European Identity - Individual, Group and Society - HumanitarianNet

80 EUROPEAN IDENTITY. INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND SOCIETY“Governance embraces not only Government bodies, but also allof the mechanisms, formal and informal, public and private, thatgenerate a social consensus concerning socially relevant objectives.” 11In the second part of the PAPER, five fundamental elements arespecified for good governance which are to be applied at all levels ofgovernment: openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness andcoherence.The debate on the demand to experience forms of government thataccord with the context in which one lives is stoked not only in thebosom of the institutions closest to the citizens, but also in thoseinstitutions that may be further away because of the subjects confrontedand the openness with which they are presented.The EU also needs citizen commitment from the Member Statesand to initiate projects and campaigns to establish closer contact withthe people and to be easier identifiable and more accessible in terms oflanguage and procedures (openness).Participation in all phases (conception and planning) of policymaking is an element that may favour adhesion at the moment ofimplementation, so that the policies are truly at the disposal of thepeople.Accountability implies transparency and clarity in responsibilitiesand competences; everyone must clearly understand what they expectfrom all the other actors and what is expected of them.Effectiveness in decision making, which looks to the past to plan forthe future, should follow the principle of opportunity and proportionality.The White Paper continues that “…before launching an initiative, itis essential to check systematically if public action is really necessary, ifthe European level is the most appropriate one, and if the measureschosen are proportionate to those objectives.” 12Coherence is that spice used in fine cooking that, although often notseen, can be savoured and which is essential to the outcome of the finalproduct. Citizens, not only Europeans, in recent decades have becomesignificantly more weary and distrustful of institutions, which arefrequently accused of being involved in underhanded business dealingseither in personal or party interests, thus completely losing sight of themotivations to serve with which the institutional responsibility wasinvested.11The White Paper on European Governance by Rosario Sapienza, in AggiornamentiSociali, # 11-01, p. 778.12Idem, p. 780.