e being examined before a Court and while
the case is still subject to legal proceedings.
The temporary Committee of Inquiry shall cease to exist on the
submission of its report.
The detailed provisions governing the exercise of the right of inquiry
shall be determined by common accord of the European Parliament,
the Council, and the Commission.
ARTICLE 20c
Any citizen of the Union, and any natural or legal person residing or
having its registered office in a Member State, shall have the right to
address, individually or in association with other citizens or persons,
a petition to the European Parliament on a matter which comes within
the Community's field's of activity and which affects him, her or it
directly.
ARTICLE 20d
1. The European Parliament shall appoint an Ombudsman empowered
to receive complaints from any citizen of the Union or any natural or
legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State
concerning instances of maladministration in the activities of the
Community institutions or bodies, with the exception of the Court of
Justice and the Court of First Instance acting in their judicial role.
In accordance with his duties, the Ombudsman shall conduct enquiries
for which he finds grounds, either on his own initiative or on the basis
of complaints submitted to him direct or through a member of the
European Parliament, except where the alleged facts are or have been
the subject of legal proceedings. Where the Ombudsman establishes
an instance of maladministration, he shall refer the matter to the
institution concerned, which shall have a period of three months in
which to inform him of its views. The Ombudsman shall then forward a
report to the European Parliament, and the institution concerned. The
person lodging the complaint shall be informed of the outcome of such
inquiries.
The Ombudsman shall submit an annual report to the European
Parliament on the outcome of his inquiries.
2. The Ombudsman shall be appointed after each election of the
European parliament for the duration of its term of office. The
Ombudsman shall be eligible for reappointment.
The Ombudsman may be dismissed by the Court of Justice at the
request of the European Parliament if he no longer fulfils the
conditions required for the performance of his duties or if he is guilty
of serious misconduct.
3. The Ombudsman shall be completely independent in the
performance of his duties. In the performance of those duti