At the presentation of his Annual Report 2010 in Brussels, Mr Diamandouros said: "The Ombudsman's main priority is to help the EU administration to become more open, proactive, accountable, and citizen-friendly, in order to increase citizens' trust in the European public service...."

The congress will be hosted by the University of Alcalá between 1 and 3 June 2011 in the framework of the Regional Programme of Support for the Ombudsmen of the People in Ibero-America. The latter is funded by the Spanish Agency of International Development Cooperation (AECID) in the framework of the Ibero- American Ombudsman Federation (FIO). Its' principal objective consists in promoting the institution of the Ombudsman in Ibero- America.

The Québec Ombudsman's report on public services for detainees with mental health disorders was tabled this morning in the National Assembly. The report highlights the fact that mental health services in Québec were structured without due consideration for the detention community's specific features.

Link to the Address by Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela at the Seminar on the Freedom of the Public Protector from Political Parties/Influence hosted by the University of South Africa at the university’s Dr Mirriam Makeba Concert Hall.

Companies that took part in the GreenPak authorised waste recovery scheme between 2005 and 2008 are now able to claim back the eco-tax they had paid through a legal notice published on Monday.

The I.O.I. has been invited to participate at the 24th General Meeting of the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (ICC), to be held in Geneva from 17 to 19 May 2011.

Ombudswoman Luisa Cava de Llano received the collegiate of Thai Ombudsmen:

Pramote Chotimongkol, Siracha Charoenpanij and Panit Nitithanprapas, accompanied by a delegation of members of their institution.

A supplementary retirement pension paid to a partner in a civil partnership, which is lower than that granted in a marriage, may constitute discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation. This is the case if the partnership is reserved to persons of the same gender and if it is in a legal and factual situation comparable to that of marriage