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The case concerned the alleged failure of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Complaints Mechanism to handle a complaint in a timely manner. The Ombudsman inquired into the issue and found that the delay was justified due to the complexity of the subject matter of the complaint. The Ombudsman therefore found no maladministration by the EIB.

The case concerned the Commission’s failure to reply to the complainant’s correspondence in the context of a financial audit at the Member State level. Following the Ombudsman’s intervention, the Commission replied. It disclosed the document requested by the complainant but redacted some personal data (names of physical persons). The Ombudsman found that the Commission correctly justified the redaction under Regulation 45/2001.

The complainant informed OLAF of alleged mismanagement of EU funds in Greece. OLAF failed to acknowledge the complainant's correspondence and failed also to inform the complainant of whatever action it had taken and of the outcome. Following the Ombudsman's intervention, OLAF acknowledged the procedural shortcomings in its handling of the case and apologised. It also took steps to avoid similar situations in the future. Finally, OLAF informed the complainant of the steps it had taken as regards the substance of its case. The Ombudsman concluded that OLAF had settled the complaint. However the Ombudsman made a further remark with a view to improving OLAF procedures as regards its monitoring of closed cases transmitted to competent national authorities.

Denne undersøgelse på eget initiativ omhandler måden, hvorpå Europa-Kommissionen sikrer, at de grundlæggende rettigheder, der er fastsat i Den Europæiske Unions charter om grundlæggende rettigheder, overholdes, når EU's samhørighedspolitik gennemføres i medlemsstaterne. Den blev iværksat, da Unionen indledte en ny syvårs finansieringsperiode fra 2014-2020 på et nyt retsgrundlag.

EU's samhørighedspolitik har til formål at reducere forskellene imellem udviklingsniveauerne i de forskellige EU-regioner. I betragtning af hvor synlig Unionen er i de projekter, der finansieres gennem samhørighedspolitikken – lige fra forbedring af beredskabstjenesterne i Rumænien til rydning af minefelter i Kroatien – mener Ombudsmanden, at Kommissionen bør gøre alt for at sikre, at de grundlæggende rettigheder overholdes, sideløbende med at pengene bruges. Det forhold, at Kommissionen ikke er direkte ansvarlig for forvaltning af midlerne, bør aldrig bruges som grund til ikke at gribe ind i tilfælde, hvor de grundlæggende rettigheder er blevet, eller risikerer at blive, krænket.

Undersøgelsen på eget initiativ har omfattet Kommissionen, nationale ombudsmænd og repræsentanter for civilsamfundet. På baggrund af deres feedback har Ombudsmanden udarbejdet otte retningslinjer for forbedringer, som kan være til støtte for Kommissionen, når den fører tilsyn med medlemsstaterne på dette område.

The case concerned a Swedish company that participated in a project financed by the European Commission's FP7 programme. Whilst the project was being implemented, the Commission decided to audit the company. The company disagreed with the audit results and, after the Commission had confirmed them, lodged a complaint with the European Ombudsman alleging a lack of objectivity on the part of the Commission and a failure to comply with the applicable rules.

The Ombudsman inquired into the issue and found no maladministration by the Commission. In particular, the audit results relating to the company's labour costs were based on the information that was available to the Commission at the relevant time. She suggested to the complainant that if it has further evidence, it consider submitting it to the Commission for its consideration. As regards the calculation of the company's productive time, the information which the complainant provided did not appear to be sufficient to permit the Commission to calculate the actual individual productive time, in accordance with the requirements of the FP7 rules. Consequently, the Ombudsman closed the case.