Members of the European Network of Ombudsmen

Belgium

Public sector ombudsmen in Belgium exist at the federal and regional levels.

Le Médiateur fédéral / De federale Ombudsman

Rue de Louvain 48, bte 6 / Leuvenseweg 48 bus 6
BE - 1000 Bruxelles / BE - 1000 Brussel

Bulgaria

The National Ombudsman of Bulgaria intervenes when citizens' rights and freedoms have been violated by actions or omissions of the state and municipal authorities and their administrations as well as by the persons designated to provide public services.

Омбудсман на Република България
22 George Washington Street BG -1000 Sofia
Tel.:+359 2 81 06 955
Fax:+359 2 81 06 963
http://www.ombudsman.bg

Czech Republic

The Czech Public Defender of Rights investigates complaints against administrative authorities at the state level, and, under certain circumstances, administrative authorities at the local level.

Veřejný ochránce práv
Údolní 39 CZ-602 00 Brno
Tel.:+420 542 542 888
Fax:+420 542 542 772
http://www.ochrance.cz

Denmark

The Danish Ombudsman deals with complaints against the public administration at both state and local levels.

Folketingets Ombudsmand
Gammel Torv 22 DK-1457 Copenhagen K
Tel.:+45 33 13 25 12
Fax:+45 33 13 07 17
http://www.ombudsmanden.dk

Germany

Public sector ombudsmen in Germany exist in four of the sixteen regions. There is a Committee on Petitions at the federal level, as well as Committees on Petitions in each of the sixteen regions.

Petitionsausschuss
Deutscher Bundestag Platz der Republik 1 DE-11011 Berlin
Tel.:+49 30 227 35257
Fax:+49 30 227 36053
https://epetitionen.bundestag.de/epet/peteinreichen.html
Regional Ombudsmen >

Estonia

The Chancellor of Justice of Estonia supervises the constitutionality of legislation and deals with complaints submitted by individuals about abuse of public authority at both state and local levels.

Õiguskantsler
Kohtu 8 EE-15193 Tallinn
Tel.:+372 693 8400
Fax:+372 693 8401
http://www.oiguskantsler.ee

Ireland

The National Ombudsman of Ireland examines complaints about the administrative actions of Government Departments, the Health Service Executive, local authorities and An Post.

Office of the Ombudsman

6 Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2
Ireland

Greece

The Greek Ombudsman investigates individual administrative actions or omissions or material actions taken by Greek government departments or public services that infringe upon the personal rights or violate the legal interests of individuals or legal entities.

Ombudsman
17 Halkokondyli Street GR - 10432 Athens
Tel.:+30 213 1306 600
Fax:+30 213 1306 800
http://www.synigoros.gr

Spain

Spain is organised territorially into municipalities, provinces, and autonomous communities. In line with this territorial organisation, in addition to the National Ombudsman of Spain, there are a number of regional and local ombudsmen. The links in the list below give information about the National Ombudsman of Spain and the Regional Ombudsmen, where they exist. Not all autonomous communities have yet established a Regional Ombudsman.

Defensor del Pueblo
Paseo Eduardo Dato, 31 y Calle Zurbano, 42 ES-28010 Madrid
Tel.:+34 91 432 79 00
Fax:+34 91 308 11 58
https://www.defensordelpueblo.es
Regional Ombudsmen >

France

The French Defender of Rights is an independent administrative authority. The institution combines the areas of competence of the Médiateur de la République (French Ombudsman), the Défenseur des enfants (Children's Ombudsman) and the Haute Autorité de lutte contre les discriminations et pour l’égalité (HALDE, equality and anti-discrimination authority), as well as the Commission nationale de déontologie de la sécurité (CNDS, national commission on security ethics). The establishment of the Defender of Rights means that a single authority is responsible for the protection of rights.

Défenseur des droits
7 rue Saint-Florentin FR - 75008 Paris
Tel.:+33 1 53 29 22 00
Fax:+33 1 53 29 22 45
http://www.defenseurdesdroits.fr

Croatia

The People's Ombudsman of Croatia deals with complaints against the governmental administration bodies, bodies vested with public powers or officials in such bodies when they deal with tasks within their respective competence.

Pučki pravobranitelj

Savska cesta 41/3 (Zagrepčanka building)
HR-10 000 Zagreb

Italy

Italy does not yet have either a national Ombudsman or a national Committee on Petitions. However, at national level, there it is an associative body for the dissemination and enhancement of the institutional role of ombudsman and for relations with European Ombudsman: the National Coordination Body of Regional and Autonomous Provinces Ombudsmen.

