About: access to documents

Commission faces maladministration probe over TTIP secrecy

EXCLUSIVE: The European Commission is facing a likely maladministration investigation after refusing five non-governmental organisations (NGOs) access to secret Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) documents.

Payment card ruling could open new era for EU transparency

SPECIAL REPORT: The European Commission is considering lifting restrictions applying to confidential internal documentation in the wake of a payment card legal case it lost earlier this year.

EU struggles with being open about transparency

EU member states are reluctant to reveal whether or not they support proposals by the European Commission to overhaul EU transparency law, a media investigation carried out this week reveals, triggering fears that the European Union is becoming less accountable to citizens.  

Court rejects journalists’ calls for full EU transparency

The European Commission can restrict public access to the documents it files in lawsuits until after cases are decided, the European Court of Justice ruled yesterday (21 September), rejecting a request by a leading journalists' trade union based in Brussels. 

Public awarded greater say over EU environmental law

Public participation in environmental decision-making is to be strengthened after EU Ministers agreed to the principles of the Aarhus Convention. But they stopped short of allowing NGOs the right to drag member states to court.

EU supervisor: Privacy and transparency are complementary, not competing

EU Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx has presented a report that tries to strike a delicate balance between the fundamental rights of access to documents and of data protection. In an exclusive interview with EURACTIV, Mr. Hustinx commented on the paper and on other EU data protection issues. 

More pressure on Council to open up deliberations to the public

The European Ombudsman has begun looking into an MEP's complaint that the Council's Rules of Procedure do not allow sufficient public access to information on the latter institution's deliberations.

Parliament sees progress on EU access to documents policy

A new EP report on public access to documents shows that real progress has been made by the EU institutions, but there are a number of shortcomings as regards transparency.

EU to open up its historical archives

On 21 July, the Council reached a political agreement on a draft regulation that will open to the public the historical archives of the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.

Annual report still critical of access to documents policy

On 9 July, Michael Cashman (PES-UK), will present its own-initiative report on access to documents to the Parliament's Committee on Citizens' Freedoms and Rights, Justice and Home Affairs.

Opening closed doors: Council says access to documents in EU on the rise

The Council has released figures according to which the request for access to meeting papers has doubled since the entry into force of the 'access to documents' Regulation in 2001.

Court rules against the Council in “Hautala case” on access to documents

The Court of Justice decided to uphold the judgment of the Court of First Instance annulling the Council's decision to refuse Ms Heidi Hautala, an MEP, access to a report on arms exports. The Court of Justice pointed out that the public must have the widest possible access to documents and agreed with the judgement of the Court of First Instance, which said that the Council should consider partial access to a document containing items of information whose disclosure would endanger EU interests.

Ombudsman criticises Council after Statewatch complaint on access to documents

The European Ombudsman, Jacob Söderman, published a special report, on 30 November, on the failure of the EU Council to grant access to certain documents on justice and home affairs. The report was published after a complaint was made by Statewatch, a UK organisation fighting for transparency.

Council decision undermines new code of access

Statewatch says Council changes to 1993 Decision on document access undermine discussions on new code of access

Access to EU documents to worsen?

Civil society speakers at Statewatch seminar on access to documents claim new proposals from Brussels institutions will worsen transparency

European Environment Bureau slams Commission’s transparency policy

The European Environmental Bureau assessed that Commission's plan for the limitation of access to EU documents is "a shocking contrast with the Amsterdam Treaty's promise of more openness in Community decisionmaking".

Hautala: Openness requires change of attitude in Commission

Document MEP Heidi Hautala: Hautala: Openness requires change of attitude in Commission