The European Ombudsman, Teresa Anjinho, stated on Wednesday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that it is "very important" to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are respected when EU funds are used.
Anjinho made this point at an information session organised in the EU capital by New Economy Forum, when asked about how would she ensure transparency in legal and financial compliance within European institutions regarding disability.
The Ombudsman noted that she is part of the EU framework for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and that she sits on a committee with “very significant” supervisory powers over how the institutions comply with the Convention.
Anjinho explained that she shares this monitoring role with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), which produces numerous reports and monitors relevant areas of the CRPD. Nevertheless, she maintained that both her office and the agency “can do more”, both individually and jointly.
The Ombudsman recalled an ex officio investigation she had carried out some time ago, before taking up her current post, into independent living and the use of EU funds. She emphasised that it is essential to ensure respect for the Charter of Fundamental Rights when these European resources are utilised.
She explained that, in order to reach meaningful conclusions in that work, she had drawn on the expertise of national ombudsmen’s offices, and suggested that she might revisit that past strategic investigation to assess the current state of affairs.
Beyond her own initiatives, Anjinho acknowledged that she relies heavily on the complaints she receives. He admitted that he has received some in this area, but hoped for more, attributing this shortfall to a lack of public awareness regarding the institution’s work.
She clarified that, particularly when it comes to EU staff, it is important to recognise that her office only examines the procedure. She therefore made it clear that she does not act as a court that delves into the substance of many of these issues.
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