EU: European Ombudsman calls on European Parliament to defend EU's commitment to transparency and the citizens’ right of access to EU documents

European Ombudsman, P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, called on the European Parliament (EP) to defend the European Union’s commitment to transparency and the citizens’ right of access to EU documents at a public hearing in the EP’s LIBE Committee (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs), the Ombudsman said: “The Commission’s proposals would mean access to fewer, not more, documents. This raises fundamental issues of principle about the EU’s commitment to openness and transparency.” Press release (pdf) Full-text of speech (pdf) See for full background and documentation: EU-FOI: Statewatch’s: Observatory on access to EU documents: 2008 – 2009 (link)