairs MEPs at a seminar in Luxembourg together with experts.

At an extraordinary meeting in Luxembourg, Legal Affairs MEPs together with experts from different backgrounds discussed the need for rules on open, efficient and independent EU administration.

EU law establishes citizens' rights to an open, independent and efficient EU administration. Everyone dealing with EU institutions and agencies has the right to expect that the EU administration will act impartially, fairly, and within a reasonable time. The EU currently has administrative measures in place but in order to provide more legal certainty and predictability to EU citizens and businesses, MEPs have long urged the Commission to draft rules on the fundamental principles of good EU administration. These calls include a resolution adopted in June 2016.

Support for European Parliament’s calls

At the extraordinary meeting, visiting speakers including professors, a judge of the General Court and a member of the Court of Auditors, expressed their support for establishing EU rules for good EU administration. The discussion covered topics such as the scope of a potential regulation, the impact of codified procedures and existing legislation at the level of EU countries.

MEPs acknowledged the support saying that individuals, industries organisations, and public administrations need to be able to predict the actions of different EU institutions, agencies and other EU administrations.

Background information

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on open, efficient and independent European Union administration calling for the codification of different administrative procedures in June 2016. The rules would concern principles of good administration such as impartiality and fairness, need to act within reasonable time, the right to be heard and the right to have access to one’s own file. The resolution has not been followed up by the Commission.

European Parliament Committee on Legal Affairs will launch a public consultation on EU administrative law mid-December 2017.