Article 33: The principle of democratic equality

The Union's operation shall be founded on the principle of the equality of citizens, who shall receive equal attention from the Union's institutions.

Article 34: The principle of participatory democracy

1. Every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union.

2. The Union institutions shall, by appropriate means, give citizens and representative associations the opportunity to make known and publicly exchange their opinions on all areas of Union action.

3. The Union institutions shall maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with representative associations and civil society.

Article 35: The European Ombudsman

An Ombudsman shall be appointed to receive, investigate and report on complaints concerning instances of maladministration within the Union institutions.

Article 35a: Political parties at European level

Political parties at European level contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union.

Article 36: Transparency of the proceedings of the Union's institutions

1. In order to promote good governance and ensure the participation of civil society, the Union institutions shall conduct their work as openly as possible.

2. The European Parliament shall meet in public, as shall the Council when it is discussing a legislative proposal.

3. Any citizen of the Union, man or woman, and any natural or legal person residing in a Member State, shall have a right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents in whatever form they are produced, and to those of the agencies and bodies created by those institutions.

4. General principles, conditions and limits which, on grounds of public or private interest, govern the right of access to documents shall be determined by the European Parliament and the Council in accordance with the legislative procedure.

5. Each institution, agency or body referred to in paragraph 2 shall determine in its own Rules of Procedure specific provisions regarding access to its documents.

Article 36a: Protection of personal data

1. Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her.

2. The Parliament and the Council, in accordance with the legislative procedure, shall adopt the rules relating to the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union's institutions and bodies, and by the Member States when carrying out activities which come under the scope of Union law, and the rules relating to the free movement of such data.

Article 37: Status of churches and non-confessional organisations

1. The European Union respects and does not prejudice the status under national law of churches and religious associations or communities in the Member States.

2. The European Union equally respects the status of philosophical and non-confessional organisations.

3. The Union shall maintain a regular dialogue with these churches and organisations, recognising their identity and their specific contribution.

To see the articles and comments of the presidium, click: http://european-convention.eu.int/docs/Treaty/CV00650.EN03.pdf

To see ammendments to these articles see: http://european-convention.eu.int/amendemTrait.asp?lang=EN