ISSN 1680-3809 QK-AA-05-001-EN-C THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN ANNUAL REPORT 2004 ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Publications Offi ce Publications.eu.int www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int EN EN am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 2 20/07/05 15:01:16 THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN ANNUAL REPORT 2004 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 3 20/07/05 15:01:17 © The European Ombudsman 2005 All rights reserved. Reproduction for educational and non-commercial purposes is permitt ed provided that the source is acknowledged. Cover and separator photographs taken by Ms Glory Rozakis. All other photographs, unless otherwise indicated, are copyright of the European Ombudsman. The full text of the report is published on the internet at: htt p://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/report/en/default.htm am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 4 20/07/05 15:01:17 THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN ANNUAL REPORT 2004 PRINTED IN BELGIUM ON WHITE CHLORINE-FREE PAPER am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 5 20/07/05 15:01:17 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 6 20/07/05 15:01:17 T HE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN P. N IKIFOROS DIAMANDOUROS Mr Josep BORRELL FONTELLES Strasbourg, 8 March 2005 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 2004. 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] am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 7 20/07/05 15:01:17 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 8 20/07/05 15:01:18 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 17 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 23 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES 2 COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES 35 AN INQUIRY 3 DECISIONS FOLLOWING AN INQUIRY 53 DECISIONS FOLLOWING 4 RELATIONS WITH EUROPEAN UNION RELATIONS WITH EUROPEAN UNION INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES 108 INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES 5 RELATIONS WITH OMBUDSMEN AND OMBUDSMEN RELATIONS WITH SIMILAR BODIES 113 AND SIMILAR BODIES 6 COMMUNICATIONS 127 COMMUNICATIONS ANNEXES 7 ANNEXES 161 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 9 20/07/05 15:01:19 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 10 20/07/05 15:01:21 ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 17 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 23 2 COMPLAINTS AND INQUIRIES 35 2.1 THE LEGAL BASIS OF THE OMBUDSMAN’S WORK 35 2.2 THE MANDATE OF THE EUROPEAN OMBUDSMAN 36 2.2.1 Unauthorised complaints 36 2.2.2 Community institutions and bodies 36 2.2.3 “Maladministration” 37 2.3 ADMISSIBILITY AND GROUNDS FOR INQUIRIES 38 2.4 ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS EXAMINED IN 2004 39 2.5 TRANSFERS AND ADVICE 40 2.6 THE OMBUDSMAN’S PROCEDURES 41 2.6.1 Starting an inquiry 42 2.6.2 Fair procedure 42 2.6.3 Inspection of the fi les and hearing of witnesses 42 2.6.4 Open procedure 43 2.7 THE OUTCOMES OF INQUIRIES 43 2.7.1 No maladministration 43 2.7.2 Cases sett led by the institution and friendly solutions 44 2.7.3 Critical remarks, draft recommendations and special reports 44 2.8 DECISIONS CLOSING CASES IN 2004 45 2.8.1 Access to documents and data protection 45 2.8.2 The Commission as “Guardian of the Treaty” 47 2.8.3 Contracts and grants 48 2.8.4 Recruitment and staff issues 49 2.8.5 The Commission’s responses to the Ombudsman’s inquiries 49 11 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 11 20/07/05 15:01:21 ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Table of Contents 3 DECISIONS FOLLOWING AN INQUIRY 53 3.1 CASES WHERE NO MALADMINISTRATION WAS FOUND 53 3.1.1 The European Parliament 53 EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RULES ON TRAINEESHIPS ...........................................................................................................................................................53 PENSION SCHEME FOR MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ...............................................................................................................................54 3.1.2 The Council of the European Union 55 APPOINTMENT OF BOARD MEMBERS FOR THE EUROPEAN FOOD SAFETY AUTHORITY ............................................................................................55 ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICE OPINIONS .........................................................................................................................................................................................56 3.1.3 The European Commission 57 EXCLUSION FROM AN INFORMATION SOCIETY PROJECT ......................................................................................................................................................57 TRANSPOSITION OF INSURANCE DIRECTIVES INTO GREEK LEGISLATION .....................................................................................................................58 PORTUGUESE LEGISLATION ON BULLFIGHTING ......................................................................................................................................................................59 ACCESS TO A DRAFT STATEMENT OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA JOINT COMMITTEE .................................................................................59 ACCESS TO WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION NEGOTIATION DOCUMENTS .....................................................................................................................60 ACCESS TO A FOOD AND VETERINARY REPORT ON ROMANIA ...........................................................................................................................................61 ACCESS TO A EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND MISSION REPORT ...................................................................................................................................................62 LEONARDO DA VINCI PROGRAMME .............................................................................................................................................................................................63 SELECTION PROCEDURE FOR A EUROPEAID PROJECT ............................................................................................................................................................64 ALLEGED IMPROPER HANDLING OF INFRINGEMENT COMPLAINTS ................................................................................................................................64 ACCESS TO AN ASSESSMENT OF GERMANY’S BUDGETARY SITUATION ............................................................................................................................65 3.1.4 The European Personnel Selection Offi ce 66 ALLEGED LACK OF REASONED EXPLANATION IN A SELECTION PROCEDURE ..............................................................................................................66 3.2 CASES SETTLED BY THE INSTITUTION 67 3.2.1 The European Parliament 67 SELECTION BOARD DECISION ON AN APPLICATION ..............................................................................................................................................................67 3.2.2 The European Commission 67 FAILURE TO PAY FOR SERVICES .......................................................................................................................................................................................................67 FAILURE TO PAY A GRANT .................................................................................................................................................................................................................68 ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS CONCERNING A RAILWAY PLAN ..................................................................................................................................................68 LATE PAYMENT FOR SERVICES .........................................................................................................................................................................................................69 3.2.3 The European Anti-Fraud Offi ce 70 ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS CONCERNING A NUCLEAR SAFETY CASE..................................................................................................................................70 3.3 FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS ACHIEVED BY THE OMBUDSMAN 71 ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS CONCERNING TRADE NEGOTIATIONS .......................................................................................................................................71 ACCESS TO DRIVING TEST RESULTS ...............................................................................................................................................................................................72 3.4 CASES CLOSED WITH A CRITICAL REMARK BY THE OMBUDSMAN 73 3.4.1 The European Parliament 73 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RULES ON SMOKING .....................................................................................................................................................................73 3.4.2 The Council of the European Union 74 ACCESS TO PERSONAL FILES IN AN EARLY RETIREMENT CASE ...........................................................................................................................................74 12 am506687CEE_EN_BAT.indd 12 20/07/05 15:01:21 ANNUAL REPORT 2004 Table of Contents 3.4.3 The European Commission 75 LESS FAVOURABLE CLASSIFICATION AS A RESULT OF A DELAY IN RECRUITMENT ......................................................................................................75 LACK OF JUSTIFICATION FOR SUSPENSION OF PAYMENTS ...................................................................................................................................................75