The Ombudsman's 2024 performance and spending review

What is a "Discharge"?

The European Parliament checks that EU institutions have spent money correctly and that their accounts are reliable. If the Parliament is satisfied, it grants a discharge, which is a formal approval allowing the institution to keep the money it spent. This document summarizes the Parliament's decision to grant the Ombudsman this approval for the 2024 budget year.

Financial Overview

The Ombudsman's budget is a very small fraction of the EU's total spending.

• Total Budget: The total budget for 2024 was €13.84 million, an increase of 4.8% compared to 2023.
• Spending Efficiency: The Ombudsman spent most of its money, but the spending rate was still below the 100% target.
• Key Spending Changes:
  • Energy costs saw a significant increase of 75%.
  • Communication and promotion budgets decreased by 38%.
  • The office reported paying all invoices on time.

Key Achievements in 2024

The Ombudsman handled several areas of work and modernization in 2024:

• Complaints and Inquiries: The office received 2,264 new complaints and 411 new inquiries.
• Speed: The average time to handle a complaint dropped from 39 to 36 days.
• Digitalization:
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to translate the website, which cut translation costs by 65%.
  • Historical archives were moved to Florence, and new AI tools were tested.
• Staffing and Diversity: The office employed 78 staff members (a 5% reduction from 2023). The staff maintained a high gender balance, with all senior posts held by women.
• Sustainability: Buildings are now run on 100% renewable electricity, and solar panels were installed.

Parliament's Observations

The Parliament provided several points for the Ombudsman to consider for the future:

• Spending Goals: The Ombudsman should continue working to reach a 100% spending rate and improve how quickly it spends money that is carried over from previous years.
• Cost Management: Due to the sharp rise in energy prices, the office needs to find ways to keep energy spending under control.
• Staffing: Since the office is shrinking, the Parliament suggested that increasing permanent contracts would help maintain institutional knowledge.
• Transparency: While the Ombudsman follows transparency principles, formally joining the EU transparency register would strengthen its credibility.
• Communication: Because the budget for outreach fell, the Ombudsman should reallocate savings to keep citizens informed about its work.

Broader context

The European Ombudsman is an independent EU body that investigates complaints about maladministration by EU institutions, agencies, or bodies. This includes issues like unfairness, discrimination, abuse of power, or lack of transparency. The Ombudsman helps ensure that EU institutions are accountable to citizens and that their rights are protected.

The discharge process is part of the EU’s financial accountability system. It ensures that EU institutions use public funds responsibly and in line with the budget approved by the European Parliament. This process is a key part of the EU’s democratic oversight, as it allows elected representatives to scrutinize how taxpayer money is spent.

The Ombudsman’s budget is a tiny fraction of the EU’s overall spending, but its role is critical for trust in EU institutions. The 2024 discharge highlights the Ombudsman’s efforts to modernize (e.g., using AI for translations) and improve efficiency while maintaining high ethical and environmental standards.

Impact on people living in the EU

For EU citizens, this legislation means:

• Stronger protection of rights: The Ombudsman’s work ensures that complaints about EU institutions are handled fairly and transparently. Citizens can file complaints if they believe an EU institution has treated them unfairly.

• Faster and more accessible services: The Ombudsman is improving its response times (e.g., complaints handled in 36 days on average) and using AI tools to make information more accessible, such as translating its website into multiple languages.

• Greater transparency: The Ombudsman is encouraged to join the EU Transparency Register, which would make its activities even more open to public scrutiny. This helps citizens trust that the Ombudsman operates with integrity.

• Environmental responsibility: The Ombudsman’s offices now run on 100% renewable electricity, setting an example for sustainability in EU institutions.

• Digital innovation: The use of AI and digital tools improves efficiency and reduces costs, which can lead to better services for citizens without increasing spending.

• Diverse and stable workforce: With a gender-balanced team (68% women) and a focus on permanent staff, the Ombudsman aims to maintain expertise and continuity in handling cases.