Strasbourg, 15 November 2006

Dear Mrs D.,

On 8 September 2005, I received your complaint, submitted together with Ms F., against the European Parliament's Visits and Seminars Unit, and concerning the organisation of your group's visit to Parliament.

On 18 October 2005, I forwarded your complaint to Parliament and asked it to submit an opinion. Parliament sent its opinion on 9 November 2005.

On 16 November 2005, I forwarded Parliament's opinion to you with an invitation to make observations, which Ms F. sent also on your behalf and which were received here on 30 November 2005.

By letter of 3 March 2006, I requested additional information from Ms F. concerning the factual background to your complaint. She supplied the requested information by letter of 20 March 2006.

I am writing now to let you know the results of the inquiries that have been made.

THE COMPLAINT

According to the complainants, the relevant facts were as follows:

On 19 July 2005, the complainants, accompanying a group of European students, visited the European Parliament in Brussels. According to the complainants, the administrator for English language visits receiving the group lacked enthusiasm for Parliament and interest in encouraging the group. Furthermore, he was not fully acquainted with the programme of the visit, and was not properly dressed. The administrator's lack of interest was obvious already at the time of the complainants' approaches requesting the visit, when the administrator failed to reply to e-mails or return telephone calls.

On 19 August 2005, the complainants submitted a complaint to the European Ombudsman.

They alleged that Parliament's services were negligent when organising the group's visit as well as in the course of that visit.

THE INQUIRY

The opinion of the Parliament

In summary, the Parliament's opinion was as follows:

The Visits and Seminars Unit, as well as Parliament as a whole, take this kind of complaint with utmost seriousness, and had given both verbal and written warnings to the administrator concerned (Mr. F.), in relation to all the points mentioned by the complainants.

Parliament apologised to the participants of the visit, and assured the Ombudsman that such an incident would not occur again in the future. Parliament would be glad to receive the participants again should they so wish, and would ensure that they receive proper and professional treatment.

The complainants' observations

In their observations, the complainants took the position that the action taken by Parliament is sufficient and the case can be closed.

Further inquiries

In order to complete the file, the Ombudsman requested the complainants to specify the date of the group's visit to Parliament and which of the Parliament's premises was involved. The complainants supplied the requested information by letter of 20 March 2006.

THE DECISION

1 Alleged negligence in receiving a group of students

1.1 The complainants allege that Parliament's services were negligent when organising the group's visit as well as in the course of that visit.

1.2 Parliament's opinion can be summarised as follows:

(i) The Visits and Seminars Unit, as well as Parliament as a whole, take this kind of complaint with utmost seriousness, and had given both verbal and written warnings to the administrator concerned, regarding all the points mentioned by the complainants.

(ii) Parliament apologised to the participants of the visit, and assured the Ombudsman that such an incident would not occur again in the future.

(iii) Parliament would be glad to receive the participants again should they so wish, and would ensure that they receive proper and professional treatment.

1.3 The European Ombudsman welcomes the fact that Parliament promptly offered an apology to the complainants. Furthermore, the Ombudsman has no reason to doubt the appropriateness and effectiveness of the corrective action taken by Parliament to prevent the recurrence of a similar incident. The Ombudsman notes, in this regard, that during the intervening period, he has not received any further complaints against Parliament mentioning the administrator concerned.

1.4 In their observations, the complainants observed that the action taken by Parliament is sufficient and the case can be closed.

1.5 On the basis of the above, it appears that Parliament has taken steps to settle the matter to the complainants' satisfaction.

2 Conclusion

It appears from Parliament’s opinion and the complainants' observations that Parliament has taken steps to settle the matter and has thereby satisfied the complainants. The Ombudsman therefore closes the case.

The President of Parliament will be informed of this decision.

Yours sincerely,

 

P. Nikiforos DIAMANDOUROS