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DRAFT REPORT (2026/2073(INI))

On the annual report on the activities of the European Ombudsman in 2025

PETI-PR-790160

Committee on Petitions · Rapporteur: AdrianGeorge Axinia

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This is a draft report by the Committee on Petitions on the European Ombudsman's 2025 annual report. It approves the report and sets out Parliament's views on the Ombudsman's inquiries. It welcomes the Ombudsman's work on transparency, access to documents, integrity, fundamental rights and the rights of persons with disabilities, and calls on the Commission and other bodies to act on her findings. It raises concerns about delays in access-to-documents handling, the justification of urgent legislative proposals, REACH authorisation delays, infringement procedure delays and EPSO recruitment problems. It calls for continued cooperation between the Ombudsman and Parliament, and for the Commission to implement the Ombudsman's recommendations more consistently.

Committee position. The rapporteur proposes that Parliament approve the Ombudsman's 2025 annual report, welcome her work on transparency, integrity, fundamental rights and disability rights, and call on the Commission and other bodies to implement her recommendations and address identified shortcomings.

Key points

  1. Approves the Ombudsman's 2025 annual report and commends her presentation of the Office's key activities.
  2. Welcomes the Ombudsman's commitment to a citizen-oriented, accountable EU administration and congratulates the Office on its 30-year anniversary.
  3. Notes with concern that access to documents remained a major subject of inquiries, and calls on the Commission to comply fully with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 deadlines and give reasoned refusals.
  4. Welcomes the EUAA's decision to grant wide access to documents on reception conditions in Cypriot migration facilities and the Commission's full access to documents on the rule of law procedure in Hungary.
  5. Supports the Ombudsman's recommendation that the Commission apply Better Regulation principles predictably and keep accelerated legislative procedures exceptional, justified and documented.
  6. Calls on the Commission to urgently address REACH authorisation delays without disproportionate burdens on the chemicals industry or lower safety standards.
  7. Welcomes the inquiry into transparency, inclusiveness and accountability in adopting harmonised standards for AI, and stresses balanced representation of civil society, industry, SMEs and technical experts.
  8. Welcomes the EIB's decision to proactively publish environmental and social assessments for projects outside the EU likely to have significant environmental impact before financing decisions.
  9. Welcomes the Ombudsman's recommendations to tighten revolving-door rules for EU agencies and the Commission's improved conflict-of-interest measures for European Defence Fund experts.
  10. Calls on the Ombudsman to examine the Commission's financing of civil society organisations that lobby Parliament and the Commission, requiring transparency and conflict-of-interest safeguards.
  11. Urges the Commission to implement the Ombudsman's suggestions on transparency in monitoring fundamental rights compliance in EU funds for Greek border management and in the EU-Tunisia Memorandum of Understanding.
  12. Calls on the Commission to reduce delays in infringement procedures and improve public communication, and on EPSO to modernise recruitment and improve digital systems.

Who is affected

  • The European Commission, which is asked to improve access-to-documents handling, justify urgent proposals, address REACH and infringement delays and implement recommendations.
  • EU agencies including Frontex, EUAA, Europol, OLAF, EIB and EPSO, which are subject to Ombudsman inquiries and follow-up.
  • EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, which must uphold transparency, integrity and fundamental rights standards.
  • Persons with disabilities, whose rights in EU recruitment and staff matters are the subject of Ombudsman inquiries.
  • The European Ombudsman, who is asked to continue monitoring Frontex and examine Commission funding of civil society organisations.

Figures and deadlines

  • 492 inquiries opened in 2025, of which 480 complaint-based, 11 own-initiative and one strategic.
  • 405 inquiries closed in 2025 (398 complaint-based, 4 own-initiative and 3 strategic).
  • Inquiries opened increased by 19 % compared to 2024.
  • The Commission accounted for 293 inquiries or 59.6 % of the total.
  • No maladministration found in 18.3 % of closed cases; solution settled in 63.0 %; maladministration found in 4.2 %.
  • Top concerns: transparency and accountability 38.1 %, culture of service 18.3 %, infringement procedures 11.9 %.
  • Total acceptance rate of the Ombudsman's proposals for 2025 was 72 %; 89 % of solution proposals were accepted.
  • Frontex was subject to 18 inquiries in 2025 (3.7 % of the total).

Legal basis: Articles 10(3) of the Treaty on European Union and Articles 15, 24(3), 228 and 298(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.