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Own-initiative report First reading

Activities of the European Ombudsman – annual report 2023

Parliament sets out its own position on a topic. The resolution is not binding but signals what Parliament wants.

Where it stands: Parliament adopted the text on 17 December 2024. This is its final position on the matter.

  1. ✓ Referred to committee 10 October 2024
  2. ✓ Committee work Report adopted 14 November 2024
  3. ✓ Tabled for plenary 21 November 2024
  4. ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 17 December 2024
  5. ✓ Parliament’s position Final
How a file moves through Parliament

A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. The adopted resolution is Parliament’s final position; it is not itself law.

Who is working on it

Lead committee
PETI — Petitions
Rapporteur
Alex AGIUS SALIBA S&D
Shadow rapporteurs
Peter AGIUS PPEVirginie JORON PfEKosma ZŁOTOWSKI ECRJana TOOM RenewGordan BOSANAC Verts/ALENikos PAPPAS The Left

The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.

The text, version by version

Adopted by Parliament · latest Adopted text TA10-0063/2024 17 December 2024 ✦ Parliament approves the European Ombudsman's 2023 annual report and praises the Ombudsman's work. It calls on the Commission to fix systemic delays in handling public access to documents and to improve transparency.⇄ what changed Tabled for plenary Report A10-0016/2024 21 November 2024 ✦ 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.⇄ what changed Committee draft Draft report (PETI) 12 September 2024 ✦ The draft report approves the European Ombudsman's 2023 annual report and commends her work. It addresses systemic delays in the Commission's handling of public access to documents requests, which the Ombudsman found to be maladministration, and urges the Council to negotiate on revising Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.

Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament: The adopted text drops a reference to local residents' rights and adds support for expanding the Ombudsman network to candidate countries. The other changes are formal: decimal commas replace points and a regulation number gains 'EC'. see the changes →

Committee draft → Tabled for plenary: The report expands on transparency and access to documents, adding calls for reform and extending scope to all EU institutions. It strengthens ethics and accountability provisions, including on lobbying, conflicts of interest, and implementation of reforms after Qatargate. It adds new paragraphs on accessibility for persons with disabilities and on the Ombudsman's acceptance rate, and stresses rights of local residents. It updates language on migration-related actions and recruitment procedures, and adds encouragement for civil society and cooperation with the Petitions Committee. The other changes are formal or wording: updated statistics format, rephrased sentences, and minor terminology adjustments. see the changes →

Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.

Timeline

  1. Plenary stage
  2. 17 December 2024 Plenary vote
    Sitting of 17 December 2024 📄 Report A10-0016/2024📄 Adopted text TA10-0063/2024
    Adopted Adopted by an overwhelming majority
    For 598 Against 17 Abstained 37

    Final vote — text as a whole at 13:01 · 92% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →

    How the vote unfolded · 12 ballots

    adopted rejected lapsed square = amendment circle = part of the text decisive vote Solid = roll call (click for every MEP’s vote); faded = no individual positions

    Show all 12 ballots in voting order
    1. Amendment 4 to paragraph 12 12:59 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – § 12 – Am 4
    Rejected
    2. Separate vote on paragraph 12
    — no individual positions recorded
    Adopted
    3. Amendment 7, adding text after paragraph 12 12:59 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – After § 12 – Am 7
    Rejected
    4. Amendment 5 to paragraph 13 12:59 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – § 13 – Am 5
    Rejected
    5. Separate vote on paragraph 13
    — no individual positions recorded
    Adopted
    6. Separate vote on paragraph 13
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Rejected
    7. Amendment 1, adding text after paragraph 13 13:00 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – After § 13 – Am 1
    Rejected
    8. Amendment 6, adding text after paragraph 13 13:00 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – After § 13 – Am 6
    Rejected
    9. Separate vote on paragraph 16
    electronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded
    Adopted
    10. Amendment 2, adding text after paragraph 19 13:00 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – After § 19 – Am 2
    Rejected
    11. Amendment 3 to paragraph 27 13:01 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – § 27 – Am 3
    Adopted
    12. Final vote — text as a whole 13:01 A10-0016/2024 – Alex Agius Saliba – Motion for a resolution (as a whole)
    Adopted
  3. 16 December 2024 Debated in plenary

    MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.

    Sitting of 16 December 2024 📄 Report A10-0016/2024
  4. 10 December – 11 December 2024 7 amendments tabled for the plenary vote

    Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.

    📄 Amendments 1–3📄 Amendments 4–6📄 Amendment 7
  5. 21 November 2024 Report tabled for plenary

    This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.

    📄 Report A10-0016/2024
  6. Committee stage
  7. 14 November 2024 Committee vote: report adopted

    PETI (Petitions) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.

  8. 10 October 2024 Amendments tabled in committee

    Members of PETI (Petitions) proposed changes to the draft.

    📄 Amendments in committee (PETI)
  9. 10 October 2024 Referred to the PETI (Petitions) committee

    The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.

  10. 12 September 2024 Draft report published

    The rapporteur’s first text in PETI (Petitions). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.

    📄 Draft report (PETI)