Coordinamento Nazionale dei Difensori Civici delle Regioni e delle Province autonome
Via Pietro Cossa, 41 IT-00193 Roma
Tel.:+39 06 3600 3673
Fax:+39 06 3600 4775
http://www.difesacivicaitalia.it/
Regional Ombudsmen >

Cyprus

The Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Cyprus investigates complaints against public services of the Republic of Cyprus whose actions may have infringed human rights, legality, or the principles of good administration.  The Ombudsman can also investigate correct behaviour where the relevant action has directly affected an individual.

Γραφείο Επιτρόπου Διοικήσεως
Era House Diagorou 2 CY-1097 Nicosia
Tel.:+357 22 405500
Fax:+357 22 672881
http://www.ombudsman.gov.cy

Latvia

The Ombudsman of Latvia is responsible for protecting human rights and promoting the observance of the principles of good administration. The Ombudsman investigates complaints and conducts inquiries in these two fields.

Valsts Tiesibsarga birojs
Baznicas iela 25 LV-1010 Rīga
Tel.:+371 67686768
Fax:+371 67244074
http://www.tiesibsargs.lv

Lithuania

The Seimas Ombudsmen's Office of the Republic of Lithuania investigates complaints against the public administration at both state and local levels.

Seimo kontrolierių įstaiga
Gedimino pr. 56 LT-01110 Vilnius
Tel.:+370 5 266 51 05
Fax:+370 5 266 51 38
http://www.lrski.lt

Luxembourg

The National Ombudsman of Luxembourg investigates complaints against the public administration at the national and local levels.

Ombudsman
36, rue du Marché-aux-Herbes LU-1728 Luxembourg
Tel.:+352 26 27 01 01
Fax:+352 26 27 01 02
http://www.ombudsman.lu

Hungary

The Parliamentary Commissioners' Office of Hungary deals with complaints against the Hungarian national, regional and local authorities. The Office consists of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Civil Rights, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations, the Parliamentary Commissioner for National and Ethnic Minorities Rights and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information.

Alapvető Jogok Biztosa
HU-1055 Budapest, Falk Miksa u. 9-11.
HU-1387 Budapest, PO Box 40
Tel.:+36 1 475 7100
Fax:+36 1 269 1615
http://www.ajbh.hu

Malta

The National Ombudsman of Malta investigates and resolves citizens' grievances about Maltese government departments and public bodies.

Office of the Ombudsman
11 St Paul Street MT-Valletta VLT 07
Tel.:+356 21 24 79 44
Fax:+356 21 24 79 24
http://www.ombudsman.org.mt

Netherlands

The National Ombudsman of the Netherlands deals with complaints against the Dutch public authorities at the national, provincial and municipal levels.

Nationale Ombudsman
Bezuidenhoutseweg 151 PO Box 93122 NL-2509 AC Den Haag
Tel.:+31 70 356 35 63
Fax:+31 70 360 75 72
http://www.nationaleombudsman.nl

Austria

Austria is a federal state consisting of nine autonomous regions (Länder). There is currently a National Ombudsman Board and two regional ombudsmen. The links in the list below give information about the Austrian National Ombudsman Board and the regional ombudsmen.

Volksanwaltschaft
Singerstraße 17 Postfach 20 AT-1015 Wien
Tel.:+43 (1) 515 05-0
Fax:+43 (1) 515 05-150
http://www.volksanwaltschaft.gv.at
Regional Ombudsmen >

Poland

The Polish Ombudsman (Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection) guards human and civic freedoms and rights specified in the Constitution and other legal acts. He assists the citizens in the protection of their freedoms or rights infringed by organs of public administration.

Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich
Aleja Solidarności 77 PL-00-090 Warszawa
Tel.:+48 22 551 77 00
Fax:+48 22 827 64 53
http://www.rpo.gov.pl

Portugal

The National Ombudsman of Portugal deals with complaints concerning actions or omissions of the public authorities.

Provedor de Justiça
Rua Pau de Bandeira, 7-9 PT-1249-088 Lisboa
Tel.:+351 213 926 600
Fax:+351 213 961 243
http://www.provedor-jus.pt

Romania

The People's Advocate of Romania deals with complaints against the Romanian public authorities at the national and local levels.

Avocatul Poporului
Str. George Vraca nr. 8, Sector 1 RO-010146 București
Tel.:+40 21 312 71 34
Fax:+40 21 312 49 21
http://www.avp.ro

Slovenia

The Human Rights Ombudsman of Slovenia deals with complaints concerning breaches of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the public administration at the national and local level, as well as other holders of public authority. He can also intervene in the case of unfair and poor state administration in relation to the individual.

