Code of good administrative behaviour for the staff of the European Investment Bank in its relations with the public
Date: 2001-01-19
Institutions: European Investment Bank
Subjects: European Investment Bank, European official, citizen-authority relations, code of conduct

C 17/26

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.1.2001

EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK

Code of good administrative behaviour for the staff of the European Investment Bank in its
relations with the public

(2001/C 17/08)

Article 1

General Provisions

Article 6

Non-abuse of powers

the staff of

the European
In its relations with the public,
Investment Bank, hereinafter called (cid:145)the Bank(cid:146), shall observe
the principles set out in this document, which constitute a
code of good administrative behaviour, hereinafter called (cid:145)the
code(cid:146). The (cid:145)public(cid:146) shall be taken to mean any citizen of the
Union or any natural or legal person residing or having its
registered office either in a Member State or in a State in
which the Bank carries out its activities.

Article 2

Personnel to whom this code applies

This code shall apply to the members of the Bank’s staff. It
shall also apply to persons working at the Bank as service
providers,
in so far as this is stipulated in the contract on
which their employment at the Bank is based.

Article 3

Field of application

In accordance with their obligations, members of staff shall not
exceed the powers conferred upon them in the performance of
their duties.

Article 7

Fairness and loyalty

1. Members of staff shall act
manner.

in a fair and reasonable

2.
In their relations with the public and in accordance with
their obligations, members of staff shall in all circumstances act
in the interests of the Bank and not allow themselves to be
influenced by personal considerations or relations.

Article 8

Legitimate expectations and consistency

1. Members of staff shall comply with the Bank’s customary
administrative rules and practices.

1.
The code lays down the general principles of good
administrative behaviour applicable to Bank staff members in
their relations with the public, except where these are
all
governed by specific provisions,
rules
concerning access to documents.

in particular

the

2.
The principles set out in this code shall not apply either
to relations between the Bank and its staff or contractors or to
any other relations of a professional nature.

Article 4

Legality

They shall meet

2.
tations formed by the public on the basis of
previous conduct.

the legitimate and reasonable expec-
the Bank’s

Article 9

Courtesy

1. Members of staff shall act in a conscientious, correct,
courteous and approachable manner.
In replying to corre-
spondence,
telephone calls and e-mails, members of staff
shall endeavour to be as helpful as possible and to answer
enquiries.

Members of staff shall act in accordance with the law and
apply the rules and procedures laid down in Community legis-
lation.

2.
If an enquiry does not fall within their area of responsi-
bility, staff shall refer members of the public to the relevant
Bank department.

Article 5

Non-discrimination

In dealing with requests
1.
members of staff shall ensure that
treatment is observed. Members of
situation shall be treated in the same manner.

and answering enquiries,
the principle of equal
the public in the same

In the event of unequal treatment, members of staff shall
2.
ensure that this is warranted by the objective characteristics of
the matter in question.

3. Members of staff shall avoid all forms of unwarranted
discrimination.

3.

They shall offer apologies in the event of error.

Article 10

Requests for information

1. Where they are competent
concerned, staff shall provide members of
the
ensure
information furnished is clear and comprehensible.

to deal with the request
the public with
the
that

information requested. They

shall

2.
In the event that an oral request for information is too
complicated or complex to deal with, the member of staff
approached shall ask the member of the public concerned to
formulate his/her request in writing.

19.1.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 17/27

If, for reasons of confidentiality and in particular banking
3.
secrecy, a member of staff is unable to divulge the information
requested, he/she shall give the reasons why such information
cannot be provided.

Article 11

Replying to letters in the language used by the citizen

Members of staff shall ensure that, as far as possible, all citizens
writing to the Bank in one of the languages of the Treaty
receive a reply in the same language.

Article 12

Acknowledgement of receipt

1.
Receipt of all letters and requests addressed to the Bank
shall be acknowledged within two weeks of their delivery to
the competent department, except where a substantive reply
can be sent within that period.

In the event that a letter or request is delivered to the
the member of staff who
to the competent department

2.
wrong person within the Bank,
receives it shall
without delay for handling by the latter.

forward it

3.
The acknowledgement of receipt shall indicate the name
of the department and member of staff in charge of the matter.

No acknowledgement of

4.
reply need be
letters or requests
provided where an excessive number of
has been received or where these are of a repetitive or inap-
propriate nature.

receipt or

Article 13

Reasoned replies and their deadlines

1. Members of staff shall ensure that a reply to all requests
and complaints addressed to the Bank is provided within an
acceptable period, without delay, and in any event no later than
two months following receipt.

2. Where, on account of the complexity of the issues raised,
a reply cannot be provided within the abovementioned period,
the member of staff responsible shall inform the correspondent
thereof without delay. In this event, the correspondent shall be
furnished with a definitive reply as soon as possible.

3.
All replies to requests and complaints must be reasoned
in such way that the person concerned is precisely informed of
the grounds and arguments on which they are based.

4. Where it is impossible, on account of the large number of
persons concerned by similar replies, to communicate in detail
the reasoning underlying the reply, and where standard replies
are therefore provided, the member of staff in charge of the
matter shall ensure that citizens who expressly request an
individual reasoned reply are subsequently furnished with one.

5. Members of staff shall refrain from sending any reply to
other external parties unless the persons concerned have been
informed.

Article 14

Records

The Bank’s departments shall keep a record of all requests
received and replies furnished.

Article 15

Data protection

1. Members of staff handling a citizen’s personal data shall
observe the principles set out in Directive 95/46/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of
individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and
on the free movement of such data.

2.
In accordance with their obligations, members of staff
shall especially refrain from processing personal data for
non-legitimate purposes or transmitting such data to unauth-
orised third parties.

Article 16

Complaints

1. Members of staff shall act with respect for the public’s
rights. However, if a person considers that the replies given
violate his/her rights or interests, such person shall be entitled
to lodge a complaint.

All complaints must be made in writing, within two
2.
months of
the correspondence which is the
subject of the complaint, to the Secretary-General of the Bank.

the date of

3.
Furthermore, in accordance with Article 195 of the EC
Treaty, any citizen of the Union or any natural or legal person
residing or having its registered office in a Member State shall
be
complaint with the European
Ombudsman.

entitled to lodge

a

Article 17

Public access to the code

1.
The Bank shall take the necessary measures to ensure that
this code is publicised as widely as possible among the Union’s
citizens.

The Bank shall provide a copy of this code to all citizens

2.
who so request.

This code shall be published in the Official Journal of the

3.
European Communities.

Article 18

Entry into force

This code shall enter into force upon its publication in the
Official Journal of the European Communities.