{UAH} Fwd: FW: Council challenges EU Ombudsman secret trilogues Inquiry (22/15)

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Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:13:51 +0100
To: statewatch@gn.apc.org
From: statewatch-off@geo2.poptel.org.uk
Subject: Council challenges EU Ombudsman secret trilogues Inquiry (22/15)



Statewatch News Online, 24 September 2015 (22/15)

Home page:

http://www.statewatch.org/ e-mail: office@statewatch.org


SPECIAL: EU Ombudsman investigating secret "trilogue"
decision-making but:


The Council challenges the right of the European Ombudsman to conduct an
inquiry into secret "trilogues" (in which most EU legislation
is decided)


In May 2015 Emily O'Reilly, the European Ombudsman, began an

Own-initiative Inquiry on the "transparency of trilogues
(pdf), But the Council of the European Union challenges the right of the
Ombudsman to carry out such an inquiry:

Council response to the Ombudsman (pdf)


"Trilogues" are meetings of the two EU co-legislators: the
Council of the European Union (the 28 EU governments) and the European
Parliament (with the European Commission in attendance). The purpose of
trilogues is to speed up decision-making by agreeing new legislative
measures quickly at 1st reading.


Steve Peers, Professor of Law, University of Essex, comments:
"The Council's objection to the Ombudsman's competence is totally
unfounded"


Tony Bunyan, Statewatch Director, comments: "Over 80% of all
new EU laws are agreed in these secret trilogues - they should have no
place in a democracy worthy of the name - they should be held in the open
with full public access to documents so that we can see what is being
decided in our name."


As part of the Inquiry the Ombudsman has organised a

Consultation meeting (link) on 28 September 2015 (10.00 -
12.00 in Room JAN 4Q1 of the European Parliament in Brussels).


Statewatch was amongst the first to criticise secret trilogues:
See:


-

Secret trilogues and the democratic deficit (September 2007,
pdf)

-

European Parliament: Abolish 1st [and 2nd] reading secret deals -
bring back democracy "warts and all" (pdf)

-

Proposed Commission changes to Regulation on access to documents fail
to meet Lisbon Treaty commitments (pdf)







________________________________________________
Statewatch: Monitoring the state and civil liberties in Europe
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tel: +44(0)20-8802-1882; fax: +44(0)20-8880-1727
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