The complainant raised several concerns with the European Commission relating to a contract between the Commission President and a German public relations company. The Commission failed to reply to the substance of the concerns, notably regarding transparency and compliance with the applicable ethics rules.
 
The Ombudsman opened an inquiry into the complaint and asked the Commission to provide the complainant with a written reply. The Commission provided a comprehensive reply to the concerns raised by the complainant, and the Ombudsman therefore closed the case as settled.