EP Rules of procedure, rule 159: appointment of the Ombudsman

The European Parliament has decided to amend Rule 159 of its rules of procedure on the appointment of the ombudsman. These changes, which apply with immediate effect, concern the selection and nomination procedure for the post of ombudsman: - the notice calling for nominations must be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities; - nominations must include all the supporting documents needed to show that the nominee fulfils the conditions required by the Regulations on the Ombudsman; - nominations must have the support of a minimum of 29 Members and 2 Member States; - each Member may only support one nomination; - the Committee on Petitions will hear candidates and then submit a list of admissible nominations in alphabetical order on which Parliament will vote. Hearings will be open to all Members. As far as the actual appointment of the ombudsman by Parliament in plenary is concerned: - the vote will be held by secret ballot; the nomination with the most votes wins; - if no candidate is elected after the first two ballots, only the two candidates with the most votes will continue to stand; - in the event of a tie, the older candidate wins. The decision contains a temporary provision for the appointment of the first ombudsman whereby candidates who met the required conditions during the first selection process need not reapply when the new procedure for appointing the ombudsman opens.