Sittings · Document
Draft report (2025/2138(INI)) 2025-12-16
Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2024
Committee on Petitions
Amendment 1
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 10, 13, 18
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| A a. Whereas the work of the Ombudsman contributes to help EU institutions become more efficient, effective, citizen-friendly and accountable, thereby increasing citizens’ trust in the European project; whereas the Ombudsman may have to address in the exercise of her mandate new phenomena that have significantly increased in recent times, such as disinformation and malicious activities from third countries, aimed at undermining citizens’ trust in the EU; |
Or. en
Amendment 2
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 22, 23
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| J. whereas the Ombudsman inquired into the Council of the EU’s continued use of corporate sponsorships, as this has given rise to persistent and considerable public disquiet regarding the influence that sponsors might exert on the EU decision-making process, particularly on deliberations concerning EU policy and legislation affecting such sponsors’ private interests, entailing serious reputational risks for both the Council and the Union as a whole; | J. whereas the Ombudsman examined the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU’s continued use of corporate sponsorships, as this has given rise to public disquiet regarding the influence that sponsors might exert on the EU decision-making process, particularly on deliberations concerning EU policy and legislation affecting such sponsors; |
Or. en
Amendment 3
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 28
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| K. whereas the Ombudsman launched an inquiry on the basis of a complaint by non-governmental organisations that denounced the fact that the all-corporate membership of the EU Energy Platform Industry Advisory Group, set up by the Commission, was at odds with the Commission’s rules on balanced representation; whereas the Ombudsman found the explanations provided by the Commission with regard to the complete exclusion of civil society representatives, even with observer status, from this group unconvincing; whereas the Ombudsman’s inspections revealed that the group discussed and promoted further structural fossil fuel energy supply, with social, environmental, economic and geopolitical implications for the EU; | K. whereas the Ombudsman inquired on how the Commission decided on the composition of the EU Energy Platform Industry Advisory Group; whereas the Ombudsman found the explanations provided by the Commission with regard to the exclusion of civil society representatives, even with observer status, from this Group unconvincing; |
Or. en
Amendment 4
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 30
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| L. whereas the Ombudsman conducted a complaint-based inquiry into the composition of the Commission’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB), the outcome of which confirmed the absence of the necessary social and environmental expertise, in breach of the provisions of the Commission’s communication on the RSB; whereas the Ombudsman also examined how the RSB interacts with interest representatives and determined that if outreach activities of RSB members give rise to doubts as regards the RSB’s independence and impartiality, RSB members should refrain from carrying out such activities; | L. whereas the Ombudsman conducted a complaint-based inquiry into the composition of the Commission’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB), the outcome of which confirmed that the current composition does not sufficiently ensure the social and environmental expertise required under the Commission’s communication on the RSB; whereas the Ombudsman also examined how the RSB interacts with interest representatives and determined that if outreach activities of RSB members give rise to doubts as regards the RSB’s independence and impartiality, RSB members should refrain from carrying out such activities; |
Or. en
Amendment 5
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 35, 36, 37, 38,
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| N. whereas the Ombudsman launched an inquiry into the Commission’s decision to invite only industry representatives to a workshop on pesticides, a working area that has a direct impact on health and the environment, and concluded that the Commission could have ensured greater transparency; whereas the Ombudsman considered public concern surrounding the organisation of industry-only workshops legitimate, as they are perceived as an occasion for industry to unduly influence the Commission’s work; whereas when inquiring into the rules relating to the substitution of hazardous substances in pesticides, including a guidance document on comparative assessment, the Ombudsman expressed particular concern about the Commission’s failure to act in improving the rules on pesticide substitution, despite having been aware since 2020 that they were ineffective; | N. whereas the Ombudsman launched an inquiry into the Commission’s decision to invite only industry representatives to a workshop on pesticides, and concluded that greater transparency could have been ensured, suggesting to the Commission to develop a dedicated webpage, to publish information and documents about upcoming pesticide events as soon as they become available and to ensure that all relevant stakeholders have the opportunity to provide their views; whereas the Ombudsman considered public concern surrounding the organisation of industry-only workshops legitimate, as they are perceived as an occasion for industry to disproportionately influence the Commission’s work; |
