09/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, has opened a new investigation into European Commission payment delays. This follows complaints by companies, charities, NGOs, universities and other organisations involved in EU financed contracts and projects. The Ombudsman wants to know what measures the Commission has recently taken to tackle late payments. This investigation is part of the follow-up on the most recent investigation into late payments that the Ombudsman closed in July 2008. At the time, the Ombudsman pointed out that although progress had been made, the Commission was still encountering serious difficulties to execute payments in reasonable time. He decided to launch this new investigation in order to take into account the new figures reflecting the Commission's performance in 2008. (O.J./transl.rh)