With the aim of helping to build greater trust between citizens and the EU institutions, the European Ombudsman Office has just published a brochure containing five public service principles that should guide the conduct of EU civil servants:

1. Commitment to the European Union and its citizens
2. Integrity
3. Objectivity
4. Respect for others
5. Transparency

The principles take into account best practice in the Member States and were established following an extensive period of reflection and public consultation. They are not new, but represent existing expectations of citizens and civil servants. They constitute the fundamental ethical standards that govern the conduct of EU civil servants and, as such, they constitute a vital component of the administrative culture of service to which the EU institutions adhere.