The European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, presented today a new interactive guide for complainants which is now available on his website. The guide aims to direct citizens, companies, NGOs, associations and other organisations to the body which is best placed to deal with their complaints or information requests. Since the interactive guide went online on 5 January 2009, over 5000 people have already received advice through it. The Ombudsman's presentation formed part of a seminar entitled "Problem solving in the EU - Where to turn", which took place in Brussels.

The Ombudsman's new interactive guide is available in the 23 official EU languages at:

http://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/atyourservice/interactiveguide.faces

Mr Diamandouros commented: "Three quarters of the complaints I receive each year are outside my mandate. Many of these complaints can be dealt with by other problem solving mechanisms, such as national ombudsmen or SOLVIT. With the help of our new website, we want to guide complainants to the right address to save them time and money, and to spare them frustration and disappointment."

Problem solving in the EU - Where to turn?

The European Ombudsman receives more than 3000 complaints each year. Around one quarter falls inside his mandate, which is to investigate complaints about maladministration in the EU institutions. These complaints, which come from citizens, companies, regional offices, associations and NGOs from all EU Member States, concern lack of transparency in the EU institutions, late payments for EU projects, discrimination or unfairness. As a result of the Ombudsman's intervention, the EU administration has settled bills, paid interest, released documents, remedied injustices and put an end to discrimination.

To help resolve quickly and effectively complaints falling outside his mandate, the European Ombudsman cooperates closely throughout Europe with other complaint-handling bodies, such as national and regional ombudsmen. They deal with complaints concerning maladministration at the Member State level. SOLVIT is an on-line problem solving network in which EU Member States work together to solve within ten weeks problems arising from the misapplication of Internal Market law by public authorities. Finally, the European Parliament's petitions system is another EU problem-solving mechanism.