The Ombudsman carried out an own-initiative inquiry to look into how the European Central Bank (ECB) deals with 'revolving door' cases, whereby members of its staff take up employment in the private sector. The inquiry also assessed how the ECB handled the request by a staff member to take up employment with a private sector bank in a job that relates to his previous area of work at the ECB.

The Ombudsman's inquiry reviewed revolving doors files from 2020 and 2021. The inquiry identified potential shortcomings in the ECB's rules on assessing and mitigating the possible risks associated with current and former staff members taking up posts in the private sector. With a view to addressing these potential shortcomings, the Ombudsman concluded her inquiry by setting out a series of suggestions how the ECB can strengthen its rules in the context of the ongoing revision of the ECB’s Ethics Framework. The Ombudsman closed the inquiry with the conclusion that there are no further inquiries justified at this stage.