Sök efter undersökningar

The case concerned the alleged failure of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Complaints Mechanism to handle a complaint in a timely manner. The Ombudsman inquired into the issue and found that the delay was justified due to the complexity of the subject matter of the complaint. The Ombudsman therefore found no maladministration by the EIB.

The case concerned the Commission’s failure to reply to the complainant’s correspondence in the context of a financial audit at the Member State level. Following the Ombudsman’s intervention, the Commission replied. It disclosed the document requested by the complainant but redacted some personal data (names of physical persons). The Ombudsman found that the Commission correctly justified the redaction under Regulation 45/2001.

Denna undersökning på eget initiativ rör frågan om hur Europeiska kommissionen ser till att de grundläggande rättigheter som föreskrivs i Europeiska unionens stadga om grundläggande rättigheter efterlevs när EU:s sammanhållningspolitik genomförs av medlemsstaterna. Undersökningen startade samtidigt som EU inledde en ny sjuårig finansieringsperiod för 2014–2020 i enlighet med en ny rättslig ram.

EU:s sammanhållningspolitik strävar efter att minska skillnaderna mellan de olika regionernas utvecklingsnivåer i EU. Mot bakgrund av att EU:s medverkan i de projekt som finansieras genom sammanhållningspolitiken är synlig anser ombudsmannen att kommissionen ska göra allt som står i dess makt för att garantera de grundläggande rättigheterna när pengarna används. Projekten sträcker sig från att förbättra räddningstjänsten i Rumänien till att röja minfält i Kroatien. Det faktum att kommissionen inte har direkt ansvar för administrationen av de finansiella medlen får aldrig användas som skäl för att inte agera om grundläggande rättigheter har kränkts eller riskerar att kränkas.

I undersökningen på eget initiativ har kommissionen, nationella ombudsmän och företrädare för civilsamhället deltagit. Med deras synpunkter som grund har ombudsmannen tagit fram åtta riktlinjer för förbättringar som stöd till kommissionen när den övervakar medlemsstaterna inom detta område.

The complainant informed OLAF of alleged mismanagement of EU funds in Greece. OLAF failed to acknowledge the complainant's correspondence and failed also to inform the complainant of whatever action it had taken and of the outcome. Following the Ombudsman's intervention, OLAF acknowledged the procedural shortcomings in its handling of the case and apologised. It also took steps to avoid similar situations in the future. Finally, OLAF informed the complainant of the steps it had taken as regards the substance of its case. The Ombudsman concluded that OLAF had settled the complaint. However the Ombudsman made a further remark with a view to improving OLAF procedures as regards its monitoring of closed cases transmitted to competent national authorities.

The case concerned a Swedish company that participated in a project financed by the European Commission's FP7 programme. Whilst the project was being implemented, the Commission decided to audit the company. The company disagreed with the audit results and, after the Commission had confirmed them, lodged a complaint with the European Ombudsman alleging a lack of objectivity on the part of the Commission and a failure to comply with the applicable rules.

The Ombudsman inquired into the issue and found no maladministration by the Commission. In particular, the audit results relating to the company's labour costs were based on the information that was available to the Commission at the relevant time. She suggested to the complainant that if it has further evidence, it consider submitting it to the Commission for its consideration. As regards the calculation of the company's productive time, the information which the complainant provided did not appear to be sufficient to permit the Commission to calculate the actual individual productive time, in accordance with the requirements of the FP7 rules. Consequently, the Ombudsman closed the case.