Roma, 9 giugno 2023 – Il Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici desidera ringraziare calorosamente tutti coloro che hanno partecipato alla seconda giornata dei lavori, nonché gli ospiti istituzionali che hanno reso l’evento un’occasione unica di scambio e confronto. La presenza e il contributo di ciascun partecipante sono stati di inestimabile valore.

In particolare, desideriamo esprimere la nostra gratitudine ai nostri ospiti istituzionali, che hanno arricchito la giornata con la loro esperienza e conoscenza nel campo della difesa dei diritti dei cittadini. Un sentito ringraziamento va all’On.le Antonello Aurigemma, Presidente del Consiglio regionale del Lazio, e all’On.le Pina Picierno, Vice Presidente del Parlamento Europeo. Siamo onorati di aver avuto la vostra presenza e di aver potuto ascoltare il vostro punto di vista su tematiche così cruciali per il benessere dei cittadini.

Durante l’evento, abbiamo avuto il privilegio di ospitare un relatore speciale che ha arricchito il dibattito con la sua vasta esperienza e competenza nel campo dei diritti fondamentali. Ringraziamo cordialmente Mr. Akos Kozma, Commissario per i diritti fondamentali della Repubblica d’Ungheria e Ombudsman dell’Ungheria, per aver condiviso con noi la sua prospettiva internazionale e per averci offerto una visione unica in materia di diritti umani.

La riunione si è svolta presso lo “Spazio Europa” in Via IV Novembre, 149, un luogo prestigioso gestito dall’Ufficio del Parlamento Europeo in Italia e dalla Rappresentanza in Italia della Commissione Europea. Desideriamo esprimere la nostra profonda gratitudine per l’ospitalità e per averci offerto la possibilità di utilizzare tale sede per i nostri lavori.

Ringraziamo ancora una volta tutti i partecipanti per il loro impegno e per aver contribuito a rendere questa giornata tanto proficua quanto stimolante. Continuiamo a lavorare insieme per promuovere la difesa civica e garantire i diritti dei cittadini italiani.

Marino Fardelli
Presidente dei Difensori Civici italiani

El homenaje fue un reconocimiento a las víctimas gallegas del franquismo y a la figura de Alexandre Bóveda. Da cumplimiento a un acuerdo unánime de los tres grupos parlamentarios de 3 de noviembre de 2021.

En el acto, que contó con la intervención de Aurora Marco López, en representación de las asociaciones de la memoria histórica y de las víctimas, y de Amalia Bóveda Álvarez, hija de Alexandre Bóveda, el presidente del Parlamento reivindicó la democracia y los derechos humanos, reiterando la condena al franquismo y señalando que es preciso no olvidar la barbarie —de unos y de otros— para no repetir jamás los errores del pasado.

Equality, non-discrimination and racism Roma

When 13 June 2023

Where Timisoara, Romania

Organised By EEA/Norway Grants

External event

FRA will join round-table discussions on Roma inclusion and empowerment in Romania

FRA joins in its cooperation capacity with the EEA and Norway Grants on implementing their programmes in Romania.

The event will bring national and international actors to discuss the future of Roma inclusion and empowerment under the EEA and Norway Grants in Romania.

The event takes place in in Timisoara on 13 June. It is similar to those organised in Bulgaria from 31 May to 2 June and in Czechia on 19 May 2022.

The EYE (European Youth Event) brings together at the European Parliament in Strasbourg and online thousands of young people from all over the European Union and the world, to share and shape their ideas on Europe’s future.

https://european-youth-event.europarl.europa.eu/en/

Transparent and accountable public institutions are essential for enacting the change we want to see. Join this session to hear European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly on the important role good administration plays in upholding EU democracy and ensuring your voice is heard. Learn how the Ombudsman works to secure high ethical standards and an accountable decision-making process in the EU institutions, and what this means for the issues that matter to you, be it the environment, the economy, or the rule of law

Transparent and accountable public institutions are essential for enacting the change we want to see. Join this session to hear European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly on the important role good administration plays in upholding EU democracy and ensuring your voice is heard. Learn how the Ombudsman works to secure high ethical standards and an accountable decision-making process in the EU institutions, and what this means for the issues that matter to you, be it the environment, the economy, or the rule of law

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman is reminding local authorities about the importance of good complaint handling after it found significant issues in two councils’ procedures.

The Ombudsman used its powers to investigate wider issues at both LB Islington and the former Cumbria County Council after it uncovered problems with the councils’ complaints processes.

In Islington, an investigation into an initial complaint about antisocial behaviour uncovered the council had a large backlog of stage two corporate complaints, after the council said it would take six months to begin investigating the resident’s complaint. The Ombudsman started a new investigation to look at these delays and found 44 people had open complaints with the council and had already waited significantly longer than they should have.

In Cumbria, in a previous investigation, the Ombudsman found the council had serious delays when conducting stage two of the statutory children’s complaints procedure. The Ombudsman opened a new investigation to consider that issue further and found between October 2021 and October 2022, 12 other complainants had been waiting at least 90 days - significantly longer than the maximum of 65 days the law allows for the process. The Ombudsman issued a guide to councils in 2022 on the Statutory Children’s Complaints process.

Nigel Ellis, Chief Executive at the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, said:

“When done well, good complaint handling not only restores residents’ faith in their local authorities’ ability to get things right, it also offers an invaluable opportunity for councils to learn from things that have gone wrong and put in place measures to improve their services for others.

“In 2020 we updated our guidance for councils on Good Complaint Handling, and despite the tumultuous changes that have taken place in the intervening three years, getting the basics right – communication, accountability, the desire to improve, and above all keeping the person at the heart of the complaint - is still as important as ever.

“In both cases, the councils have told me that they have struggled to put the resources in place to ensure they were able to cope with the demand. And, while I sympathise with their situations, this can never be an excuse for poor practice.”

LB Islington told the Ombudsman it had since recruited more staff to clear its backlog, commissioned an independent review of its complaint handling processes and had already made significant changes. It has agreed to write to each of the 44 people it has identified who have been affected by the issues and apologise for its delay in responding to their complaints, detailing what it has done to prevent a future backlog and signposting them to the Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied with the council’s investigation.

Cumbria County Council was disbanded at the end of March 2023. Prior to this it told the Ombudsman it had struggled to recruit staff to complete the investigations within the required timescales. The region’s two new successor councils (Westmorland and Furness Council, and Cumberland Council) have both agreed to write to the people in their regions who have been identified during the investigation but not already approached the Ombudsman.

It is positive that both new councils have recognised this is an opportunity to improve the service. They will apologise for the delays and pay the people affected £25 a month for every month of delay above the 65 working day time period. They will also ensure each complainant is aware of their rights under the statutory children’s complaints procedure.

Article date: 08 June 2023