On 2 June, we had the pleasure of welcoming the European Ombudswoman, Teresa Anjinho, to SEAP’s General Assembly in Brussels.
Her remarks touched on three challenges that go to the heart of our profession.
- First, the shrinking space for meaningful participation. Accelerated decision-making may be understandable in an uncertain geopolitical environment, but it comes at a cost when public consultations are bypassed, impact assessments are curtailed, and dialogue with stakeholders is restricted. Better regulation requires those affected by policy to have a genuine opportunity to contribute to it.
- Second, the patchwork of ethics and conflict-of-interest rules across the EU institutions. The Ombudsman’s recent work on “revolving door” practices in EU agencies has highlighted significant inconsistencies. For public affairs professionals, clearer and more uniform rules are not a burden; they are a foundation for trust and credibility.
- Third, the gap between rules on paper and a genuine culture of integrity. Compliance frameworks matter, but they only work when supported by awareness, training and habits that make good practice the norm rather than the exception.
We were particularly grateful for her reflections on access to documents, the handling of “revolving door” cases, and the accelerated adoption of omnibus packages — all issues of direct relevance to SEAP’s members.
One message came through clearly: lobbying that is opaque, poorly governed or disconnected from the public interest weakens both the quality of legislation and trust in the institutions that make it. That is a challenge our profession must continue to take seriously.
As AI begins to reshape the practice of public affairs, SEAP will also be looking closely at what integrity, transparency and accountability require in this new context.
Many thanks to Teresa Anjinho for her open, thoughtful and timely contribution to our General Assembly. You can read her full speech here.
