Citizens who make minor, unintentional errors in their interactions with governmental administration should not face severe consequences, the Federal Ombudsman has stated.
The annual report published by Federal Ombudsman David Baele on Wednesday emphasises the need for the government to show understanding towards citizens' mistakes and calls for more "empathy" from authorities.
Real-life examples include a man accidentally entering the wrong account number when applying for an energy subsidy or a couple inheriting a house without noticing that the cadastral income is not included in their simplified tax return proposal. These are just two cases of minor administrative errors with potentially disproportionate repercussions the Ombudsman encountered last year.
Baele believes citizens should not automatically face severe consequences for such mistakes.
Federal Ombudsman David Baele in 2o22. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq
"Citizens should be given the opportunity to rectify errors," he said. "If people have not followed complex rules or procedures accurately, they shouldn’t be immediately penalised."
The Ombudsman also calls for greater empathy from the government, pointing out that citizens sometimes perceive it as unresponsive to their circumstances.
Baele advises, "Keep rules and procedures simple, communicate clearly, and provide guidance where necessary, so that people can quickly and efficiently find the right path."
Last year, the Federal Ombudsman received 9,112 cases, which is about 1,000 fewer than in 2023, a record year marked by numerous complaints about energy subsidies.
Despite the drop, the volume of complaints remains high, with 5,845 cases. The Ombudsman resolved 78% of the complaints, most of which involved migration files, but issues concerning unemployment benefits also prompted a significant number of cases.
