Today, the Commission has adopted a new Communication on Enhancing the European Administrative Space^[1] (ComPAct), which proposes concrete actions to help public administrations meet the needs of people and businesses across Europe.

ComPAct is the Commission's first ever comprehensive set of actions to support the modernisation of national administrations and to strengthen their cross-country collaboration so that they can address common challenges together.

Efficient national, regional and local public administrations are critical to deliver EU and national priorities on the ground, to implement policies and reforms that benefit people and businesses alike, and to channel strategic investments towards the green and digital transitions. They are an important enabler for greater competitiveness across the EU.

Better implementation of EU and national policies and more effective administrative performance will address the expectations of Europeans for less bureaucracy and more transparency, and could save EU people and businesses billions of euros per year.

Today's Communication also recognises the pressures faced by public administrations caused by external shocks, difficulties to recruit and attract talent, and to build expertise on increasingly complex topics, such as the green and digital transitions. The delivery of such a challenging policy agenda relies on resilient and adaptable public administrations at all levels in the Member States.

Key actions proposed

In response to calls by Member States, the European Parliament, and the Committee of the Regions, to foster cooperation and policy dialogue, and to improve the capacity and the quality of public administrations at national, regional and local levels, the Commission proposes 25 actions to:

• Foster cooperation amongst public administrations to prepare for current and future challenges (Pillar 1 – The Public Administration Skills Agenda). For example, the Public Administration Cooperation Exchange (PACE) enables the mobility of European civil servants across the Member States to share knowledge and good practices.

• Strengthen the capacity of public administrations for their digital transformation (Pillar 2 – Capacity for Europe's Digital Decade). For example, the ComPAct will increase the readiness of public administrations to integrate AI technologies into their operations (e.g. audit, public procurement) in a safe and trustworthy way.

• Strengthen the capacity of public administrations to drive the green transformation and build resilience (Pillar 3 – Capacity to lead the green transition). For example, the ComPAct will support public administrations in assessing and reducing their organisational carbon footprint.

Additionally, ComPAct puts forward a common set of overarching principles^[2] for high-performing public administrations.

The Commission will implement the actions primarily through the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and other available EU funding, such as the Digital Europe Programme, and will work together with all Member States and stakeholders to ensure their uptake. The Commission will report on the implementation of the ComPAct under the TSI reporting requirements.

The Member States can participate in the ComPAct at their own pace and according to their needs and institutional set-up. The tools, methodologies, peer support, good practice exchanges put forward will help the Member States to learn from each other, innovate and improve effectiveness of their public administration.

Background

Public administrations at national, regional and local level are responsible for ensuring the sound and sustainable management of EU and national budgets. They are critical in designing and implementing reforms and investments, including under the National Recovery and Resilience Plans and regional development strategies.

On 29 April 2021 the Commission adopted its Staff Working Document to support public administrations in the Member States to deliver on reforms. It elaborates on the importance of public administrations in meeting the EU's objectives and on the Commission's experience in helping them boost their capabilities.

On 17 December 2021 the Expert Group on Public Administration and Governance was established. The Expert Group is a platform for dialogue between the Commission and representatives from the Member States, with its main objective being to identify common challenges and come up with innovative approaches as one united administration.

Ha participado en Luxemburgo en una mesa redonda sobre el papel de las instituciones de ombudsman ante los conflictos nacionales
 

La síndica de greuges de Cataluña, Esther Giménez-Salinas, se ha desplazado a Luxemburgo para participar en el seminario “Gestión de crisis: ¿qué papel tienen los ombudsman?”, organizado por la Asociación de Ombudsman y Mediadores de la Francofonía (AOMF) y que ha tenido lugar los días 24 y 25 de octubre.

La AOMF tiene como misión principal promover el papel de las instituciones de ombudsman en los países de habla francesa tanto de Europa como de América y África, y fomentar el desarrollo y la consolidación de instituciones de mediación independientes.

El seminario se ha organizado en torno a los papeles que tienen las instituciones de defensa de derechos en tres supuestos concretos: una crisis sanitaria, una crisis nacional y una crisis climática.

En la mesa redonda sobre las crisis nacionales, en la que también han participado las defensoras de Burkina Faso y del Principado de Mónaco, Esther Giménez-Salinas ha hablado sobre el conflicto entre Cataluña y España, que se intensificó a raíz del referéndum del 1 de octubre de 2017. Este referéndum tuvo una serie de consecuencias, como la aplicación del artículo 155 de la Constitución española al Gobierno y a la Administración de la Generalitat de Cataluña, y la prisión y el exilio para los acusados de organizarlo.

La síndica ha hecho un repaso histórico del conflicto, que considera que se inició con el recorte del Estatuto de Autonomía de Cataluña del año 2006. También ha querido denunciar la dimensión penal que ha adoptado este conflicto, a pesar de tratarse de una crisis eminentemente política: "La judicialización de los conflictos políticos no es una buena opción, ni siquiera para la propia justicia", ha manifestado.

