The European Parliament and the establishment of a European Ombudsman

Studie 29-09-2015

This new study, which forms part if the European Parliament History Series, looks at the stances taken by the Parliament and by some of its committees, political groups and Members on the issue of the establishment of a European Ombudsman. Between the time when the idea of an ombudsman for the European Communities was first mooted in the mid-1970s, and the appointment of Jacob Söderman as the first European Ombudsman in July 1995, the Parliament changed its stance several times, first supporting the idea and then opposing it, before ultimately playing an active part in setting the office up. These changes of approval, and the reasons behind them, are examined in detail in this study. The studies in the European Parliament History Series are based on documents held and made available to the public by the Historical Archives of the European Parliament.