Where the law stands, Dossier 2025/2153(DEC)
Discharge 2024: General budget of the EU - European Ombudsman
Discharge procedure · First reading
Parliament checks how an EU institution or agency spent a past year’s budget and signs it off — or refuses to.
Where it stands
Parliament’s position
Completed: published in the Official Journal on 10 September 2026 and now EU law.
- Referred to committee(done) 9 September 2025
- Committee work(done) Report adopted 2 March 2026
- Tabled for plenary(done) 12 March 2026
- Plenary vote(done) Adopted 29 April 2026
- Parliament’s position(done) Final
Decided in plenary
29 April 2026 · decision 16
EU budget & funds, Budget decision
Discharge 2024: EU general budget – European Ombudsman
Discharge decision adopted Decided by show of hands: no count recorded.
AI summary:Parliament noted the budget amounted to EUR 13,843,160 in 2024, with an implementation rate of 97.55%.
What changed
Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament
AI summary:The versions differ only in formal points and wording: the title is updated and a regulation citation is completed. Two factual corrections are made: the missions budget year is corrected to 2024 and the parental leave policy year to 2004.
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary
AI summary:The main change is that Parliament postpones its discharge decision for the Ombudsman for 2024 instead of granting it. Adds numerous calls for the Ombudsman to address perceived conflicts of interest, improve recruitment diversity, and strengthen safeguards in senior appointments. Adds requests for more realistic budgeting, better cost models for shared systems, and improved handling of access-to-documents delays. Adds stresses on maintaining communication capacity, ensuring ethical AI use, and incorporating social and environmental criteria in procurement. Other changes are formal or wording: updated references, terminology alignment, and minor rephrasing.
Who works on it
- Lead committee
- Budgetary Control
- The MEP who drafts the report and negotiates it on behalf of the committee.
- Pasquale Tridico (The Left)
- An MEP who follows a report on behalf of their own group when another group holds the rapporteur.
- Caterina Chinnici (EPP), José Cepeda (S&D), Ondřej Knotek (Patriots), Şerban Dimitrie Sturdza (ECR), Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu (Renew)
- Committees giving an opinion
- Security and Defence
- Budgets
- Constitutional Affairs
- Public Health
- Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
- Agriculture and Rural Development
- Environment, Climate and Food Safety
- Economic and Monetary Affairs
- Legal Affairs
- Culture and Education
- Internal Market and Consumer Protection
- Transport and Tourism
- International Trade
- Foreign Affairs
- Regional Development
- Fisheries
- Industry, Research and Energy
- Employment and Social Affairs
- Development
- Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
The text, version by version
Newest first.
Adopted by Parliament· 29 Apr 2026
AI summary:Parliament grants the European Ombudsman discharge for the 2024 budget and adopts a resolution with observations on budget management, performance, ethics, and transparency.
Tabled for plenary· 12 Mar 2026
AI summary:Parliament grants the European Ombudsman discharge for the 2024 budget and adopts a resolution with observations on budget management, performance, ethics, and other areas.
Committee draft· 15 Dec 2025
AI summary:This draft report proposes granting discharge to the European Ombudsman for the 2024 budget, with observations in a resolution. It notes the budget, management, and performance, and raises concerns about the Secretary-General selection process.
Timeline
Newest first.
Outcome 1 step
10 September 2026
Published in the Official Journal
The act is now EU law.
Plenary stage 3 steps
29 April 2026
Plenary vote
Sitting of 29 Apr 2026 Adopted text TA10-0133/2026Report A10-0054/2026
28 April 2026
Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
Sitting of 28 Apr 2026 Council / Commission text C10-0145/2025Council / Commission text C10-0146/2025Council / Commission text C10-0147/2025Council / Commission text C10-0148/2025Council / Commission text C10-0149/2025Council / Commission text C10-0150/2025Council / Commission text C10-0151/2025Council / Commission text C10-0152/2025Council / Commission text C10-0153/2025Council / Commission text C10-0154/2025Council / Commission text C10-0155/2025Council / Commission text C10-0156/2025Council / Commission text C10-0157/2025Report A10-0046/2026Report A10-0050/2026Report A10-0051/2026Report A10-0052/2026Report A10-0053/2026Report A10-0054/2026Report A10-0055/2026Report A10-0056/2026Report A10-0057/2026Report A10-0059/2026Report A10-0081/2026Report A10-0085/2026Report A10-0087/2026
12 March 2026
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 4 steps
2 March 2026
Committee vote: report adopted
CONT (Budgetary Control) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
28 January 2026
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of CONT (Budgetary Control) proposed changes to the draft.
15 December 2025
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in CONT (Budgetary Control). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
9 September 2025
Referred to the CONT (Budgetary Control) committee
The lead committee prepares the report; SEDE (Security and Defence), BUDG (Budgets), AFCO (Constitutional Affairs), SANT (Public Health), FEMM (Women’s Rights and Gender Equality), AGRI (Agriculture and Rural Development), ENVI (Environment, Climate and Food Safety), ECON (Economic and Monetary Affairs), JURI (Legal Affairs), CULT (Culture and Education), IMCO (Internal Market and Consumer Protection), TRAN (Transport and Tourism), INTA (International Trade), AFET (Foreign Affairs), REGI (Regional Development), PECH (Fisheries), ITRE (Industry, Research and Energy), EMPL (Employment and Social Affairs), DEVE (Development), LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) give an opinion.
Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2025/2153(DEC)