The European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has introduced a new fast-track procedure to deal with access to documents complaints.

Under the new system the Ombudsman will be able to take a decision within two months of receiving the complaint.

Access to documents decisions can be prioritised in this way as – unlike other complaints alleging maladministration – the institution will in general have already fully outlined its reasons for its decision when the Ombudsman receives the complaint. 

The Ombudsman therefore no longer sees any value in taking the normal intermediary step of asking the institution for its views at the start of an investigation, a practice which has led to long delays in decision-making.

Around 10 percent of Ombudsman inquiries concern refusals or delays by EU institutions in releasing documents requested under the EU’s transparency regulation.

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