The European Ombudsman receives complaints and conducts inquiries into cases of alleged maladministration in the activities of the EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies. The Ombudsman is completely independent in the performance of his or her duties.
More information about the European Ombudsman can be found on his/ her website.
The European Ombudsman and the Commission
The Commission remains the main recipient of the Ombudsman’s inquiries, as the institution with the most direct contacts with EU citizens. Approximately 2/3 of all the Ombudsman’s inquiries concern the Commission.
Specific figures concerning the Commission on a yearly basis can be found in the dedicated section of the European Ombudsman’s Annual Reports for a given year.
Striving for good administration
The Commission is committed to good administration for citizens, businesses and civil society and attaches great importance to the constructive cooperation with the Ombudsman. After thorough investigations, in a large majority of cases, the Ombudsman closes inquiries with no finding of maladministration on the side of the Commission.
In most cases where the Ombudsman issues recommendations, proposals for a solution or suggestions for improvement, the Commission accommodates these proposals. In few cases, where the Commission cannot follow the Ombudsman’s proposals, it duly explains its reasons.
The European Ombudsman’s annual reports
The Ombudsman submits to the European Parliament annual reports about its activities. These annual reports focus on the outcome of the inquiries that the Ombudsman carried out the year before.
The published Ombudsman’s annual reports for the preceding years can be found here.
The European Ombudsman Award for Good Administration
The European Ombudsman award for Good Administration aims to recognise initiatives, projects and other types of work by different departments of the EU’s institutions, agencies, offices and other bodies that have a visible and direct positive impact on the lives of people in Europe and beyond. Over the years, European Commission’s projects are regularly winning the award in different categories.
More information about the past awards and the winning projects is available on the Ombudsman’s website.
Legal references
- Art. 20-2, 24, 228 TFEU
- Art.41, 43 Charter of Fundamental Rights
- Ombudsman Statute
- Ombudsman Implementing Provisions
- The European Code of Good Administrative Behaviour | Publication | European Ombudsman
- Code of Good Administrative Behaviour for Staff of the European Commission in their relations with the public (Decision - EU - 2024/3083 - EN - EUR-Lex)