On 1 January 2018, amendments to the Law on the Seimas Ombudsmen came into force, providing new functions for the Seimas Ombudsmen, among which are the dissemination and monitoring of human rights in the country.  The new functions include presenting the assessment of the human rights situation in Lithuania to international organisations and providing them with information regarding the obligations established in the international treaties of the Republic of Lithuania.

These amendments to the law express the duty of state and municipal authorities to cooperate with the Seimas Ombudsmen's Office by providing information to the Office about the human rights situation in the country while initiating and conducting investigations on fundamental human rights issues.

The Law on the Seimas Ombudsmen establishes the duty of the Seimas Ombudsmen to promote respect for human rights and freedoms while exercising the functions of the National Human Rights Institution. The Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office, which complies with the UN Paris Principles, as a National Human Rights Institution, has been accredited since 23 March 2017; however, amendments to the law were needed to lay the foundations of the institution.

The National Human Rights Institution is a significant segment of the national and international legal system as it supervises how the state implements international human rights obligations and participates in the activities of the UN and relevant regional human rights organisations, for the non-establishment of which Lithuania faced criticism during the UN Universal Periodic Review.

The head of the Seimas Ombudsmen’s Office, Augustinas Normantas, was pleased that the National Human Rights Institution will be "the main voice of human rights,” speaking on various human rights issues.

“The National Human Rights Institution, in cooperation with the public, will raise the most urgent issues of human rights,” noted Mr Normantas.

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution adopted in 1993, encouraged the Member States to establish national human rights institutions. The requirement for each Member State to have a national human rights institution is also raised by the European Union (EU). There is a requirement to have a national human rights institution, as a condition of membership, for states seeking to become members of the EU. The recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council have repeatedly called for the Republic of Lithuania to establish a national human rights institution.

We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting our first Scottish Welfare Fund Independent Review Service engagement event on Thursday 8 February 2018.  This will be an opportunity for delegates to share good practice with a series of speakers, meet SPSO staff and participate in interactive workshops focusing on areas which will include:

• good decision-making
• ensuring that the SWF is accessible to all and that staff delivering the scheme are supported when managing difficult behaviour
• quality assurance

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, Rosemary Agnew, will be speaking at the event, as well as speakers from a range of organisations involved in the delivery of the Scottish Welfare Fund and organisations supporting applicants.

This event is intended for practitioners with responsibility for SWF delivery in councils, and third sector stakeholders who support applicants. Places are limited so please book early.

Booking information for councils

Places are limited for this event. We are initially offering each council two spaces, at a public sector rate of £75 per person.  However, if you are interested in additional spaces we will be operating a waiting list system so if spaces become available we will be able to offer these to people on our waiting list. Please indicate on your email to us when making a booking if you would like to add additional people to the waiting list.

Booking information for third sector organisations

Places are limited for this event. We are initially offering one space per third sector organisation at a reduced rate of £35 per person.  However, if you are interested in additional spaces we will be operating a waiting list system so if spaces become available we will be able to offer these to people on our waiting list. Please indicate on your email to us when making a booking if you would like to add additional people to the waiting list.

Download a copy of the booking form from the top right of this page, which you should return to SWF@spso.gsi.gov.uk (link sends e-mail)

El síndic de greuges, Rafael Ribó, ha participado este martes, 9 de enero, en París en una mesa redonda sobre el papel de los ombudsman en la supervisión del sector energético. La jornada, organizada por el Mediador de la Energía de Francia ha reunido a destacados expertos en este ámbito procedentes de diversas disciplinas.

La ponencia del síndic ha incidido en el desequilibrio actual entre las compañías suministradoras y los consumidores en cuanto a la perspectiva de las dinámicas de mercado. Un desequilibrio que sitúa a los consumidores en una situación de desprotección que requiere la intervención de los mecanismos de supervisión, como los ombudsman.

“Las personas consumidoras necesitan”, ha manifestado el síndic, “que se establezcan mecanismos de ayuda y protección a fin de proporcionarles una información y una formación claras para tomar decisiones. Igualmente, son necesarios mecanismos ágiles, efectivos, gratuitos e independientes para resolver las controversias que surjan en estos casos”. En todo momento, el síndic ha hecho hincapié en la situación de los consumidores más vulnerables y desprotegidos. En este sentido, la institución está actuando de oficio para analizar las posibles vulneraciones de derechos derivados del nuevo bono social del consumo eléctrico, recientemente aprobado.

El Ombudsman también ostenta la función, en el contexto actual, de controlar de forma directa las actividades del sector privado que conlleven el ejercicio de obligaciones de servicio público.

