Il mediatore europeo

The idea of establishing an Ombudsman of the European Union arose from the conviction that the process of democratization of relations between institutions and citizens is also based on the principle of transparency of European administrative action and the recognition of the right of private individuals to turn to an independent body in order to complain about cases of maladministration in the activities of the institutions, bodies and organs of the Union.
Indeed, from the moment of its establishment, citizens immediately showed a strong interest in the form of protection offered by the European Ombudsman, so much so that the number of complaints submitted to his office has been at significant levels since the first years of its activity, showing, subsequently, a continuously growing trend.
This relationship has gradually strengthened over time, thanks to the important work done by Jacob Söderman, Nikiforos Diamandouros and Emily O’Reilly, each of whom has also contributed to the evolution of the body.
Indeed, the nature of the European Ombudsman has undergone substantial change over the years, evolving from a simple alternative means of dispute resolution, thus of interest to individuals uti singuli, to a mechanism designed to promote good governance and greater democratic accountability in the system, in the general interest of the European Union per se.
As part of this evolutionary process, a particularly energetic impetus has been given by the current European Ombudswoman Emily O’Reilly, especially through the enhancement of own-initiative inquiries into systemic issues, such as legislative transparency, lobbying or human rights protection.
The approach used by Emily O’Reilly, in one of the most intense periods of crisis in the process of European integration, may prove to be an essential tool for reconnecting the relationship between citizens and European institutions, as well as for giving impetus to the process of democratization of the European Union, through the affirmation of an administration that is more open, transparent, and close to citizens.
Precisely for this reason, twenty-five years after its establishment, it was deemed useful to conduct an in-depth investigation of the European Ombudsman, focusing on the practice followed so far and the objectives achieved, especially in terms of developing the concept of good administration and redefining the citizen-institution relationship.