Madrid, 22 October 2013 – The European Parliament has issued a statement welcoming the 17 October 2013 ruling by the European Court of Justice in the case of Council v Access Info Europe Case C-280/11 P stating that EU citizens need a clearer and wider access to the decision-making process.
The European Parliament had joined Access Info Europe in defending against attempts by the Council of the EU to quash a 2011 its 2001 win before the General Court which ruled that the NGO should have full access to Council documents.
MEP Michael Cashman, who has been a strong defender of the right of access to EU documents and has worked to improve the existing rules, stated: «I congratulate Access Info Europe for helping, through this case, to clarify EU legislation and keeping all of us accountable. I am proud our House has stood by EU citizens and stood for what it has been continuously fighting for: more transparency of the decision-making process.»
The European Parliament statement says that the decision should «open the eyes of Member States to the necessity to update EU legislation on access to documents.»
The European Court of Justice ruled on 17 October 2013 that the Council’s policy of releasing legislative drafting documents with the names of member states tabling amendments blacked out was not in conformity with EU law (Council v Access Info Europe Case C-280/11 P).
Photo taken from http://michael-cashman.eu