BackThe Federal Ombudsman of Belgium released its annual report, according to which the Ombudsman received 6,609 files in 2013, of which 5,242 were complaints and 1,367 requests for information. 60% of the case files were submitted by e-mail or by using the electronic complaint form on the institution's website. The Federal Ombudsman was contacted 10,000 times by telephone during the year.
As was the case last year, the number one grievance is that the administrative authorities are too slow to act, accounting for every other complaint. Complaints about the quality of public service provided rank number two. The poor application of the regulations by the administrative authorities completes the podium.
Four complaints out of ten are solved within three months. More than one complaint out of two is dealt with within six months. Coversely, too many complaints take more than twelve months (one out of three).
The Federal Ombudsman made nineteen new recommendations. Ten previous recommendations were met.
Source: Federal Ombudsman, BELGIUM