Varuh človekovih pravic RS
Dunajska 56 SI-1109 Ljubljana
Tel.:+386 1 475 00 50
Fax:+386 1 475 00 40
http://www.varuh-rs.si

Slovakia

The Slovak Public Defender of Rights investigates complaints against administrative authorities at both the state and local levels, and against other entities with decision-making powers in the area of public administration (such as the Social Insurance Company and the General Health Insurance Company).

Kancelária verejného ochrancu práv
Grösslingová 35 SK - 811 09 Bratislava - Staré Mesto
Tel.:+421 2 323 63 705
Fax:+421 2 323 63 703
http://www.vop.gov.sk

Finland

The Finnish Parliamentary Ombudsman deals with complaints against public authorities, public officials and other parties performing public functions to ensure good administration and the observance of constitutional and human rights.

Eduskunnan oikeusasiamies
Arkadiankatu 3 FI-00102 Helsinki
Tel.:+358 9 4321
Fax:+358 9 432 2268
http://www.oikeusasiamies.fi

The Finnish Chancellor of Justice deals with complaints against public authorities and public officials, including Government Ministers, and monitors respect for basic rights and liberties and human rights.

Oikeuskanslerinvirasto
PL 20 FI-00023 Valtioneuvosto
Tel.:+358 9 16001
Fax:+358 9 160 23975
http://www.oikeuskansleri.fi

Sweden

The Parliamentary Ombudsmen of Sweden deal with complaints against Swedish public authorities and courts.

Riksdagens ombudsmän - JO
Box 16327 SE-10326 Stockholm
Tel.:+46 8 786 40 00
Fax:+46 8 21 65 58
http://www.jo.se

Albania Applicant country

The People's Advocate of Albania protects the rights, freedoms and lawful interests of any person from unlawful or improper public administration.

Avokati i Popullit

Blvd. “Zhan D'Ark” Nr. 2
AL - 1001 Tirana

North Macedonia Applicant country

The National Ombudsman of the North Macedonia protects the constitutional and legal rights of citizens when violated by the organs of the state administration and other public authorities.

Народниот правобрaнител
Macedonia no.19 MK - 1000 Skopje
Tel.:+389 2 3129 335
Fax:+389 2 3129 359
http://ombudsman.mk

Montenegro Applicant country

The Human Rights and Freedoms Ombudsman of the Republic of Montenegro deals with complaints against the state authorities, local self-government authorities, public services, and other holders of public powers in Montenegro.

Zaštitnik ljudskih prava i sloboda Crne Gore
Ul. Svetlane Kane Radević br.3 ME - 81000 Podgorica
Tel.:+382 20 225 395
Fax:+382 20 241 642
http://www.ombudsman.co.me

Serbia Applicant country

The Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia is an independent and autonomous government body, responsible for the protection and promotion of rights and liberties. The Protector of Citizens focuses particularly on the protection of national minority rights, children’s rights, rights of disabled persons, rights of people deprived of liberty and gender rights.

Protector of Citizens
Deligradska str. 16 RS - 11 000 Belgrade
Tel.:+381 11 206 8100
Fax:+381 11 206 8182
http://www.zastitnik.rs

Turkey Applicant country

The National Ombudsman of Turkey provides an independent and efficient complaint mechanism regarding the delivery of public services and investigates, researches and makes recommendations about the conformity of all kinds of actions, acts, attitudes, and behaviours of the administration with law and fairness under the respect for human rights. Natural and legal persons, including foreign nationals, may lodge complaints with the Ombudsman Institution. The contact details of the National Ombudsman of Turkey are as follows:

Kamu Denetçiliği Kurumu
Nevzat Tandoğan Caddesi No:4, TR - Çankaya / Ankara
Tel.:+90 312 465 22 00
Fax:+90 312 465 22 65
https://www.ombudsman.gov.tr

Iceland Non-EU Member

The Icelandic Ombudsman deals with complaints against the public administration at both state and local levels.

Umboðsmaður Alþingis
Álftamýri 7 IS-150 Reykjavik
Tel.:+354 510 6700
Fax:+354 510 6710
http://www.umbodsmaduralthingis.is

Norway Non-EU Member

The Norwegian Ombudsman deals with complaints against the public administration at both state and local levels.

Sivilombudsmannen
PO Box 3 Sentrum NO-0101 Oslo
Tel.:+47 22 82 85 00
Fax:+47 22 82 85 11
http://www.sivilombudsmannen.no

United Kingdom Non-EU Member

Public sector ombudsmen in the United Kingdom exist at the UK level and in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A Public Services Ombudsman also exists in Gibraltar.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower Millbank UK-London SW1P 4QP
Tel.:+44 345 015 4033
Fax:+44 300 061 4000
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk
Regional Ombudsmen >