Brussels, 22/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - Last Friday, European Ombudsman Professor Nikiforos Diamandouros welcomed the European Union Council's commitment to henceforth give candidates access to corrected exam papers from the recruitment competitions it organises. The decision follows a complaint filed with the European Ombudsman in December 2002. The complainant having failed at a test in typewriting had received a refusal from the Council administration after asking to see the corrected copy. This refusal was maintained after a first intervention by the Ombudsman in April. The Council maintained that the statute of officials provides for the work of the jury to remain secret in order to guarantee its independence and objectivity. It was only on the insistence of the Ombudsman, who stressed the advantages of giving access to corrected papers, that the Council agreed to review its position. The European Commission and the Parliament had already undertaken, in 1999 and 2000 respectively, to give access to corrected exam papers. The Ombudsman's decision is available on the Internet: http: //http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/decision/en/022097.htm