Various European institutions are available as contacts for citizens who have questions about the European Union or wish to complain because they perceive a violation of European law.
The Commission has a representative office in Germany, which has information available on all aspects of the European Union. In the case of concrete questions, the citizens' adviser of the European Commission is available as a contact person. Her task is to provide information and legal counselling to citizens in questions of Community law and its application in national law. The European Commission also consults the public on policy papers.
The European Parliament (EP) maintains an information office in Germany, which offers citizens' services and comprehensive information on all questions regarding the European Union. The EP's citizens' portal provides information on the oppportunity of directing inquiries or petitions to the EP. The European Parliament has also appointed a Ombudsman, to whom every citizen of the Union or any natural or legal person resident or with a registered office or domicile in a Member State of the Union may turn with complaints regarding mismangement in the activities of the bodies or institutions of the Community - with the exception of the Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance in the exercise of their authority to interpret the law.
The European Parliament has also appointed an Ombudsman, to whom every citizen of the Union or any natural or legal person resident, or with a registered office or domicile, in a Member State of the Union may turn with complaints regarding mismanagement in the activities of the bodies or institutions of the Community - with the exception of the Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance in the exercise of their authority to interpret the law. Click here for more information about the European Ombudsman.
Within the German Federal Government, the Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Finance are responsible for coordinating European policy. The Web sites of those Ministries also contain more detailed information, as does that of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour. This is also where the SOLVIT Coordination Office is located, which may be utilised by citizens who believe that the authorities of another Member State are misapplying the internal market provisions of Community law.
