European Ombudsman

Strasbourg, 02/05/2016

Complaint 551/2016/HK

Dear Mr Ivanović,

I am writing in reply to your petition concerning bans on the production and sale of GMOs on the territory of Croatia.
I am sorry to have to inform you that the European Ombudsman cannot deal with your complaint. This is because it concerns an issue that is not within her mandate.
The European Ombudsman can investigate only complaints that concern the administrative work of the European Union's institutions and bodies, for instance the European Commission and European Union agencies.
If you wish to know more about the relevant rules relating to the European Ombudsman's mandate, please consult the annex to my present letter.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Bonnor
Head of Process Management and Inquiries - Unit 5

European Ombudsman
Process Management and Inquiries Unit 5
1 avenue du Président Robert Schuman
CS 30403
F - 67001 Strasbourg Cedex
T. + 33 (0)3 88 17 23 13
F. + 33 (0)3 88 17 90 62
www.ombudsman.europa.eu


ANNEX - RELEVANT LEGAL RULES
The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Statute of the European Ombudsman set certain conditions concerning the opening of an inquiry by the Ombudsman.
Article 228 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union empowers the European Ombudsman to receive complaints
"… concerning instances of maladministration in the activities of the Union institutions, bodies, offices or agencies..."
No action by any other authority or person may be the subject of a complaint to the Ombudsman. (Article 2.1 of the European Ombudsman's Statute.)