Or. en
Amendment 6
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 40, 41, 42
Motion for a resolution
Recital O
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| O. whereas the Ombudsman inquired into how the Commission dealt with the allegations of a conflict of interest involving one of its Commissioners in the context of its handling of an infringement complaint; whereas the Ombudsman confirmed that the Commission decided to assign the infringement complaint to the Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI), despite being alerted to the fact that the brother of the Commissioner for Agriculture was among the members of the Polish Parliament who had proposed the legislation at issue; whereas the Ombudsman found that the manner in which the Commission had assessed the conflict of interest was flawed and perceived as negatively affecting its independence; | O. whereas the Ombudsman inquired into how the Commission dealt with the allegations of a conflict of interest involving one of its Commissioners in the context of its handling of an infringement complaint; |
Or. en
Amendment 7
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 44, 45
Motion for a resolution
Recital P
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| P. whereas Parliament approved with near unanimity the Ombudsman’s Special Report on the time the Commission takes to deal with requests for public access to documents and asked the Commission to correct the systemic delays in its handling of access requests, as they are in breach of the democratic principles set out in the EU Treaties; whereas the Ombudsman found that the Commission missed the legal deadlines for reviewing initial access decisions in 85 % of cases and that delays typically occurred in relation to access requests concerning areas of significant public importance; whereas such delays have particularly serious consequences in the case of legislative documents, as they undermine citizens’ ability to scrutinise EU decisions and policies in a timely manner, hampering their meaningful participation in the democratic life of the EU; | P. whereas Parliament approved with near unanimity the Ombudsman’s Special Report on the time the Commission takes to deal with requests for public access to documents and invited the Commission to address the delays in access requests; whereas the Ombudsman found that the Commission missed the legal deadlines for reviewing initial access decisions in 85 % of cases; whereas delays can be more problematic in the case of legislative documents; |
Or. en
Amendment 8
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 47
Motion for a resolution
Recital Q
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| Q. whereas the Ombudsman launched a number of inquiries into the lack of public access to legislative documents, criticising the Commission’s refusal to grant access to stakeholder and Member State input on the EU Nature Restoration Law3 and to documents on the revision of EU rules on food information to consumers; whereas the Ombudsman examined, from a more systemic viewpoint, the EU institutions’ compliance with the principle of legislative transparency, as laid down in the EU Treaties, and concluded that both the Council and the Commission were failing to give full effect to this principle; | Q. whereas the Ombudsman launched a number of inquiries into the lack of public access to legislative documents, criticising the Commission’s refusal to grant access to stakeholder and Member State input on the EU Nature Restoration Law3 and to documents on the revision of EU rules on food information to consumers; whereas the Ombudsman examined, from a more systemic viewpoint, the EU institutions’ compliance with the principle of legislative transparency, as laid down in the EU Treaties, and concluded that both the Council and the Commission were not adhering fully to this principle; |
| _________________ | _________________ |
| 3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1991/oj). | 3 Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2024 on nature restoration and amending Regulation (EU) 2022/869 (OJ L, 2024/1991, 29.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1991/oj). |
Or. en
Amendment 9
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 49, 51, 52, 54
Motion for a resolution
Recital R
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| R. whereas the Ombudsman inquired into deaths in the Mediterranean Sea and revealed the existence of serious shortcomings in Frontex’s role in search and rescue operations, including the failure to ensure that Frontex’s fundamental rights monitors are sufficiently involved in decision-making on maritime emergencies, as well as the absence of internal Frontex guidelines on issuing emergency signals; whereas the Ombudsman underscored that there is no single accountability mechanism at EU level that could independently investigate the role of the national authorities, the role of Frontex, and the role of the Commission, which is responsible for ensuring compliance with fundamental rights provisions under the EU treaties; | R. whereas the Ombudsman has conducted an inquiry following deaths in the Mediterranean Sea and has suggested an EU accountability mechanism that could independently investigate the respective roles of national authorities, Frontex and the Commission; |
Or. en
Amendment 10
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 57, 58
Motion for a resolution
Recital S
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| S. whereas according to the Ombudsman the Commission’s refusal to disclose documents relating to stakeholder input on its legislative proposal for combating child sexual abuse amounted to maladministration, as it hindered the public from scrutinising the impact and influence of such private stakeholders; | S. whereas according to the Ombudsman the Commission could have provided greater access to documents relating to stakeholder input on its legislative proposal for combating child sexual abuse as limited access hindered the public from scrutinising the impact and influence of such private stakeholders; |
