A4-0190/97

Resolution on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions during the parliamentary year 1996-1997

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Treaty on European Union and especially Articles 8d and 138d of the Treaty establishing the European Community,

- having regard to Rules 156 to 158 of its Rules of Procedure, and especially Rule 157(5),

- having regard to its previous resolutions on petitions, particularly that adopted on 19 July 1996 on the deliberations of the Committee on Petitions during the parliamentary year 1995-1996 ((OJ C 261, 9.9.1996, p. 195.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 17 November 1993 and its decision of 9 March 1994 on the regulations and general conditions governing the performance of the Ombudsman's duties ((OJ L 113, 4.5.1994, p.15.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 14 July 1995 on the role of the European Ombudsman appointed by the European Parliament ((OJ C 249, 25.9.1995, p. 226.)),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Petitions (A4-0190/97),

A. whereas the right to petition the European Parliament is a basic right of European citizens,

B. whereas European citizens and residents clearly wish to be more closely involved in the shaping of the Community by means of their petitions to the European Parliament,

C. whereas petitions represent one of the best means for the Community's institutions and bodies to acquire direct information as to the effect of Community legislation on the lives of European citizens and infringements of Community law,

D. whereas close cooperation with the administrations of the Member States is important in facilitating the entitlement of European citizens to their rights across the European Union,

E. whereas petitions strengthen the supervisory function of the European Parliament and reveal serious cases of non-compliance with Community law,

F. whereas a growing number of petitions still concern cases revealing serious shortcomings and infringements of Community law, frequently raising political and legislative questions as a result;

G. whereas close collaboration with the European Ombudsman is necessary,

1. Stresses that petitions constitute a basic right enshrined in the Treaties and an appropriate means of acquiring direct information as to the general public's opinions concerning issues of Community policy, and of detecting shortcomings in Community legislation and monitoring failure to apply and transpose Community law;

2. Notes that, pursuant to Article 138d of the EC Treaty, the European Parliament is the depository of the right to petition;

3. Undertakes to provide an appropriate response as rapidly as possible to petitions, that is to say requests for intervention, for action, for change of policy or for an opinion, submitted to the Parliament by any citizen of the Union and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State, individually or in association with others;

4. Confirms its view that the right of petition gives Parliament an overview of difficulties facing European and national administrations, for example bureaucratic attitudes, infringement of principles embodied in Community law and the inadequacies of statutory regulations; observed shortcomings in Community law should serve as a point of departure for more extensive and/or improved Community legal provisions;

5. Instructs all its committees and delegations to examine carefully and promptly the petitions forwarded to them for opinion, information or further action and to take account, within their respective areas of responsibility, of the infringements detected and shortcomings of Community law highlighted by the petitions forwarded to them by the Committee on Petitions; in this context, asks them to inform the Committee on Petitions of, and request its opinion on, any political or legislative initiative taken on the basis of any petition;

6. Instructs its relevant departments to ensure that regular and frequent publicity is disseminated by all appropriate means about the right of petition, the procedure for presenting petitions, the treatment of petitions and important petitions;

7. Notes that, pursuant to Article 138e of the EC Treaty, the European Ombudsman is empowered to receive complaints from any European citizens or any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in the Union concerning alleged maladministration in the activities of the Community's institutions or bodies, with the exception of the Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance acting in their judicial roles, and states its wish to continue its close, thorough and fruitful collaboration with the European Ombudsman;

8. Thanks the Commission for its cooperation in examination of petitions and notes that it has taken into account previous requests by the Committee on Petitions to consider petitions forwarded to it pursuant to Rule 157(3) of the Rules of Procedure more speedily;

9. Calls on the Commission and the Committee on Petitions to act together in developing more effective working methods so as to ensure that petitions can be dealt with rapidly and in a manner satisfactory to petitioners; existing electronic data-processing systems should be extended or coordinated; consideration should be given to the extent to which computerized data can be made available over Intra and/or Internet to the EU institutions and the citizens of the Union;

10. Underlines the need to establish, with the other institutions, within the framework of interinstitutional agreements, deadlines for answers and investigations to petitions forwarded by the Committee on Petitions;

11. Notes that Council officials rarely attend Committee on Petitions meetings and calls on the Council to respond to an invitation to attend from the committee chairman and ensure regular attendance by Council officials;

12. Calls on the Commission to establish clear standards of service that European citizens are entitled to expect from the Commission; these standards should satisfy among others the following key principles:

- standards should be high and capable of being monitored with statistics published,

- there should be full and accurate information about how services are run, how much is spent and who is in charge and responsible for the service,

- there should be provision for public consultation,

- citizens are entitled to expect courteous consideration at all times and response to queries within a published and acknowledged timescale;

13. Calls on the Commission to guarantee close cooperation between the Committee on Petitions and those responsible within the Commission concerning the 'Citizens First Initiative' which it has started up;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution and its committee's report to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the parliamentary committees responsible for petitions and the ombudsmen or similar office-holders in the Member States.