Panel discussion on 11 December 2008 Seminar on transparencey Brussels
Closing remarks
Mme Chair, Dear participants!
Our panel is coming to a close. It is an honour for me to thank you all for your participation in this event, thanks to those who have given talks and those who have participated in the deliberations and those who have followed the discussion this afternoon.
Conference of European Ombudsmen in Higher Education. Madrid 12 – 13 January 2004
By Jacob Söderman, former European Ombudsman 1995 - 2003
1 The Ombudsman institution
The institution of the Ombudsman originated in Sweden, where the first Parliamentary Ombudsman was elected in 1809. The idea was to supervise public authorities to ensure that they act in accordance with the law. This was not a new function. What was new was to entrust the supervisory role to a person independent of the Executive. To ensure his independence, the Ombudsman is elected by the Parliament by a secret ballot. When Finland gained its independence from Russia in 1917 it established a Ombudsman office after the Swedish model in its constitution of 1919.
Good Administration as a Fundamental Right in the EU
16.10.2007
JACOB SÖDERMAN THE FIRST OMBUDSMAN IN THE EUROPEAN UNION 1995 - 2003
The Maastricht treaty (1992) introduced a new 138e Article, which established an Ombudsman elected by the European parliament to deal with European citizens complaints concerning “instances of maladministration” in the activities of the Community institutions and bodies that is what the citizens might call the administration of the European Union.
This chapter tells the story of the main features of the development of the European Ombudsman’s office during the early years, as I remember them. I do hope that the reader will benefit from it by understanding how the activities gradually advanced.
