As a general preliminary remark, the Ombudsman recalls that, on many occasions, the Commission itself recognised the importance of citizens' complaints in raising awareness about problems in the implementation of EU environmental law. This was so since citizens are often the very first persons to become aware of breaches of environmental law potentially taking place near their home. It is thus extremely important for the Commission fully to develop its dialogue with complainants. This implies that the few procedural guarantees which so far exist in favour of complainants in infringement cases, and which were granted in 2002 by the Commission itself in its Communication on relations with the complainants in respect of infringements of EU law (updated in 2012), should not be interpreted restrictively.