The European Commission did not follow the proper lawmaking procedure when it drafted a plan to cut red tape, the European Ombudsman office said in a damaging assessment released Thursday. The administrative watchdog — which has no enforcement powers — found “a number of procedural shortcomings” which “amount to maladministration” in how the Commission prepared several proposals to review EU rules on supply chain transparency, agricultural funding, and migration. It comes as the EU executive attempts to quickly pass a long list of legislative amendments to simplify rules for business and boost the bloc’s global competitiveness. The findings conclude three separate investigations launched by the Ombudsman, following complaints from civil society that the Commission was bypassing its own “Better Regulation” rules, which outline what steps the EU needs to take when drafting legislative proposals. “The Commission must be able to respond urgently to different situations, particularly in the current geopolitical context,” European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho said in a statement. “However, it needs to ensure that accountability and transparency continue to be part of its legislative processes and that its actions are clearly explained to citizens.” The Commission did not provide enough evidence to “justify the ‘urgency’ of the legislative proposals towards the public,” the Ombudsman conclusions state. It recommends that the EU executive be more transparent, evidenced-based and inclusive in its future lawmaking. The Ombudsman Office monitors whether the institutions are upholding transparency norms investigates complaints of poor administration by EU institutions.