AFFGEN.2
Head of Division
Brussels, 3 June 2020
eeas.sg.affgen.2 (2020) 3170872
Ms Jelena von Achenbach
Subject: Your request for access to documents of 16 April 2020
Our ref: 2020/044
Dear Ms von Achenbach,
Thank you for your request for access to documents, which the EEAS has examined in the
framework of Regulation (EC) No 1049/20011.
The requested document “Food for Thought Paper with regard to the Co-ordinated Annual
Review on Defence (CARD)” is indeed in the possession of the EEAS but originates from
the European Defence Agency.
We therefore had to launch a third party consultation (in accordance with Article 4 of the
Regulation), and I regret to inform you that we have received a negative reply from the
European Defence Agency.
The above-mentioned document is a concept paper detailing the various CARD
elements,including information on development and availability of capabilities for EU
missions and operations. Release of the information contained in the document would
compromise the result of this exercise.
Therefore, I regret to inform you that the requested document cannot be disclosed at this point
in time, neither as a whole or partially, since it could seriously undermine the defence and
military matters as per Article 4(1)(a)2nd indent of the Regulation.
Should you wish this position to be reviewed, you may confirm your initial request within
15 working days.
Yours sincerely,
[e-signed]
Gabriele Visentin
1 Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (hereafter the "Regulation").
European External Action Service – B-1046 Brussels – Belgium – Tel.: (32-2) 584 11 11
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