Or. en
Amendment 11
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 66, 67, 68, 71, 72
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 4. Is extremely concerned about the Commission’s breach of the legally binding deadlines for preparing authorisation decisions concerning dangerous chemical substances; stresses that the Commission’s significant delays constitute a major threat to human health and the environment, as companies are able to continue using such chemical substances, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are associated with increased risks of cancer and genetic damage, and with impaired reproductive health; | 4. Is worried about the Commission’s breach of the legally binding deadlines for preparing authorisation decisions concerning dangerous chemical substances, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); underlines that respecting these deadlines is essential to ensure protection of human health and the environment as well as legal certainty and predictability in the EU’s decision-making process; stresses that to address the health and environmental risks posed by the PFAS the Commission should coordinate with Member States, their national and local authorities but also with relevant civil society, academia and scientific institutions, which play an essential role in this field; |
Or. en
Amendment 12
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 77, 78
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 5. Believes that the Commission must address, as a matter of priority, all of the severe shortcomings surrounding its management of risk in relation to substances of very high concern, and reject any requests for authorisation of such substances and ban their use where there is persistent uncertainty with regard to the protection of human health and the environment; is firmly convinced that the Commission should fully implement all of the recommendations resulting from the Ombudsman’s inquiry, including a recommendation that applications for authorisation of a substance of very high concern that lack all of the necessary information be rejected to ensure that companies are not allowed to continue using these dangerous substances; | 5. Believes that the Commission must address, as a matter of priority, all of the severe shortcomings surrounding its management of risk in relation to substances of very high concern, including by revising its internal procedures to ensure that it can take swifter decisions on these applications, in line with the goals of the REACH Regulation to protect human health and the environment; is convinced that the Commission should implement the recommendations resulting from the Ombudsman’s inquiry, including the one concerning applications lacking all of the necessary information; |
Or. en
Amendment 13
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 82, 83, 84, 87
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 6. Strongly believes that the continued authorisation of hazardous pesticides must end immediately; stresses that the Commission must significantly improve the rules on the substitution of hazardous substances in pesticides in order to favour safe non-chemical alternatives and swiftly move towards a sustainable food system and a toxin-free environment; urges the Commission to refrain from approving ‘active substances’ used in pesticides where no safe use has been identified or where additional data confirming their safety is needed, given the already very harmful consequences that the use of pesticides has had for human health and the environment, in full application of the precautionary principle; calls on the Commission to ensure that the approval process is fully transparent and free from conflicts of interest, and to commit to putting an end to the use of all synthetic pesticides by 2035 at the latest; | 6. Stresses that the Commission should improve the rules on the substitution of hazardous substances in pesticides in order to better take into account efficient, safe non-chemical alternatives; calls on the Commission to ensure that the approval process is fully transparent and follows strict safeguards against conflicts of interest duly taking into account the suggestions for improvement by the Ombudsman; |
Or. en
Amendment 14
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 88, 91, 92
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 7. Stresses that the EU institutions must guarantee the full transparency of, and the highest levels of citizen participation in, the EU’s decision-making process; considers it to be of the utmost importance to ensure that citizens can hold decision-makers to account, fully exercise their democratic rights and have access to all relevant information and documents, particularly those of a legislative nature, including while the legislative process is ongoing, as also stipulated in CJEU case law; emphasises that the EU institutions, agencies, bodies and offices must ensure full transparency and adhere to the highest ethical standards in their interactions with private stakeholders; | 7. Stresses that the EU institutions must guarantee transparency of, and the highest adequate levels of citizen participation in the EU’s decision-making process; considers it to be of the utmost importance to ensure that citizens can hold decision-makers to account, fully exercise their democratic rights and have access to all relevant information and documents, particularly those of a legislative nature, as also stipulated in CJEU case law; emphasises that the EU institutions, agencies, bodies and offices must ensure transparency of political negotiations, while taking into account the need for their efficient conduct and the adherence to the highest ethical standards in their interactions with private stakeholders; |
