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Emily O'Reilly begins work as European Ombudsman
Following her election by the European Parliament in July, Emily
O'Reilly steps down as Irish Ombudsman and begins work as European Ombudsman on
1 October 2013.
She follows P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, who retires after serving as
European Ombudsman for more than ten years.
Commenting on her new role, O'Reilly stated:
"Europe faces not only an economic crisis but also a crisis of
political legitimacy.
Negativity and division are rising across Europe, the trust of citizens
in European institutions is declining, and many feel their voice simply does not
count.
This makes 2014 a crucial year for Europe and the future of the
European Union.
One of my proactive roles as Ombudsman is to highlight citizens'
concerns and help bridge the wide gap between them and the EU institutions.
Twenty years after the Office of the European Ombudsman was created
under the Maastricht Treaty, it is time to re-think its focus, with an eye to
enhancing its impact and visibility.
All the citizens and residents of the EU must benefit from an effective
administration completely focused on serving their needs.
I will build on my predecessor's fine achievements in making the EU
administration more transparent and efficient and will work with the excellent
and committed European Ombudsman staff in bringing renewed energy and
effectiveness to the Office.
It is further my intention to cooperate with the European Parliament
and to engage proactively with the Commission and the other EU institutions on
behalf of citizens' rights and interests."
The European Ombudsman's work
Every year, the European Ombudsman receives around 2 500 complaints
from citizens, businesses, NGOs, universities, municipalities, and other
entities.
Each year, the institution launches more than 450 investigations.
Many of these are based on complaints about lack of transparency in the
EU institutions, including refusal of access to documents or information.
Other cases concern problems with EU programmes or projects,
discrimination, or conflicts of interest in the EU administration.
More information about the new European Ombudsman is available at
website indicated below.
European Ombudsman investigates complaints about maladministration in the EU
institutions and bodies.
Any EU citizen, resident, or an enterprise or association in a Member
State, can lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman offers a fast, flexible, and free means of solving
problems with the EU administration.