Decision-making procedure in Commission access to documents policy, dated 1st of April 2014

The request was successful.

Access Info Europe

Dear Secretariat General (SG),

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:

On April 1st 2014, the European Commission adopted a new access to documents policy, whereby it became a precondition for applicants to provide a postal address in order to submit an access to documents request. Failure to provide a postal address now results in requests not being registered by the European Commission. I would like to gain access to any documents or minutes of meetings that reveal how this decision was made and who was involved in its formulation, approval and adoption.
I have a general interest in knowing what the decision-making mechanism is for Commission policies, and a specific interest in knowing how this particular policy was decided upon.

Thank you very much in advance.

Yours faithfully,
Access Info Europe

Secretariat General of the European Commission

Thank you for your request for access to documents. Unfortunately you have not indicated your postal address that is required for registering and handling your request in line with the procedural requirements. Please send us your full postal address at your earliest convenience. Pending your reply, we reserve the right to refuse the registration of your request.
You may, of course, use directly the electronic form for entering your request:

http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/...

ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS TEAM

European Commission
Secretariat General
Unit SG.B4 – Transparency

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Access Info Europe

Dear Secretariat General (SG),

The postal address of Access Info Europe is:

Cava de San Miguel 8, 4º centro
28005 Madrid
Spain

Yours faithfully,

Access Info Europe

Secretariat General of the European Commission

Dear Access Info Europe,

Thank you for sending us your postal address.

We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your email of 16/10/2014 registered on 23/10/2014 under the reference number GESTDEM 2014/4942.

In accordance with Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, you will receive a response to your request within 15 working days: 13/11/2014.

If this deadline needs to be extended, you will be informed in due course.

Best regards,

ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS TEAM

European Commission
Secretariat General
Unit SG.B4 – Transparency

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Secretariat General of the European Commission

Dear Access Info Europe,

Following the submission of your postal address, we have registered your request in our system. In order to be able to address you officially in our notifications and replies, could you please confirm – by return of e-mail – that we can address the letters to your legal representative, Ms Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info Europe?

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,

Bernadett BERCZELI
Access to Documents

European Commission
Secretariat General
Unit SG.B4 – Transparency

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Access Info Europe

Dear Secretariat General (SG),

I hereby confirm that you may address your letters to our legal representative, Ms Helen Darbishire.
Thank you in advance.

Yours faithfully,

Access Info Europe

Secretariat General of the European Commission

3 Attachments

Dear Ms Darbishire,

Please find attached a preliminary copy of the answer to your request for access to documents pursuant to Regulation (EC) N° 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, GESTDEM 2014/4942.

The original note will be sent to you by registered post; annexes only transferred by email.

Best regards,

ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS TEAM

European Commission
Secretariat General
Unit SG.B4 – Transparency

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Access Info Europe

Dear Mr Kröger,

Thank you for your response.
The document you sent on the “Notification of Negative Replies Under Regulation 10469/2001” is the final decision taken by the Commission.

Our request specifically asks for documents relating to the procedure that was followed to reach this final decision and the participants who were involved in its formulation, approval and adoption.

We would therefore like to reiterate our requests for any documents or minutes of meetings that you have at your disposal which reveal how this decision was made. Such documents could include emails, internal consultation memos, copies of legal advice, etc., which were used in the consideration and formulation of the policy that was eventually adopted.
Thank you in advance.

With best regards,
Helen Darbishire

Secretariat General of the European Commission

Dear Mr Darbishire,

The document you received is the result of several meetings at working as well as senior management level on the issue covered in this guidance note. The document thus contains the formal position of the Secretariat-General on this matter.

The Commission has not drawn up minutes of these meetings nor are there any other documents drawn up by the Commission that would be linked to the preparation of this guidance note.

Best regards,

Martin KRÖGER
Head of Unit
European Commission
Secretariat-General
Unit B4: Transparency

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Dear Mr Kröger,

Thank you very much for the answer.

Yours faithfully,

Helen Darbishire