Ondrej Dostál, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from the Czech Republic, believes that complaint hotlines can do more than just resolve individual issues. They can demonstrate systemic shortcomings to the government across the region and help facilitate their correction.
Speaking at the Beijing Forum on Public Complaint Rapid Response 2026, Dostál emphasized that Beijing's hotline 12345 holds valuable lessons for European cities striving to improve public services and enhance citizen trust.
He noted that one of the most serious challenges in governance is the gap between people's rights and the actual accessibility of services for them. A hotline like 12345 could overcome this barrier by connecting citizens with the relevant department and providing authorities with a clearer picture of incoming complaints.
Dostál stated: 'If we had similar mechanisms, it would greatly help ordinary people receive the services they need without unnecessary hassle,' adding that such a system would also give citizens a more direct tool to influence governance.
In Dostál's view, Beijing's hotline 12345 clearly demonstrates how digital tools can transform individual grievances into a broad picture of urban needs. By analyzing large volumes of complaints, artificial intelligence can assist officials in identifying recurring problems and making informed policy decisions.
However, he stressed that technology should not govern; decisions must be made by people. Nevertheless, he added that tools like AI can optimize the process of generating new ideas or coordinating solutions to problems.
These tools could be particularly useful in Europe, where administrative responsibilities are distributed among numerous institutions and levels of government. Citizens often have to navigate complex documentation or rely on personal connections to resolve issues. AI could help identify malfunctioning procedures and facilitate quick assistance to the public by officials.
A more important lesson, according to Dostál, is the necessity for governments not just to react to complaints, but to look for patterns and prevent problems from arising in the first place. Analyzing appeals can help authorities target healthcare and social services more effectively, as well as identify everyday environmental issues.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Beijing's approach cannot be directly copied in Europe due to differences in population, legal systems, and administrative structures. Despite this, Beijing's focus on coordination, the use of digital tools, and forecasting public needs offers valuable lessons.
For Dostál, more responsive governance depends not only on implementing new technologies but also on ensuring that these technologies genuinely help people obtain what they need.