Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD certification
Dear Agriculture and Rural Development,
On July 16 2015, a common understanding on a temporary solution for the POD certification of Halloumi/Hellim was reached. In it, Bureau Veritas was appointed as the body in charge of the control tasks provided for by Regulation 1151/2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products.
Under the right of access to documents in the EU treaties, as developed in Regulation 1049/2001, I am requesting documents which contain the following information:
- copies of reports submitted by Bureau Veritas in its role as the body in charge of control tasks provided by the Regulation mentioned above, for the years 2021 and 2022
- copies of objections to Cyprus' application for PDO designation for Halloumi, including those sent by Finland and six natural or legal persons that reside or are based in Cyprus, submitted to the Commission and forwarded to Cypriot authorities
- copies of documents shared by German authorities to EU Agro Fraud Network, as part of the alert raised on July 5 2022 regarding Halloumi products that do not meet the required EU standards under its PDO.
- copy of the response received from Cypriot authorities regarding the alert raised on July 5 2022.
- notes and agendas of meetings conducted with representatives of Cypriot authorities, with representatives from Cypriot industry associations (including from the Turkish Cypriot community), or with Bureau Veritas, for the period from October 2020 until December 2022, on the topic of PDO certification of Halloumi.
- correspondence with representatives of Cypriot authorities, with representatives from Cypriot industry associations (including from the Turkish Cypriot community), or with Bureau Veritas, for the period from October 2020 until December 2022, on the topic of PDO certification of Halloumi.
I define “correspondence” as including (but not limited to) the following:
- Emails (and their attachments)
- Letters
- Memos
- Briefings
- Research documents
- Notes taken during telephone conversations
Yours faithfully,
Anas Ambri
Dear Sir or Madam,
We are writing to you concerning your request for access to documents sent
on 05/01/2023 and registered on 06/01/2023 under case number 2023/0125.
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 Agriculture and Rural Development - 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 Agriculture and Rural Development,
My postal address is:
Andrea Zaimi 5
2113 Aglantzia
Nicosia
Yours faithfully,
Anas Ambri
Dear Mr Ambri,
Thank you for your message.
Kind regards,
AGRI Access Documents Team
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your request for access to documents
sent on 05/01/2023 and registered on 06/01/2023 under the case number
2023/0125.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 27/01/2023. 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 Agriculture and Rural Development - Access to
Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...
Dear Agriculture and Rural Development,
It has now been more than 15 working days since your the time-limit requested in your extension has expired. Any update on my request, please?
Yours faithfully,
Anas Ambri
Dear Mr. Ambri,
Please find attached a reply to your requests for access to documents,
registered under references Case 2023/125 and 2023/118. Du to large
size/number of documents, we will sent you several batches.
Please note that this letter is sent by email only, no hard copy will be
mailed.
Please confirm the receipt of this e-mail (and all following parties)
within 5 working days.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
AGRI Access to Documents Team
From: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 8:22 PM
To: Anas Ambri <[FOI #12391 email]>
Cc: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[email address]>
Subject: Reply to Cases 2023/118 and 125 - AMBRI : access to documents
request - Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - 1st batch
Dear Mr. Ambri,
Please find attached a reply to your requests for access to documents,
registered under references Case 2023/125 and 2023/118. Du to large
size/number of documents, we will sent you several batches.
Please note that this letter is sent by email only, no hard copy will be
mailed.
Please confirm the receipt of this e-mail (and all following parties)
within 5 working days.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
AGRI Access to Documents Team
From: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 8:26 PM
To: Anas Ambri <[FOI #12391 email]>
Cc: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[email address]>
Subject: Reply to Cases 2023/118 and 125 - AMBRI : access to documents
request - Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - 2nd batch
From: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[1][email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 8:22 PM
To: Anas Ambri <[2][FOI #12391 email]>
Cc: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[3][email address]>
Subject: Reply to Cases 2023/118 and 125 - AMBRI : access to documents
request - Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - 1st batch
Dear Mr. Ambri,
Please find attached a reply to your requests for access to documents,
registered under references Case 2023/125 and 2023/118. Du to large
size/number of documents, we will sent you several batches.
