Information on meetings between ArcelorMittal and Valdis Dombrovskis, and members of his Cabinet
Dear Trade Directorate-General,
Under the European Union's Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, I am writing to request access to information pertinent to a series of meetings between ArcelorMittal representatives and Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, and his Cabinet members, which include Michael Hager, Gints Freimanis, Andrea Beltramello, Elina Melngaile, Zaneta Vegnere and Jan Ceyssens between 2018 and 2023. The meetings requested took place as follows:
18/04/2023 meeting between Michael Hager, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis and ArcelorMittal on the “current situation of the steel sector in Europe. State-of-play regarding the negotiations on the GSA with the US”;
16/02/2023 meeting between Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, and ArcelorMittal, on the “Critical Raw Materials package”;
04/02/2022 meeting between Gints Freimanis, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on the “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism”;
26/04/2021 meeting between Gints Freimanis, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, Michael Hager, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “Emissions Trading Systems (ETS), Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)”;
On 26/03/2021 meeting between Andrea Beltramello, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “Taxonomy, draft, Delegated Act”;
14/07/2020 meeting between Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, and ArcelorMittal, on “COVID-19 impact on the steel industry - ArcelorMittal Carbon Emissions Reduction Roadmap - EU safeguard measures for steel - EU’s possible support for clean steel - Industrial alliances: hydrogen and energy intensive industry alliance”;
10/06/2020 meeting between Elina Melngaile, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, Zaneta Vegnere, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “COVID-19 impact on steel sector - Clean steel technologies - Europe’s recovery plan and timeline for its adoption - ArcelorMittal roadmap to achieving CO2 reduction goals (minus 30% by 2030) - Safeguard measures - Carbon border adjustment tax”;
22/11/2018 meeting between Jan Ceyssens, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “taxonomy and EU IFRS”.
On the above, I request:
Preparatory documents including but not limited to memos, emails, briefing notes, and reports, shared between representatives of ArcelorMittal and any officials or employees from the Trade Directorate-General ahead of the aforementioned meetings.
All correspondence of any nature between representatives of ArcelorMittal and any officials or employees from the Trade Directorate-General ahead of the aforementioned meetings, and after the meeting, with a time-window of three months. This includes but is not limited to text messages, letters, emails and faxes.
Copies of supporting material provided both by the Trade Directorate-General and their cabinet members, and ArcelorMittal. This includes documentation, reports, and relevant presentations’ materials.
All official documents which present commitments taken by both parties during, and post, meetings between the Trade Directorate-General and their cabinet members, and ArcelorMittal.
Any meeting notes, conclusive documents or summaries taken during the above meetings.
In addition, I request any documentation mentioning “IPCEI”, “Taranto”, “hydrogen” and “Gijón”.
Please provide the requested documents within the timeframe specified by Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. If any of the requested documents are subject to restrictions under (EC) No 1049/2001, kindly point to the legal grounds for the refusal. I accept receiving non-fully disclosed documents in all shapes or forms.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. I look forward to receiving the requested material.
Sincerely,
Alma Selvaggia Rinaldi
Dear Trade,
By law (Article 42 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, under which ‘any citizen of the EU has the right to access documents'), your authority should have responded and by January 23, 2024 to the FOI request submitted on December 23, 2023. I kindly ask you to comply with the law and provide the requested information on meetings between ArcelorMittal and Valdis Dombrovskis, and members of his Cabinets, promptly.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Yours faithfully,
Alma Rinaldi
Dear Sir or Madam,
We are writing to you concerning your request for access to documents sent
on 22/12/2023 and registered on 24/01/2024 under case number 2024/0426.
Since you have not indicated your postal address, we are not able to start
handling your request. The 15 working days to reply to your request will
start running only when you send us your postal address.
You can send your postal address by replying to this e-mail. If we do not
receive your reply we may close this case.
Please note that you can submit a request for access to Commission
documents via the portal [1]'Request a Commission document', which does
not require you to indicate your postal address.
Why do we need your personal postal address?
