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THE EUROPEAN ANNUAL REPORT 2003 OMBUDSMAN ISSN 1680-3809 EN © The European Ombudsman 2004 All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational and non-commercial purposes is permied provided that the source is acknowledged. Photographs, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of the European Ombudsman. The full text of the report is published on the internet at: hp://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/report/en/default.htm Executive summary 9 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction 17 COMPLAINTS TO THE OMBUDSMAN 2 Complaints to the Ombudsman 23 AN INQUIRY 3 Decisions following an inquiry 35 DECISIONS FOLLOWING 4 Relations with other institutions RELATIONS WITH of the European Union 209 OTHER INSTITUTIONS 5 Relations with ombudsmen and AND SIMILAR BODIES similar bodies 217 RELATIONS WITH OMBUDSMEN 6 Public relations 227 ANNEXES PUBLIC RELATIONS Annexes 261 T HE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN P. N IKIFOROS DIAMANDOUROS Mr Pat Cox Strasbourg, 19 April 2004 President European Parliament Rue Wiertz B-1047 Brussels Mr President, In accordance with Article 195 (1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community and Article 3 (8) of the Decision of the European Parliament on the Regulations and General Conditions Governing the Performance of the Ombudsman’s Duties, I hereby present my report for the year 2003. Yours sincerely, s P. Nikiforos Diamandouros The European Ombudsman 1, avenue du Président Robert Schuman – B.P. 403 – F-67001 STRASBOURG Cedex ☎ : +33 (0)3.88.17.23.13 – Fax : +33 (0)3.88.17.90.62 http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int – [email protected] ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Table of Contents Executive summary 9 1 Introduction 17 2 Complaints to the Ombudsman 23 2.1 THE LEGAL BASIS OF THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK 25 2.2 THE MANDATE OF THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN 26 2.2.1 “Maladministration” 27 2.2.2 The Code of Good Administrative Behaviour 27 2.3 ADMISSIBILITY OF COMPLAINTS 28 2.4 GROUNDS FOR INQUIRIES 29 2.5 ANALYSIS OF THE COMPLAINTS 29 2.6 ADVICE TO CONTACT OTHER BODIES AND TRANSFERS 30 2.7 THE OMBUDSMAN’S POWERS OF INVESTIGATION 31 2.7.1 The hearing of witnesses 31 2.7.2 Inspection of documents 31 2.8 INQUIRIES BY THE OMBUDSMAN AND THEIR OUTCOMES 32 2.8.1 Inquiries following a complaint 32 2.8.2 Friendly solutions and compensation 32 2.8.3 Critical remarks, dra recommendations and special reports 32 2.8.4 Own initiative inquiries 33 2.8.5 Analysis of inquiries 34 3 Decisions following an inquiry 35 3.1 CASES WHERE NO MALADMINISTRATION WAS FOUND 37 3.1.1 The European Parliament 37 ALLEGED LACK OF SERVICE-MINDEDNESS IN RECRUITMENT ...........................................................................................................................................37 3.1.2 The Council of the European Union 39 ACCESS TO EUROPEAN CONVENTION AGENDAS AND MINUTES .....................................................................................................................................39 3.1.3 The European Commission 41 LIFE PROGRAMME: COMMISSION’S REFUSAL TO COMPLETE PAYMENT OF A PROJECT ............................................................................................41 ANNULMENT OF QUESTIONS AND ALLEGED FAILURE TO RESPECT COMPETITION NOTICE ..................................................................................47 5 ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Table of Contents ALLEGED LINGUISTIC DISCRIMINATION ....................................................................................................................................................................................50 STATUS OF THE ‘EU PILLAR’ OF THE UN ADMINISTRATION IN KOSOVO .........................................................................................................................53 TRAVELLING AND SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES OF CANDIDATES IN RECRUITMENT COMPETITIONS ........................................................................55 ALLEGED DISCRIMINATION IN GRADING OF NUCLEAR INSPECTOR ...............................................................................................................................57 REFUSAL OF A CONFIRMATORY APPLICATION FOR PUBLIC ACCESS IN ARTICLE 226 PROCEDURE .......................................................................60 ALLEGED INDIRECT AGE DISCRIMINATION IN OPEN COMPETITION ..............................................................................................................................67 COMMISSION’S REFUSAL TO GRANT ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED BY MEMBER STATES ..........................................................................69 EUROPEAN COMMISSION’S HANDLING OF AN APPLICATION FOR A POST OF SECONDED NATIONAL EXPERT ...............................................70 ACCESS TO MARKED EXAMINATION SCRIPTS IN COMPETITIONS ORGANISED BY THE COMMISSION ................................................................74 3.1.4 The European Central Bank 77 ACCESS TO STATISTICS ABOUT STOCKS AND FLOWS OF EURO BANKNOTES ...............................................................................................................77 3.1.5 The European Court of Auditors 81 COURT OF AUDITORS CORRECTS FAILURE TO APPLY RULES ON ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS .....................................................................................81 3.1.6 The European Convention 83 ACCESS TO EUROPEAN CONVENTION AGENDAS AND MINUTES .....................................................................................................................................83 3.1.7 The European Anti-Fraud Office 89 ALLEGED FAILURE TO CARRY OUT PROPER INQUIRY ............................................................................................................................................................89 3.1.8 The European Agency for Reconstruction 93 CONSULTANCY WORK FOR THE EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR RECONSTRUCTION ...........................................................................................................93 3.2 CASES SETTLED BY THE INSTITUTION 97 3.2.1 The European Parliament 97 ALLEGED FAILURE TO STATE REASONS FOR REJECTION OF TRANSLATION BIDS ........................................................................................................97 ACCESS TO EXAMINATION PAPERS IN OPEN COMPETITION .............................................................................................................................................100 3.2.2 The European Commission 101 LATE PAYMENT OF GRANT FOR AIDS’ RELATED PROJECT ..................................................................................................................................................101 PAYMENT OF AMOUNT DUE UNDER CONTRACT ..................................................................................................................................................................103 ALLEGED FAILURE TO MAKE FINAL PAYMENT IN RESEARCH PROJECT ........................................................................................................................105 3.2.3 The European Court of Auditors 107 ALLEGED LACK OF INFORMATION ABOUT EXCLUSION FROM COURT OF AUDITORS’ COMPETITION ..............................................................107 3.2.4 The European Commission and the Court of Auditors 109 COMMISSION AGREES TO MAKE FINAL PAYMENT ................................................................................................................................................................109 3.3 FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS ACHIEVED BY THE OMBUDSMAN 115 FAILURE TO PAY GRANT DESPITE ORAL ASSURANCES ........................................................................................................................................................115 COMMISSION ACCEPTS TO PAY COMPENSATION TO FORMER AUXILIARY AGENT ...................................................................................................120 COMMISSION AGREES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO JOURNALIST AFTER OMBUDSMAN’S PROPOSAL FOR FRIENDLY SOLUTION ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................123 3.4 CASES CLOSED WITH A CRITICAL REMARK BY THE OMBUDSMAN 129 3.4.1 The European Parliament 129 FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH DUTY TO BE COURTEOUS .........................................................................................................................................................129 3.4.2 The Council of the European Union 134 ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................134 THE COUNCIL’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENSURING THAT THE EUROPEAN UNION POLICE MISSION IN SARAJEVO RESPECTS FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS .............................................................................................................................................................................................141 6 ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Table of Contents 3.4.3 The European Commission 144 INCORRECT INFORMATION IN A TENDER PROCEDURE ......................................................................................................................................................144 FUNCTIONING OF THE IST PROGRAMME .................................................................................................................................................................................150 ALLEGED FAILURE TO TAKE