The EU ombudsman has launched a probe into the European Commission's appointment of external advisers to determine if the process bypasses conflict of interest checks. European Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly warned about an "inappropriate influence on policy-making," and said that outside advisers' "high-level access, coupled with the fact that many of the advisers have outside interests, heightens the importance of anticipating any possible conflict." The focus of the probe is the appointment of former German politician Edmund Stoiber as adviser on the Commission's proposals for cutting red tape.