Since 1 April 2014, the submission of a postal address became a mandatory
feature when submitting an application for access to Commission documents
via an e-mail. We would like to explain why we need your postal address in
order to register and handle your application for access to documents when
submitted via e-mail:
• Firstly, to obtain legal certainty as regards the date you received
the European Commission reply to your application for public access to
documents. Article 297 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union (TFEU) states that 'decisions which specify to whom
they are addressed, shall be notified to those to whom they are
addressed and shall take effect upon such notification.' In line with
this provision, if the Commission does not grant full access to the
requested documents, it notifies the reply to the applicant via
registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt or via delivery
service. This requires an indication of a valid postal address by the
applicant;
• Secondly, to apply correctly the [2]Data Protection Regulation (EU)
2018/1725. Knowing whether the applicant is an EU resident (or not) is
necessary for deciding which conditions shall apply for the
transmissions of personal data to applicants for access to documents.
These conditions are not the same for recipients established in the
Union and for recipients in third countries. As the vast majority of
the documents requested contain personal data, the Commission cannot
ensure the correct application of the data protection rules in the
absence of a postal address;
• Thirdly, to apply correctly [3]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. Article
4(1)(b) of that Regulation refers to the protection of the privacy and
integrity of the individual and has to be applied in line with the
Data Protection Regulation;
• Fourthly, to protect the interest of other citizens and safeguard the
principle of good administration. The Commission has to treat all
citizens equally by ensuring that the legal framework for public
access to documents is respected. For example, it has to verify
whether Article 6(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 is being evaded
by introducing several requests under different identities. Indeed, in
its Ryanair judgment ([4]EU:T:2010:511), the General Court confirmed
that Article 6(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 cannot be evaded by
splitting an application into several, seemingly separate, parts. In
addition, the Commission has to make sure that the legal framework is
respected and the right of access to documents is not abused by making
requests under an invented identity.
The considerations above show that the request for and the consequent
processing of the applicant's postal address is not only appropriate, but
also strictly necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the
public interest within the meaning of Article 5(1)(a) of Data Protection
Regulation, namely providing a smooth and effective access to documents.
Yours faithfully,
Directorate-General for Trade - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ec.europa.eu/transparency/do...
2. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
3. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
4. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Trade,
Thank you for your prompt response. My address is Flat 2, 9 Sunborne Road, L17 7BL, Liverpool, United Kingdom. I look forward to receiving the requested documents as soon as possible.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation,
Alma Rinaldi
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your request for access to documents
sent on 22/12/2023 and registered on 24/01/2024 under the case number
2024/0426.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 14/02/2024. We will let you know
if we need to extend this time limit for additional 15 working days.
To find more information on how we process your personal data, please see
[1]the privacy statement.
Yours faithfully,
Directorate-General for Trade - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...
Dear Ms Rinaldi,
We refer to your email application for public access to documents of 22
December 2023, registered on 24 January 2024 under the EASE reference
number 2024/0426.
Your application is currently being handled and the reply to it should be
finalised very soon.
However, we will not be in a position to complete the handling of your
application within the time limit of 15 working days, which expires on 14
February 2024, i.e. today.
An extended time limit is needed as the application concerns documents
held by different Services, which must be consulted.
Therefore, we have to extend the time limit by 15 working days in
accordance with Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding
public access to documents.
The new time limit expires on 6 March 2024.
We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause.
Yours sincerely,
DG TRADE Access to Documents Team
European Commission
Directorate General for Trade
Unit R3 – Transparency, Civil Society and Communications
CHAR
1049 Brussels
Belgium
Dear Ms Rinaldi,
We are writing to you concerning your application for public access to
Commission documents registered on 24 January 2024 under case number
2024/0426.
The formulation of the last part of your request is very broad and vague
at the same time. (“I request any documentation mentioning “IPCEI”,
“Taranto”, “hydrogen” and “Gijón”). Hence, it is likely to involve
searching a large number of potential files that might not be in the real
focus of your interests.
Therefore, we would be grateful, if you could please provide us with
clarifications to help us identify the documents you request.
In line with Article 6(2) of [1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding
public access to documents, we invite you to send us more detailed
information on the documents you request, such as references, dates or
periods during which the documents would have been drawn up, persons or
bodies who drafted the documents etc.
Thank you very much in advance for your kind collaboration on this matter.
Please note that the 15 working days to reply to your request will start
running only when you reply sufficiently to this message. If you do not
reply within 5 working days, we will close this case in line with our
detailed rules for the application of Regulation (EC) No1049/2001.
Kind regards,
DG TRADE Access to Documents Team
European Commission
Directorate General for Trade
Unit R3 – Transparency, Civil Society and Communications
CHAR
1049 Brussels
Belgium
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear applicant,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2024/0426.