Please note that this letter is sent by email only, no hard copy will be
mailed.
Please confirm the receipt of this e-mail (and all following parties)
within 5 working days.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
AGRI Access to Documents Team
From: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 8:28 PM
To: Anas Ambri <[FOI #12391 email]>
Cc: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[email address]>
Subject: Reply to Cases 2023/118 and 125 - AMBRI : access to documents
request - Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - 3th batch
From: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[1][email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 8:26 PM
To: Anas Ambri <[2][FOI #12391 email]>
Cc: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[3][email address]>
Subject: Reply to Cases 2023/118 and 125 - AMBRI : access to documents
request - Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - 2nd batch
From: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[4][email address]>
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 8:22 PM
To: Anas Ambri <[5][FOI #12391 email]>
Cc: AGRI ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[6][email address]>
Subject: Reply to Cases 2023/118 and 125 - AMBRI : access to documents
request - Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - 1st batch
Dear Mr. Ambri,
Please find attached a reply to your requests for access to documents,
registered under references Case 2023/125 and 2023/118. Du to large
size/number of documents, we will sent you several batches.
Please note that this letter is sent by email only, no hard copy will be
mailed.
Please confirm the receipt of this e-mail (and all following parties)
within 5 working days.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
AGRI Access to Documents Team
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your request for access to documents
sent on 20/02/2023 and registered on 20/02/2023 under the case number
2023/1128.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 13/03/2023. 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,
Secretariat-General - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...
Dear Agriculture and Rural Development,
I would like to confirm receipt of the released documents. Would you be so kind, as to inform the Secretariat-General - Access to Documents that there is no need to open a new case to handle my request, please? The new case number is 2023/1128.
Yours faithfully,
Anas Ambri
Dear Sir or Madam,
Thank you for your email dated 20/02/2022 addressed to DG AGRI regarding
your initial request 2023/0118 in which you alsp informed us that there is
no need to open a new case to handle you request registered under
reference 2023/1128.
Therefore, reference 2023/1128 has been closed in our database.
Kind regards,
Access to documents team
Dear Anas Ambri,
Please find enclosed a letter on the above mentioned subject.
Yours sincerely,
European Commission
Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
G5 – Food Hygiene, feed and fraud
Rue Breydel, 4
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
Dear Agriculture and Rural Development,
In your reply to my application (DG/WB/I.3/CCL/RW D(2023)), you stated that my request has also been forwarded to DG_REFORM. Would you be able to update me on its status and share the associated case number please?
Yours faithfully,
Anas Ambri
Dear SIr/Madam,
Please find attached the reply Ares(2023)1247411 to your acces to
documents request EASE 2023 - 0453.
Yours sincerely,
SANTE.G5
Dear SIr/Madam,
Please find attached the reply Ares(2023)1247411 to your acces to
documents request EASE 2023 - 0453.
Yours sincerely,
SANTE.G5
[1]FW: à répondre au demandeur svp - access to documents request - Bureau
Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD certification -
Ares(2023)1337376 (Please use this link only if you are an Ares user –
Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your email.
Please be informed that new reference has been created for documents
pertaining to DG REFORM.
The reference is 2023/1128 with deadline 13/03/2023.
Kind regards,
Access to documents team (cr)
SG.C.1
Transparency
Dear Agriculture and Rural Development,
Thank you for your email. Can you please confirm that case 2023/1128 is still open? An earlier message from DG_REFORM, dated 2023/02/20, seems to suggest that it has been closed.
Yours faithfully,
Anas Ambri
[1]Bureau Veritas in charge of control tasks for Halloumi POD
certification - Ares(2023)1339523 (Please use this link only if you are
an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes un(e)
utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your email.
Please be informed that new reference has been created for documents
pertaining to DG REFORM.
The reference is 2023/1128 with deadline 13/03/2023 and remains open.
Kind regards,
Access to documents team (cr)
SG.C.1
Transparency