A continuación ha destacado la importancia que tuvo la concesión de los indultos, que significaron un primer paso hacia la normalización, pero ha querido poner de manifiesto que "queda un largo camino por recorrer y muchas heridas abiertas". También ha valorado positivamente la supresión del delito de sedición del Código Penal, dado que "era un delito anticuado, no conforme con la legislación europea y con unas sanciones excesivamente altas".

Por último, ha cerrado su intervención expresando que la vía de la amnistía puede parecer injusta en algunas ocasiones, pero que es necesaria. Para que sea posible, debe incorporar los principios de la justicia restaurativa y debe tener presentes tres condiciones: aportar paz social, tener unas consecuencias positivas superiores a los perjuicios y contar con el apoyo de una amplia mayoría.

Con motivo de la presentación del Informe Anual de la Institución 2022, la Valedora do Pobo compareció ayer ante la Comisión de Peticiones en la que estaban el Presidente y las integrantes de la Mesa del Parlamento así como la representación de los grupos parlamentarios: la diputada Noelia Otero Lago por el PSOE, el diputado Daniel Castro García por el  BNG y por parte del PP la diputada Paula Prado del Río.

Right to Good Administration

A conference will examine whether this right is a myth, aspiration, or reality

In a democracy, the relationship between the person and the public administration is paramount. Within the framework and for the purposes of relations of the person with the institutions of the European Union, the right to good administration is embodied in article 41 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and by virtue of the Lisbon Treaty, the charter is part of the laws of this country.

I believe that the time is mature enough for a wide-ranging discussion and eventual consideration of making that right also a right that can be availed of for domestic law purposes and possibly enshrined in the constitution of Malta.

There are diverse ways how this democratic target can be ultimately achieved. The way ahead is to debate the matter seriously and on substance.

The overriding principle for the right to good administration is founded on the need for the public administration to operate well with transparency, fairness and accountability.

On the domestic level, acknowledgement of the right would stimulate a transparent decision-making process by public offices, adherence to just procedures and a rejection of improper discrimination.

These and other principles that are relevant for a full consideration of this right will be the subject of an international conference that my office will be holding in Malta on October 31 and November 1, in collaboration with the Association of Mediterranean Ombudsmen.

The title of the conference will be “The Right to Good Administration: Myth, Aspiration, or Reality?” Ombudsmen from the Mediterranean and European countries have confirmed their participation. The sessions will be addressed not only by foreign ombudsmen but also by leading local and foreign academics together with representatives of the Maltese public administration.

The conference aims to shed light on the ombudsman’s crucial role in bridging the divide between the person and administrative bodies. The operations of the Office of the Ombudsman, which in our country is a constitutional office, are rooted in the principles of justice and fairness. The office ensures that decisions made by the public administration remain both transparent and equitable, reinforcing public trust in administrative processes.

When the office investigates written complaints of persons (be they physical or moral) or when the office undertakes initiatives on its own motion, the office not only attempts to find a remedy when the complaint is found to be justified but ensures that persons, especially the vulnerable, do not fall by the wayside in public administration complexities and unnecessary bureaucracy. Every concern raised is valued and given attention.

The discussions and interventions at the conference will also deal with the right to good administration within the broader context of human rights and privacy.

Because of the rapid changes in societies brought out also by quick developments in technology, keeping a balance between the fundamental rights of the person and the often arduous and complicated requirements of the public administration is increasingly crucial.

The conference will also address and analyse the ever-evolving dynamics between state offices and public administration. The intricate relationship between independent state bodies and the broader public administration forms the bedrock of modern governance.

A particular plenary session of the two-day conference will provide insightful discussions, exploring the multifaceted nuances of this relationship, with a special emphasis on the importance of tangibly and concretely fostering a true spirit of collaboration and mutual respect.

The role of the ombudsman is not simply to resolve complaints or to mediate where necessary but to champion the rights of the person. To maximise the relevance of their mission, the ombudsmen institutions must be proactive, must maintain ongoing engagement with society, and be responsive to everyday challenges.

The duty of the office is evident: to strengthen the dialogue on governance and accountability. It is not a question of the codification of a right. It is about striving to ensure that democratic principles do reach the person in every life.

The conference and others that are planned by the office for the immediate future will help us move ahead as a nation in the interest of governance and accountability for the benefit of all.

Furthermore, these initiatives will promote a healthy and meaningful debate that places the person at the centre of democratic activity.

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, ha mantenido un encuentro este lunes en la sede de la institución con consejeros y agregados de seguridad de embajadas de Madrid. 

El objetivo del encuentro era dar a conocer el trabajo que se realiza desde Defensor del Pueblo y las vinculaciones de la institución con la labor de la Policía Nacional. Los consejeros y agregados de Interior extranjeros acreditados en España también tuvieron la ocasión de reunirse con el director del Área de Seguridad y Justicia del Defensor del Pueblo, Andrés Jiménez; con la directora del Área de Migraciones e Igualdad de Trato, Elena Arce, y con el director de la Unidad del Mecanismo Nacional de Prevención de la Tortura (MNP), Fernando Herrero.

Los consejeros y agregados representaban a Albania, Alemania, Argentina, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Estados Unidos, El Salvador, Francia, Georgia, Italia, Japón, Marruecos, México, Perú, Polonia, Portugal, República de Corea, Rumanía y Turquía.