Publication of information concerning a senior staff member who left the service of EU in accordance with Article 16(2) and (3) of the Staff Regulations

In January 2023, the former Secretary General (SG) of the European Ombudsman notified the Office of her intention to engage in occupational activities after having left the service of the EU. As Ms D'Aniello was seconded by the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU to the Ombudsman, her request for authorisation was addressed to the General Secretariat of the Council and, consequently, the assessment of her request was issued by the General Secretariat of the Council, which was formally her last employer.

Name of staff member and date of departure from the Ombudsman's Office

Cesira D'Aniello – date of departure: 01.09.2022

Description of the tasks carried out in the Ombudsman's Office during the previous three years

Secretary General from 01.09.2018 to 31.08.2022

Description of the duties intended to be exercised

Ms D'Aniello intended to:

• give  two university  lectures  in  February  2023 ("The Architecture  of  EU  External  Relations", LUISS University, Rome, & “The EU from inside: politics and policy vs administration and management”, College of Europe, Bruges);
• become a member of the Executive Board of Transparency International (TI) EU from June 2023.

Ombudsman's assessment and conclusions

The Ombudsman's below assessment of Ms D'Aniello's intended activities after leaving the service of the EU was included in the assessment issued by the General Secretariat of the Council, which authorised the intended activities subject to the Ombudsman’s condition:  

Pursuant Article 16(2) and (3) of the Staff Regulations of Officials of the EU, the Ombudsman authorised the delivery of the two university lectures. With reference to Ms D'Aniello's position as a member of the Executive Board of TI EU, the Ombudsman identified a potential conflict of interest between Ms D'Aniello's function as former SG in the Ombudsman’s office and her membership of the Executive Board of TI EU. The authorisation was therefore given subject to the condition that, until 1 September  2024, Ms D'Aniello should not take part in any activity concerning any matter arising between the European Ombudsman and TI EU, including lobbying or advocacy vis-a-vis staff of the Ombudsman, in order to respect the mitigation period of Article 16(2) of the Staff Regulations.