Söderman defends Ombudsman profile

Date: 11/04/02

By Martin Banks

THE European Ombudsman has hit back at claims that few EU citizens know they have the right to complain about Union institutions.

In his annual report, Jacob Söderman said: 'There have been loud voices that the ordinary European citizen does not know about the right to complain to the Ombudsman.

'The same goes for the citizens' right to petition the European Parliament. In fact, I do not know of any Ombudsman office in the world that does more to inform the citizens about the right to complain and there is no other office that has to do it in 15 member states and in 12 Treaty languages.

'I have taken part during the year in many conferences, seminars and meetings in Brussels and Strasbourg and in member states and have used these opportunities to inform about the right to complain.'

Söderman presented his 310-page report to Parliament's petitions committee in Strasbourg on Monday.

He said that in the past 12 months he had reduced the backlog of cases to 22 from 35 the previous year.

'Our performance, therefore, has improved considerably over the last year, but there is no room for complacency and we are determined to maintain the improvement.'

The average length of time taken to complete an inquiry was 289 days for inquiries closed in 2001 compared to 316 days for cases closed in 2000.

The European Ombudsman, Jacob Söderman, has hit back at claims that few EU citizens know they have the right to complain about European Union institutions.