The European ombudsman as a body for the protection of the rights of individuals and legal entities in the European Union

Abstract

Formulation of the problem. Today, the EU faces new challenges due to the globalization policy pursued by most EU member states, migration and the global pandemic - COVID-19. In the new conditions, the protection of human rights acquires a fundamentally new meaning. Therefore, the question of the role of the EU Ombudsman in the process of protection of individual rights and control over the activities of bodies is very relevant. By choosing the path of European integration and committing itself under the Association Agreement to adapt a number of areas in line with the acquis communautaire, Ukraine should also focus on the experience of the European Ombudsman. Since taking office as the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights in 1998, it will not be an exaggeration to state that there are a number of problems in overseeing the proper activities of the authorities in respecting human and civil rights and freedoms. That is why, given the shortcomings and the chosen vector of development, the experience of the European Ombudsman is of great importance for Ukraine in order to improve the activities of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights. Target of research is to examine the role of the EU Ombudsman in the process of investigating good governance in the EU institutional mechanism. Article’s main body. The article is devoted to the study of the legal status of the European Ombudsman as a body that must investigate improper bodies of the activities of institutions, agencies to ensure the restoration of violated rights guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The analysis of the practice of the European Ombudsman in the official annual reports, as well as the development strategy is carried out. With the help of EU legislation research and conducting of the legal analysis of the Ombudsman’s annual reports, strategic development documents and enquiries, opened by the Ombudsman in the last decade, the complexity of the European ombudsman’s contribution to the implementation of the sustainable development principle within EU’s supranational legal framework. Conclusions. After analyzing the development of Ombudsman’s legal status and the results of his enquiries, conducted in the last decade, a conclusion has been made, that the European ombudsman considerably influences all the institutional system of the EU. His initiatives have far-reaching consequences which might have caused their effect on the whole legal framework of the EU, in case if the European ombudsman had been given some more legal powers. Though, having only recommendation mechanisms in possession, this body influences the governing system of the EU largely, causing positive changes, meeting the leading principles of the functioning of the EU.