Press Release: Ombudsman opens investigation into Commission’s expert groups

The European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, announced on the 14 May 2014 that she was opening an investigation on her own initiative into the composition and transparency of the European Commission's expert groups.

As a first step, she was asking interested persons and organisations for feedback on how balanced the representation of relevant areas of expertise and interest is in different groups, how transparent the groups are and how well the application procedures work.

Expert groups are consultative bodies that advise the European Commission on the preparation of legislative proposals and policy initiatives, the implementation of legislation, programmes and existing Union policies, and the preparation of delegated acts.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Internal Market and Services: Expert Groups http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/internal_market/expert-groups/index_en.htm

European Commission: Sport: Cooperation: Policy: Expert Groups http://ec.europa.eu/sport/policy/cooperation/expert_groups_en.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/ http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regexpert/

European Commission: Innovation Union: Expert Groups http://ec.europa.eu/research/innovation-union/index_en.cfm?pg=expert-groups

European Commission: Education and training: Discover the EU's role: Stratetigc framework: Expert Groups http://ec.europa.eu/education/policy/strategic-framework/expert-groups_en.htm

European Commission: European Research Area: Expert Groups http://ec.europa.eu/research/era/partnership/expert/expert_groups_en.htm

ESO: Background information: Corporate interest dominates EU 'expert groups,' transparency NGO says http://www.europeansources.info/record/corporate-interest-dominates-eu-expert-groups-transparency-ngo-says/

Alter-EU: Tag: Balanced expert groups http://www.alter-eu.org/taxonomy/term/22

EUObserver, 14.05.14: Ombudsman to investigate EU expert groups http://euobserver.com/news/124137

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