ADVOCATING FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN THE EU

WE SHINE A LIGHT ON EU INSTITUTIONS AND DECISION MAKING

WE PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY IN EU DECISION MAKING...

since citizens have the right to know about how decisions are taken

Transparency in EU decision making is essential to ensuring citizens can hold public officials to account and increase citizen participation. We also campaign for stronger rules for lobbying transparency, the opening up of trilogues, as well as better record keeping by all EU institutions.

WE TACKLE THE
ABUSIVE APPLICATION
OF EXCEPTIONS...

because only in limited cases should the EU apply exceptions to access

By using the EU transparency rules (Regulation 1049/2001) we challenge the decisions of EU institutions that limit access to documents, and take further appeals and complaints to the European Ombudsman or Courts.

WE CHALLENGE
PRACTICAL OBSTACLES TO
ACCESS INFORMATION...

so that submitting requests is simple and straightforward for everyone

We challenge the obstacles put in place by EU institutions via appeals and evidence-based advocacy – whether it be for example, to end the obligation to provide a postal address or personal identification to register requests or simply to be able to use email!

EU AGENCIES
TRAVEL EXPENSES

GUIDE ON ACCESS TO
EU DOCUMENTS

COMMISSIONERS’ EXPENSES CAMPAIGN

LITIGATION AT THE
EU LEVEL

OUR LATEST UPDATES ON EU TRANSPARENCY

17Nov 2009

access info’s EU requests

Access Info’s Access to EU Documents Requests Access Info firmly believes that an access to information law is meaningless unless it is actually used. Apart from that, making requests is an excellent way to monitor the state of transparency within the European Union. It also provides us with opportunities to push for greater transparency by taking legal action, for example.

6Aug 2009

Litigation

Access Info's Litigation at the European Union Access Info Europe v. Council of the European Union, Hellenic Republic and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – T-233/2009 The EU is reforming its rules on access to documents and Access Info wanted to know what position each government was taking on the reform. We asked the Council of the

24Jul 2009

European Union key problems

Access Info has identified some key problems with EU transparency: People are having problems getting access to information: the European Ombudsman’s report for 2008 says that 36% of citizens’ complaints relate to transparency and access to documents. But at the same time, most users of the EU’s access rules are businesses rather than journalists, civil society organisations or members of

23Jul 2009

Council of Europe Intro Section

Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents The world’s first treaty on the right to know was adopted by the Council of Europe on 27 November 2008. This treaty, the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents, was opened for signature on 18 June. Any of the 47 member states of the Council of Europe can

Previous 3435