Or. en
Amendment 15
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 102, 104, 105, 106
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 9. Highlights the paramount importance of the Ombudsman’s activities in helping to improve the balanced composition of the Commission’s expert groups, in particular the EU Energy Platform Industry Advisory Group, given the high social and environmental stakes involved with regard to energy policies; strongly regrets that the Commission decided to completely exclude civil society representatives from this Group, giving fossil fuel industries privileged and unmonitored access to EU policymakers and increasing their influence on EU decision-making, thereby undermining citizens’ trust, public scrutiny and transparency; | 9. Highlights the importance of the Ombudsman’s activities in increasing transparency and helping to improve the balanced composition of the Commission’s expert groups, in particular the EU Energy Platform Industry Advisory Group, given the high economic, social and environmental stakes involved with regard to energy policies; notes that the Commission decided not to include civil society representatives in this Group; is of the opinion that the European public should be informed of the profile of all members of the expert groups; |
Or. en
Amendment 16
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 113, 115
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 11. Supports the Ombudsman’s suggestions for improving the RSB; considers it essential for RSB members to assess both the actual risk of undue influence and the public perception of their independence when choosing their outreach activities, and to avoid holding meetings with individual interest representatives; calls on the Commission to ensure that the composition of the RSB fully reflects the diversity of expertise specified in its related communication, i.e. the three pillars of sustainable development, namely macro- and microeconomics, social policy and environment policy, and to clearly describe the criteria it applies in selecting RSB members, given the key role played by the RSB and the significant influence of its opinions on Commission decision-making in the area of EU lawmaking; | 11. Notes the Ombudsman’s suggestions for improving the RSB; calls on the Commission to ensure that the composition of the RSB fully reflects the diversity of expertise specified in its related communication; |
Or. en
Amendment 17
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 118, 119, 120, 121
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 12. Commends the Ombudsman’s investigations into how the Commission prepared a proposal to amend legislation related to the common agricultural policy; deplores the fact that the Commission, in preparing the proposal concerned, did not carry out an impact assessment, chose not to consult environmental organisations and failed to appropriately consult the general public; strongly regrets the Commission’s decision to weaken the CAP’s environmental requirements without comprehensively examining the available evidence to ensure that the new rules did not undermine the EU’s environmental and climate goals and the sustainability of EU agriculture in the long run, thus violating the principle of evidence-based decision-making, as laid down in its Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox, as well as in case-law; | 12. Notes the Ombudsman’s ongoing inquiry into how the Commission prepared a proposal to amend legislation related to the common agricultural policy without an impact assessment and with limited consultation of stakeholders, in particular farmers; emphasises the need to uphold the principles of evidence-based decision-making, as enshrined in the Commission Better Regulation Guidelines and Toolbox as well as in case-law; |
Or. en
Amendment 18
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 125, 126, 127
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 13. Expresses its appreciation for the Ombudsman’s outstanding work in urging the Commission to guarantee the full and meaningful inclusion of all social and environmental stakeholders in its decision-making process, and in helping to prevent the decision-making process from being unduly influenced by industry; | 13. Expresses its appreciation for the Ombudsman’s work in urging the Commission to guarantee the participation of all economic, social and environmental stakeholders in its decision-making process, and in helping to ensure the integrity of the decision-making process; |
Or. en
Amendment 19
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 130, 132, 133, 134, 135
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 14. Considers it essential that the Commission fully and consistently implement the Ombudsman’s suggestions for improving its handling of potential conflicts of interest involving its Commissioners, namely to ensure that any decision-making process supervised directly or indirectly by the Commissioner(s) concerned is suspended until a final decision is taken on the existence of a conflict of interest, and to inform the relevant departments of the allegation in a timely manner so that they can start reviewing or suspend any relevant ongoing decision-making process at the earliest possible opportunity; | 14. Considers it essential that the Commission takes into consideration the Ombudsman’s suggestions for improving its handling of conflicts of interest involving its Commissioners, with a view to safeguarding the integrity of the decision-making process; in this context, highlights the Ombudsman’s contribution towards increasing ethics and transparency of EU institutions in relation to revolving doors policy, cooling-off periods and potential conflicts of interest in cases of former Commissioners and former senior staff of EU institutions or agencies who take up new jobs in the private sector; |
