The European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has opened an investigation on her own initiative into respect for fundamental rights in the EU's "cohesion" policy. The Ombudsman has received many complaints in this area, for example about problems small businesses face when accessing EU funds, or from applicants for EU projects who allege discrimination. The Ombudsman's investigation focuses on the Commission's role in ensuring that EU funding is used in ways that comply with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.