Kind regards,
DG TRADE Access to Documents Team
Dear Trade,
Thank you. You can ignore the specific request for documents mentioning “IPCEI”, “Taranto”, “hydrogen” and “Gijón”. You can find details on the exact correspondences I am requesting below:
Under the European Union's Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, I request access to information pertinent to a series of meetings between ArcelorMittal representatives and Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, and his Cabinet members, which include Michael Hager, Gints Freimanis, Andrea Beltramello, Elina Melngaile, Zaneta Vegnere and Jan Ceyssens between 2018 and 2023. The meetings requested took place as follows:
18/04/2023 meeting between Michael Hager, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis and ArcelorMittal on the “current situation of the steel sector in Europe. State-of-play regarding the negotiations on the GSA with the US”;
16/02/2023 meeting between Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, and ArcelorMittal, on the “Critical Raw Materials package”;
04/02/2022 meeting between Gints Freimanis, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on the “Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism”;
26/04/2021 meeting between Gints Freimanis, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, Michael Hager, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “Emissions Trading Systems (ETS), Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)”;
On 26/03/2021 meeting between Andrea Beltramello, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “Taxonomy, draft, Delegated Act”;
14/07/2020 meeting between Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President, and ArcelorMittal, on “COVID-19 impact on the steel industry - ArcelorMittal Carbon Emissions Reduction Roadmap - EU safeguard measures for steel - EU’s possible support for clean steel - Industrial alliances: hydrogen and energy intensive industry alliance”;
10/06/2020 meeting between Elina Melngaile, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, Zaneta Vegnere, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “COVID-19 impact on steel sector - Clean steel technologies - Europe’s recovery plan and timeline for its adoption - ArcelorMittal roadmap to achieving CO2 reduction goals (minus 30% by 2030) - Safeguard measures - Carbon border adjustment tax”;
22/11/2018 meeting between Jan Ceyssens, Cabinet member of Valdis Dombrovskis, and ArcelorMittal, on “taxonomy and EU IFRS”.
On the above, I request:
Preparatory documents including but not limited to memos, emails, briefing notes, and reports, shared between representatives of ArcelorMittal and any officials or employees from the Trade Directorate-General ahead of the aforementioned meetings.
All correspondence of any nature between representatives of ArcelorMittal and any officials or employees from the Trade Directorate-General ahead of the aforementioned meetings, and after the meeting, with a time-window of three months. This includes but is not limited to text messages, letters, emails and faxes.
Copies of supporting material provided both by the Trade Directorate-General and their cabinet members, and ArcelorMittal. This includes documentation, reports, and relevant presentations’ materials.
All official documents which present commitments taken by both parties during, and post, meetings between the Trade Directorate-General and their cabinet members, and ArcelorMittal.
Any meeting notes, conclusive documents or summaries taken during the above meetings.
Thank you,
Alma Rinaldi
Dear Ms Rinaldi,
Please find attached the reply to your initial request for public access
to Commission documents registered under the above case number EASE
2024/0426.
We apologise for the delayed response to your request.
For a faster processing, in particular at the beginning of the request
handling, please consider in the future to submit your request directly
via the dedicated EASE Portal under [1]Electronic Access to Commission
Documents (EASE) (europa.eu) -
[2]https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/docume..., where you may
create your own account, allowing you to receive notifications about our
communications to you within a few seconds of time. As owner of such an
account, you also do not have to indicate any address of your residence
(except for your country of residence, which is required for reasons
related to the potentially applicable data protection framework).
Kindly acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Thank you very much in advance!
Kind regards,
DG TRADE Public Access to Documents Team
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/docume...
2. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/docume...
Dear Ms Rinaldi,
Please find attached the reply to your initial request for public access
to Commission documents registered under the above case number EASE
2024/0426.
We apologise for the delayed response to your request.
For a faster processing, in particular at the beginning of the request
handling, please consider in the future to submit your request directly
via the dedicated EASE Portal under [1]Electronic Access to Commission
Documents (EASE) (europa.eu) -
[2]https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/docume..., where you may
create your own account, allowing you to receive notifications about our
communications to you within a few seconds of time. As owner of such an
account, you also do not have to indicate any address of your residence
(except for your country of residence, which is required for reasons
related to the potentially applicable data protection framework).
Kindly acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Thank you very much in advance!
Kind regards,
DG TRADE Public Access to Documents Team
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/docume...
2. https://ec.europa.eu/transparency/docume...