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EU: Regulation on access to EU documents: Institutional impasse as the three EU institutions take different positions

01 October 2009

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The debate in the European Parliaments's Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) on 5 October confirmed the institutional impasse that currently exists with each of the three institutions taking different position: See: A quick guide to the "state of play" on amending the Regulation and: Report on LIBE Committee (pdf). The Commission representative also said during the debate that:

"Concerning the Lisbon Treaty, the preparatory work on legal adjustments was ongoing, with a view to the preparation of an omnibus proposal when the Treaty came into force." (emphasis added).

Tony Bunyan,Statewatch editor, comments:

"This process is turning into a farce. The Commission put forward proposals to amend the Regulation on access to documents in April 2008. Now 18 months on there has been no progress with each institutions taking different positions. Now we are told that there will be a further "omnibus proposal" will be prepared some time next year when, and if, the Lisbon Treaty is adopted.

Civil society and citizens have been waiting for years for the Regulation to truly "enshrine" the right of access promised by the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999 and we are still waiting."

See also: Proposals for greater openness, transparency and democracy in the EU (pdf) by Professor Steve Peers

and Statewatch's Observatory: the Regulation on access to EU documents:2008-2009 (link)

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