The Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, moderated the workshop specifically dedicated to environmental complaints during the European Network of Ombudsmen meeting in Brussels. The session brought together experts from the European Commission and ombudsman institutions to examine how oversight bodies can better address environmental grievances across the EU.

Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc, Deputy Ombudsman of Slovenia, served as rapporteur. Experts from the European Commission, Stephanos Ampatzis from DG Environment and Lucile Le Breton from DG Justice, provided technical input and addressed questions raised throughout the discussion.

Environmental law remains central to the EU agenda as the Union moves towards ambitious climate and biodiversity targets. The workshop examined how complaints, whether submitted to national or regional ombudsmen or directly to the European Commission, are critical for ensuring that environmental obligations are enforced. Participants shared experiences involving environmental impact assessments, unauthorised development in protected areas, access to environmental information, air and noise pollution issues, and failures to implement EU directives effectively.

Across jurisdictions, similar patterns emerge. Many cases are marked by limited access to information, environmental assessments that lack depth, outdated industrial installations that fail to meet current standards, slow inspection processes, and weak coordination between authorities. Participants noted that environmental problems rarely stop at national borders, making cross border cooperation between ombudsman institutions increasingly important.

The workshop also explored the strong link between environmental protection and human rights. A clean and healthy environment is now widely recognised as a prerequisite for health, dignity and safety. Recent decisions by international courts have confirmed that insufficient state action on environmental matters may constitute a breach of human rights. This growing recognition reinforces the role of ombudsman institutions in safeguarding both good governance and environmental rights.

Greenwashing was another topic of concern. Participants discussed the need for stronger scrutiny of misleading environmental claims by companies, and the challenges posed by inconsistent enforcement. The European Commission’s Vademecum on Environmental Complaints, developed with ENO’s contribution, was highlighted as a valuable tool to help oversight bodies navigate EU law and identify good practices.

The discussion placed emphasis on stronger cooperation. Participants agreed that parallel or coordinated inquiries across Europe can reveal systemic issues, increase the visibility of findings and strengthen the impact of recommendations. They also noted that environmental recommendations often require long term action, making persistent follow up essential.

The workshop closed with a call to reinforce enforcement structures, improve public awareness of environmental rights and enhance coordination between ombudsman institutions, regulators and EU bodies. Participants agreed that environmental protection and climate action demand sustained commitment, and that oversight institutions have an important role in supporting a rights-based approach to environmental governance.

The conclusions of the workshop were presented by Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc, Deputy Ombudsman of Slovenia, during the closing session of the ENO conference, and will be followed up at the next ENO meeting in Malaga in January 2026.