Or. en
Amendment 20
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 136, 138, 139
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 15. Underlines the fact that public access to the documents held by EU institutions is a fundamental right set out in the EU Treaties, and plays a crucial role in ensuring that the EU institutions operate in a transparent manner, thereby reinforcing the legitimacy of, and public trust in, the EU; expects the Commission to significantly improve its handling of requests for public access to documents, including through the timely implementation of all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations, thus demonstrating in practice that transparency is the governing rule and a fundamental priority; considers that if the Commission’s significant delays in processing requests for public access to documents persist, it will be necessary to bring an action against it before the CJEU on the grounds of infringement of the Treaties, including Article 15(3) TFEU on the right of EU citizens and residents to access documents; | 15. Underlines the fact that public access to the documents held by EU institutions is a fundamental right set out in the EU Treaties, and plays a crucial role in ensuring that the EU institutions operate in a transparent manner, thereby reinforcing the legitimacy of, and public trust in, the EU, including through the timely implementation of all of the Ombudsman’s recommendations, thus demonstrating in practice that transparency is the governing rule and a fundamental priority; calls on the Commission to improve the way it handles such requests, to deal with its systemic delays, including through the use of digital tools and simplified procedures; underlines that citizens’ right to public access to information applies to written physical and electronic documents, as well as to audio and audiovisual recordings related to policies, activities and decisions of the EU institutions, and recalls that work-related text messages and instant messages are considered ‘documents’ under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001; |
Or. en
Amendment 21
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 141, 143
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 16. Regrets that, in many instances, the Council and the Commission have refused to disclose legislative documents, using vague, abstract, and unsubstantiated arguments or relying on reasoning already dismissed by the CJEU; appreciates the Ombudsman’s key work in this area to ensure that the EU institutions concerned promptly disclose legislative documents, and stresses that a refusal to grant public access to documents can only occur in truly exceptional circumstances; | 16. Notes that the Council and the Commission have refused to disclose legislative documents, relying on reasoning already dismissed by the CJEU; appreciates the Ombudsman’s key work in this area to ensure that the EU institutions concerned promptly disclose legislative documents, and stresses that a refusal to grant public access to documents can only occur in truly exceptional circumstances; |
Or. en
Amendment 22
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 150, 151, 152
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 17. Underlines that Frontex must fully comply with fundamental rights in all of its activities, including in its direct or indirect engagement in search and rescue operations, and fully and consistently comply with relevant international human rights law; stresses that under the applicable EU and international legal framework Member States are obliged to render assistance to any vessel or person in distress at sea, regardless of the nationality or status of the person or the circumstances in which that person is found; | 17. Stresses that Frontex must operate within the provisions enshrined in its regulation, including the obligations related to fundamental rights as well as with relevant international law; takes note of the reform of the Frontex mandate announced by the President of the Commission for 2026; expects that reinforcing the mandate, resources and budget of Frontex would ensure that the Agency can perform its work under the best possible conditions in order to better support Member States, including in search and rescue operations; |
Or. en
Amendment 23
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 161, 162, 165, 170
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 19. Stresses that the Ombudsman criticised the Commission for its lack of transparency with regard to the human rights information that it relied on before signing the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and expressed concerns about the absence of a prior human rights impact assessment, in particular in relation to the ‘Migration and mobility’ pillar of the MoU; expects the Commission to implement all of the Ombudsman’s suggestions for improvement in a timely manner, applying the most effective measures and upholding the highest standards of human rights protection in all migration-related issues; | 19. Notes the Ombudsman´s commitment to fundamental rights; notes that the Ombudsman asked for greater transparency with regard to the human rights information considered before signing the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding (MoU); |
Or. en
Amendment 24
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 175, 176
