Good morning,
Meet the new European Ombudswoman
In her first press conference since her December election by MEPs, Teresa Anjinho ticked all the right boxes when she talked about her priorities: transparency, integrity, accountability, revolving doors, fundamental rights, ethics and participative democracy — everything you'd expect from an ombudswoman. Time will tell how much she can achieve.
As she outlined her vision for the coming years, the 50-year-old Portuguese legal expert portrayed her office as the impartial voice that will be needed in these “polarised” times of growing societal anxiety.
When asked how to improve transparency (a long-time favourite here at EUobserver), she made a clear call for reform of the European law on access to documents (the famous Regulation 2001/1049), a move that’s been both praised and feared as a potential double-edged sword.
As the saying goes, sometimes it’s better to stick with the devil you know than risk the devil you don’t. Her predecessor, Ireland's Emily O’Reilly, wasn’t exactly on board with changes, as she warned that reform could risk weakening the legal text we already have.
But Anjinho argued the need for a “more structured framework” that brings clarity to institutions and matches today’s realities. She even suggested that the explainability of algorithms used by EU bodies should be made public. Sure, great idea, though it’s worth noting that, right now, EU institutions don’t even bother to register communications made via instant messages or emails.
“It is clear that we can do more,” the new ombudswoman said, arguing that over 40 percent of complaints in her office are related to access to documents.
“The European Commission can be more proactive in enacting a culture of transparency,” she added.
In the current geopolitical chaos that Europe is dragged into, Anjinho also warned that her office will keep a close eye on the rapid decisions being made by EU institutions. “Urgency cannot be at the cost of legality, fundamental rights and good administration,” she said.
And she also deplored that the EU ethics body hasn’t been in place in the wake of the Qatargate and Huawei case (don't miss our latest oped).
Anjinho is expected to meet Ursula von der Leyen in the upcoming months; she should probably ask her why her own party, the EPP, keeps blocking the implementation of the EU ethics body, aimed at curtailing scandals and keeping the EU institutions free from corruption.
- Elena Sánchez Nicolás, editor-in-chief
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