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REPORT (2024/2056(INI))

On the annual report on the activities of the European Ombudsman in 2023

A-10-2024-0016

Committee on Petitions · Rapporteur: Alex Agius Saliba

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Parliament approves the European Ombudsman's 2023 annual report and commends Emily O'Reilly's work. It calls on the Commission to fix systemic delays in handling public access to documents requests and to respect deadlines under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. The resolution urges the Council to engage in negotiations to revise Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, extend its scope to all EU institutions, and ensure transparency in legislative documents and environmental information. It supports the Ombudsman's work on ethics, conflicts of interest, fundamental rights, and disability rights, and calls for better implementation of ethics rules and the European Accessibility Act.

Committee position. The Committee on Petitions proposes that Parliament approve the Ombudsman's 2023 annual report and adopt the attached resolution, which calls for improved transparency and accountability across EU institutions.

Key points

  1. Approves the Ombudsman's 2023 annual report and congratulates Emily O'Reilly on her work to enhance accountability and transparency of EU institutions.
  2. Calls on the Commission to improve handling of public access to documents requests, address systemic delays urgently, and respect deadlines in Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.
  3. Urges the Council to negotiate a revision of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, extend its scope to all EU institutions, and ensure transparency in legislative documents.
  4. Calls on the Commission to guarantee public access to environmental information and regrets its refusal to disclose greenhouse gas emissions data of the ceramics industry.
  5. Calls on the Council to allow full public access to the legal opinion on the Minimum Wage Directive, as recommended by the Ombudsman.
  6. Stresses that work-related text and instant messages are 'documents' under Regulation 1049/2001 and regrets Commission failures to grant access to such communications.
  7. Supports the Ombudsman's efforts to uphold fundamental rights in migration, including in the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding and EU-funded migration facilities.
  8. Supports the Ombudsman's inquiries into ethics and anti-corruption, including Parliament's implementation of reforms and lobbying transparency.
  9. Calls for improved transparency in the European Defence Fund, the European Investment Bank, and the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
  10. Calls on EPSO to improve recruitment procedures, ensuring remote tests do not disadvantage candidates and offering the option of in-person testing.
  11. Regrets that all Member States fail to fully transpose the European Accessibility Act and calls on the Ombudsman to raise this issue.
  12. Encourages continued cooperation with the Committee on Petitions and the European Network of Ombudsmen, and stresses the need for full compliance with Ombudsman recommendations.

Who is affected

  • The European Commission, which must improve its handling of access to documents requests and ensure transparency in various areas.
  • The Council of the European Union, which is urged to allow public access to legal opinions and engage in negotiations on transparency rules.
  • The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO), which must improve recruitment procedures and offer in-person testing options.
  • Member States, which are failing to transpose the European Accessibility Act and must ensure full implementation.
  • Persons with disabilities, who are affected by the lack of transposition of the Accessibility Act and other disability-related issues.

Figures and deadlines

  • In 2023, the Ombudsman opened 398 inquiries and closed 372.
  • The Commission accounted for 250 inquiries (62.81%) in 2023.
  • In 2023, maladministration was found in 27 (7.3%) closed inquiries.
  • The acceptance rate for Ombudsman proposals in 2023 was 81%.
  • The Commission misses deadlines in 85% of confirmatory requests.

Legal basis: Articles 10(3) TEU, 15, 24(3), 228 and 298(1) TFEU