EU complaints 'remain unchanged'

The number of complaints about EU institutions has remained stable in the past 12 months, a report out later this week is expected to show.

The annual report of European ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros will show that the number of complaints made by EU citizens during 2006 remained unchanged on the previous year at about 4,000.

The majority of complaints were about a lack of transparency on the part of the various EU institutions, including parliament, the commission and council of ministers.

Specifically, the public, companies and NGOs complained that institutions had restricted access to documents and information to which they were legally entitled.

Diamandouros will present the report in parliament on Thursday.

"The ombudsman is expected to use the opportunity to again call for improved transparency," said a source for the Strasbourg-based official, whose term in office runs out in 2009.

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