Blog

  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.

Madrid/Luxembourg, 17 October 2013 — In a case brought by Access Info Europe, the European Court of Justice today rejected arguments by the Council of the European Union that it should be able to keep secret the identities of Member States making proposals in the context of negotiations on future EU legislation. This is the final ruling – by the highest court of the EU - in an important legal battle for greater transparency of the legislative process in Brussels in line with the EU treaties which require the European Parliament and the Council to "ensure publication of the documents

Madrid, 2 October 2013 - The European Court of Justice (ECJ) will formally announce its final ruling on the Access Info v Council of the European Union court case on 17 October 2013, after four years of legal battle. The second instance ECJ will now have the final word on whether or not it is legitimate for the Council to systematically blank out the names of Member States in documents summarising legislative negotiations before handing them out to the public. The dispute is about whether or not public access to the summaries of Council working party meetings, including details on