Background

The European Ombudsman launched the biennial Award for Good Administration in 2016 to recognise initiatives, projects, and other types of work by the EU administration that have a visible and direct positive impact on the lives of people in Europe and beyond. The aim is to bring these examples to a wider audience and to spread good practice within the institutions.

Projects will be honoured in a ceremony in June 2026, when category prizes and an overall prize will be awarded. Click for details of the projects nominated for the last award.

Application

• The Award for Good Administration is open to staff members (officials, temporary agents, contract agents) from any EU institution, body or agency (except the European Ombudsman’s Office). It can be awarded either to a team within a unit or to an entire unit.
• The application process will open on 15 October 2025. It will close on 16 January 2026 at 18.00. The submission should relate to projects carried out during the period January 2023 - December 2025.
• Teams, units or directorates may nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else in their institution, body or agency. Nominations for the award can also be made by civil society organisations, associations, NGOs or individuals outside the institutional framework.
• Entries should be made by completing a LimeSurvey submission, please see here.
• Submissions can be illustrated with for example, written text, video or PowerPoint presentation.
• Enquiries about your submission may be sent to this address: EOaward@ombudsman.europa.eu
• An acknowledgement of receipt e-mail will be sent once the application is received. Please note that it is not an automated message so it may take one or two working days.

Criteria

In general, entries will be judged on the extent to which they demonstrate good public administration and, in particular, a culture of service and commitment to improving the lives of people. Nominees for the award could, for example, demonstrate one or more of the following:

• Excellence in technological innovation and the use of AI
• Excellence in citizen/civil society participation
• Excellence in diversity and inclusion
• Excellence in open administration

Please note that your project may be assigned to a category other than the one(s) you have chosen.

Any project, big or small, that advances the aim of improving the public’s experience of the EU administration will be considered for recognition. There will be an award for the most popular project, which will be chosen in an online public vote.

Evaluation

• Evaluation will be based solely on the information provided in the application and in light of the award criteria.
• An advisory committee will draw up a short-list of the best nominees.
• The winners will be selected by the European Ombudsman.

Award

• There will be an overall award and category awards.
• An award ceremony will take place in June 2026 in Brussels.
• The award will have no monetary value but will include a certificate of recognition of excellence.

Personal Data and Exercise of Rights

All personal data contained in the application shall be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data.

Please consult the privacy statement.

 

Further Information

Please contact Ms Gundi Gadesmann, Head of Communication, for any further information.
E-mail: gundi.gadesmann@ombudsman.europa.eu
Tel: +32 (0)2 284 26 09.