Ombudsman invites online participation for interactive "wish list" event with Schulz and Barroso

Source: European Ombudsman i, published on Monday, March 3 2014.

On 4 March, from 9.00 to 11.30 CET, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly i, is organising an interactive event in the European Parliament (EP) in Brussels with EP President Martin Schulz i and Commission President José Manuel Barroso i.

The event is entitled "Your wish list for Europe" and will be webstreamed live at: www.ombudsman.europa.eu . Citizens are invited to submit questions and comments via Twitter using the #EUwishlist hashtag.

Emily O'Reilly explained: "After five years of waiting, it's finally up to the EU's citizens, to decide what kind of Europe they want. In May, a new European Parliament will be elected which will play a greater role in the selection of the Commission President. This event will help to establish an interactive "wish list" for Europe."

As the EU watchdog elected to ensure good administration in Europe, the Ombudsman wants to make sure that Europe lives up to its claim of putting citizens at the heart of decision-making. Which policy areas do citizens want the EU to focus on? What do they expect from those who will lead Europe for the next five years? These questions and others will be addressed by citizens during the event.

More information about the event is available at: http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/activities/calendarevent.faces/en/818/html.bookmark

The European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the EU institutions and bodies. Any EU citizen, resident, or an enterprise or association in a Member State, can lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman offers a fast, flexible, and free means of solving problems with the EU administration. For more information: http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu

For press inquiries: Ms Gundi Gadesmann, Deputy Head of the Communication Unit, tel.: +32 2 284 26 09, Twitter @EUombudsman