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 20. Criticises the Commission’s refusal to follow the Ombudsman’s recommendation to give greater public access to documents related to the drawing up of proposed legislation to combat child sexual abuse, thus failing to ensure that citizens can verify that it acted independently, and exclusively in the public interest; | 20. Regrets the Commission’s refusal to follow the Ombudsman’s recommendation to grant greater public access to documents related to the drafting of proposed legislation to combat child sexual abuse; recalls that citizens should be able to scrutinise the Commission’s work on legislative proposals; underlines that transparency is of particular importance in this context, as the proposal directly touches upon the protection of children, citizens’ fundamental rights and private life; |
Or. en
Amendment 25
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 178, 181, 182, 183
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 21. Appreciates the Ombudsman’s decision to open an inquiry into how the Commission carried out targeted data collection on the impact of the wolf population in the EU; deplores the fact that the Commission cited a Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe Specialist Group report to justify downgrading the wolf’s legal protection status in the EU, although it had previously used the same report as the basis for opposing a proposal of the same nature, and despite the fact that no significant changes in wolf populations were recorded; is deeply concerned that the decision to downgrade the protected status of wolves lacks any sound scientific basis, a situation exacerbated by the fact that there was no public access to the relevant documents and insufficient efforts were made to implement adequate preventive measures, which is at odds with the provisions of the Bern Convention4 ; fears that this decision has created a worrying precedent endangering the overall approach to conservation goals and the management of wildlife and natural habitats; | 21. Takes note of the Ombudsman’s decision to open an inquiry into the Commission data collection on the impact of the wolf population in the EU; notes, however, that in accordance with the Ombudsman's statute, the inquiry had to be closed due to a pending case with the European Court of Justice (T-634/24), where the same issues are raised; underlines the importance of basing any decision regarding the legal protection status of wolves on scientific evidence and the protection of rural communities; |
| _________________ | |
| 4 Convention on the Conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats; |
Or. en
Amendment 26
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 188, 190, 191, 192, 193
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 22. Welcomes the Ombudsman’s series of proposals to the Commission on improving transparency in the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, which serves as a forum to coordinate approaches and deepen trade, economic and technology relations; believes that the Ombudsman’s recommendations must be swiftly implemented and be coupled with additional legally-binding requirements to uphold the highest transparency and accountability standards, especially in light of the Commission’s recent seriously damaging political agreement to further increase the EU’s dependence on the United States in various critical sectors, including defence, AI and fossil fuels, combined with commitments to weaken EU energy regulations, which is detrimental to the EU Green Deal and creates disadvantageous imbalances for the food and agricultural sectors in the EU; | 22. Welcomes the Ombudsman’s series of proposals to the Commission on improving transparency in the EU-US Trade and Technology Council, which serves as a forum to coordinate approaches and deepen trade, economic and technology relations; believes that the Ombudsman’s recommendations must be swiftly implemented to uphold the highest transparency and accountability standards; |
Or. en
Amendment 27
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 122, 145, 200
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 22 a. Appreciates the Ombudsman series of suggestions to help the Commission to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in its decision-making remains accountable; stresses the need for EU institutions to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence systems remain under effective human oversight and complies with the principles of transparency, accountability and fundamental rights; believes that decision-making should not be delegated to these systems; stresses the importance of providing adequate training to public officials responsible for human oversight of AI to properly assess risks and verify AI-generated results; encourages the Commission to increase transparency by clearly communicating information on future AI projects and to hold public consultations on the development of new AI tools; calls on the Ombudsman to continue monitoring developments in this field; |
Or. en
Amendment 28
Cristina Guarda
Compromise Amendment replacing Amendment(s): 146, 197, 204
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
| Motion for a resolution | Amendment |
| 23 a. Notes with concern the deficiencies identified by the Ombudsman in the functioning of the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO); is alarmed by the Ombudsman’s conclusions of multiple cases of maladministration due to EPSO’s failure in handling candidate complaints, notably concerning remote testing procedures and platform deficiencies, often providing complainants with contradictory information, demonstrating lack of flexibility and taking unreasonable decisions; calls on EPSO to take all necessary measures to urgently remedy all shortcomings in order to restore the integrity, transparency and accountability of recruitment procedures; |
Or. en