European Ombudsman alerts Commission to gaps in urgent legislation

Strasbourg, France – The European Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, found gaps in the preparation by the European Commission of four legislative proposals deemed urgent, recommending greater care and transparency as stipulated in the Better Regulation framework.
According to a statement released today, Anjinho identified procedural gaps in the way the community executive prepared four legislative proposals that it considered urgent and which, collectively, “amounted to [a situation of] mismanagement”.
The European Ombudsman noted that, in preparing these urgent legislative proposals, the Commission did not carry out certain parts of its own “Better Regulation” rules, aimed at ensuring that law-making is evidence-based, transparent, and inclusive.
Teresa Anjinho recommended that the Commission ensure “a predictable, consistent, and non-arbitrary application of the ‘Better Regulation’ rules and that future urgent preparation of legislative proposals is always transparent, evidence-based, and inclusive”.
Suggestions were also made, in light of the upcoming review of the “Better Regulation” rules, including clarifying the minimum standards for consultations with stakeholders in urgent procedures.
The European Ombudsman conducted three inquiries, prompted by complaints, that examined whether the Commission applied the normal rules and procedures for policy-making when preparing legislative drafts related to corporate sustainability due diligence (Omnibus), the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the fight against migrant trafficking.
Issues at stake included the disclosure of documents and changes to the time for consultations. (27/11/25)