La liberalización de la prestación de unas actividades consideradas esenciales no puede conllevar la disminución de derechos y garantías para el usuario. Este proceso de liberalización y privatización de actividades y de servicios públicos tiene como principal consecuencia que la Administración ya no es el único sujeto a quien el ordenamiento atribuye obligaciones de servicio público, sino que también lo son, por la actividad que desarrollan, determinados sectores económicos privados.

El Síndic, que es miembro de la red europea de ombudsman de la energía (NEON), ha destacado la importancia de compartir en el marco europeo el contenido de las quejas y reclamaciones en este ámbito. De acuerdo con esto, ha hablado de precios elevados que incluyen conceptos de difícil comprensión, facturas poco comprensibles, procedimientos complejos con las empresas y en el mercado eléctrico, novedades tecnológicas (smart meters) que plantean nuevos retos y problemas, retos medioambientales, cambios de normativa, etc.

Le défenseur, Rafael Ribó, a participé à une table ronde sur le rôle de l'ombudsman dans la supervision du secteur de l'énergie le mardi 9 janvier. Le séminaire, organisé par le médiateur national de l'énergie français, a rassemblé des experts de différentes disciplines.

Le discours du défenseur catalan a souligné le déséquilibre actuel entre les entreprises d'approvisionnement et les consommateurs en ce qui concerne la perspective de la dynamique du marché. Un déséquilibre qui place les consommateurs dans une situation de privation qui nécessite l'intervention de mécanismes de surveillance, tels que les ombudsman.

Selon le défenseur catalan, "les consommateurs ont besoin que des mécanismes d'aide et de protection soient mis en place afin de leur fournir une formation et des informations claires pour prendre des décisions. De même, il est nécessaire d'avoir des mécanismes agiles, efficaces, libres et indépendants pour résoudre les conflits qui surviennent dans ces cas." En tout temps, le défenseur catalan a mis l'accent sur la situation des consommateurs les plus vulnérables et moins protégés. À cet égard, l'institution agit d'office pour analyser les éventuelles violations des droits découlant du nouveau bon social de la consommation électrique récemment approuvée.

L'Ombudsman a également pour fonction, dans le contexte actuel, de contrôler directement les activités du secteur privé qui impliquent l'exercice d'obligations de service public.

La libéralisation de la fourniture d'activités considérées comme essentielles ne peut entraîner la diminution des droits et des garanties pour les usagers. Ce processus de libéralisation et de privatisation des activités et des services publics a pour conséquence principale que l'administration n'est plus le seul sujet à qui l'ordre juridique attribue des obligations de service public, mais le sont aussi, en raison de l'activité qu'ils exercent, certains secteurs économiques privés.

Le Défenseur des Droits de la Catalogne, membre du réseau européen des médiateurs de l'énergie (NEON), a souligné l'importance de partager dans le cadre européen le contenu des plaintes et des réclamations dans ce domaine. À cet égard, il a mentionné des prix élevés qui incluent des concepts difficiles à comprendre, des factures peu compréhensibles, des procédures complexes avec des entreprises et le marché de l'électricité, les nouvelles technologies (compteurs intelligents) qui posent de nouveaux défis et problèmes, les défis environnementaux, les changements réglementaires, etc.

Catalan Ombudsman, Rafael Ribó, took part in a round table on the role of ombudsmen in overseeing the energy sector on January 9^th. The seminar, organized by the French Energy Ombudsman, brought together leading experts from different disciplines.

The Catalan Ombudsman's speech stressed the current imbalance between supplier companies and consumers in terms of market dynamics. An imbalance that places consumers in a situation of vulnerability that requires the intervention of supervisory mechanisms, such as the ombudsman.

"Consumers need that help and protection mechanisms be established in order to provide them with clear information and training to make decisions. Likewise, they require agile, effective, free and independent mechanisms to resolve the disputes that arise in these cases". At all times, the Catalan Ombudsman has emphasized the situation of the most vulnerable and least protected consumers. In this regard, the institution is acting ex officio to analyse possible violations of rights derived from the new social discount rate of electric consumption recently passed.

In the current context the Ombudsman has also the function to directly control the activities of the private sector that entail the exercise of public service obligations.

The liberalization of the provision of activities considered essential cannot entail the diminution of rights and guarantees for users. This process of liberalization and privatization of activities and public services has as a main consequence that the Public Administration is no longer the the only subject that carries out public service obligations. Certain private economic sectors also carry out activities considered of public interest or essential.

The Catalan Ombudsman, who is a member of the European Energy Ombudsman Network (NEON), stressed the importance of sharing in the European framework the content of complaints and claims in this area. In this sense, he spoke of high prices that include concepts of difficult comprehension, little understandable bills, complex procedures with companies and in the electricity market, technological innovations (smart meters) that pose new challenges and problems, environmental challenges, regulatory changes , etc.