European Ombudsman

The European Ombudsman is an independent and impartial body that holds the EU’s institutions and bodies to account, as well as promoting good administration. The Ombudsman helps people, businesses and organisations facing problems with the EU’s administration by investigating complaints about maladministration by EU institutions and bodies, but also by proactively looking into broader systemic issues.

The office of European Ombudsman was originally established by the Treaty on European Union (1992) and its current legal basis is Article 228 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Emily O’Reilly, the current Ombudsman, has held the position since 1 October 2013.

The Ombudsman’s main objective is to support the EU institutions in becoming more effective, transparent and accountable.

The Ombudsman can open an investigation on her own initiative or following a complaint, if an EU institution or body fails to respect:

fundamental rights
legal rules or principles
the principles of good administration.

Any EU citizen, resident or enterprise or association in an EU Member State can lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman about maladministration.

Complaints may relate to:

access to information
administrative delay
unfairness or discrimination
lack of transparency.

Where the Ombudsman finds maladministration, she refers it to the institution concerned and, where necessary, submits draft recommendations to which the institution must reply within 3 months. If the institution does not agree to the proposed recommendations, the Ombudsman may not impose a solution but is able to submit a report on the question to the European Parliament so that it can take the appropriate measures.

The Ombudsman cannot investigate:

complaints against national, regional, or local authorities in Member States, even when the complaints are related to EU matters;
the activities of national courts or ombudsmen;
complaints against businesses or private individuals.