For them, the rules are applied in a strict and formal way. That is the way in the economy class. The choice of papers is limited or non-existent. There is one group in the European Union that is left with many obligations and few written rights and that is the European citizens. This is particularly the case when they are dealing with the European administration.
Transparency requires that there are clear rules that are applied correctly.
If the Nice Charter is taken seriously by the EU institutions and bodies, then that will affirm in writing some rights for the citizens. In the Member States during the last few decades, many laws on good administrative behaviour have been enacted to the benefit of the citizens. Examples of such laws are given in the Special Report that I presented to the European Parliament on the subject. The fact that such laws have been enacted across the Union from Portugal to Sweden dispels the idea that the north has a different approach to good administration than the south. In July 1999, I recommended to all institutions, bodies and agencies of the European Union that they should adopt rules on good administrative behaviour.