EDIDP compliance international law

Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

On the 4th of March, the European Commission responded in answer to a parliamentary question relating to the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) that "the regulation establishes, as an eligibility criterion, that the use, development or production of products and technologies proposed for funding must comply with international law" (E-003854/2019).

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:
– all documents related to the reviewing of EDIDP projects’ compliance with international law;
– all documents related to the procedures that determine the compliance of EDIDP projects with international law.

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken
On behalf of Vredesactie

Patriottenstraat 27,
2600 Berchem
www.vredesactie.be
Tel. +32 (0) 3 281 68 39
Mobile: +32 497 13 14 64

Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

Please pass this on to the person who reviews confirmatory applications.

I am filing the following confirmatory application with regards to my access to documents request which was registered on 18/05/2020. I haven't received any response to my request. In the meantime, the legal time limit for a reply to my access to documents request expired on 11/06/2020.

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken
On behalf of Vredesactie

Patriottenstraat 27,
2600 Berchem
www.vredesactie.be
Tel. +32 (0) 3 281 68 39
Mobile: +32 497 13 14 64

ve_defis.access documents (DEFIS), Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]themeData
Link: [3]colorSchemeMapping

[4]Ares(2020)3245260 - Your access to document request GESTDEM 2020/3149 -
extension of deadline

Sent by ve_defis.access documents (DEFIS)
<[email address]>. All responses have to be sent to
this email address.
Envoyé par ve_defis.access documents (DEFIS)
<[email address]>. Toutes les réponses doivent être
effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

Dear Mr Vranken,

 

We refer to your request for access to documents, registered on 21 May
2020 under reference GestDem 2020/3149.

 

Your request is currently being handled. However, due to extensive
workload we were not in a position to complete its treatment within the
time limit of 15 working days, which expired on 16 June. We apologise for
this.

 

For this reason, we will 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 7 July 2020.

 

We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

Yours sincerely,

DEFIS Access to Documents Team

 

 

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D648BC.F565A860
2. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
3. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
4. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...

ve_sg.accessdoc (SG), Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

[1]Ares(2020)3245495 - GESTDEM 2020/3149 - confirmatory application

Sent by ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. All responses have
to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

Dear Mr Vranken,

Thank you for your email of 16/06/2020 in which you lodged a confirmatory
application for access to documents - GESTDEM 2020/3149.

In the meantime, we have been informed by DG DEFIS that the initial reply
will be sent to you in a few days.

In view of this, we would like to inform you that the Secretariat General
will not register your confirmatory application at this stage.

However, upon receipt of the initial reply, if you wish to submit a
confirmatory request in accordance with Article 7 of the Regulation (EC)
No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and
Commission documents, you remain free to do so.

Best regards,

Access to documents team (cr)
SG.C.1
Transparency

-----Original Message-----
From: Bram Vranken <[FOI #7976 email]>
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2020 11:56 AM
To: GROW ACCES DOCUMENTS <[DG GROW request email]>
Subject: Internal review of access to documents request - EDIDP compliance
international law

Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

Please pass this on to the person who reviews confirmatory applications.

I am filing the following confirmatory application with regards to my
access to documents request which was registered on 18/05/2020. I haven't
received any response to my request. In the meantime, the legal time limit
for a reply  to my access to documents request expired on 11/06/2020.

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken
On behalf of Vredesactie

Patriottenstraat 27,
2600 Berchem
[2]https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.v...
Tel. +32 (0) 3 281 68 39
Mobile: +32 497 13 14 64

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #7976 email]

This message and all replies from Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs will be published on the AsktheEU.org website.
For more information see our dedicated page for EU public officials at
[3]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
2. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.v...
3. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....

hide quoted sections

Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

2 Attachments

Dear Mr Vranken,

 

Please find attached a letter signed by Mr Timo Pesonen, Director-General
for Defence Industry and Space.

 

Kind regards

 

Secretariat DEFIS A.3

 

 
[1]cid:image001.gif@01D5F7C1.69C86FF0
European Commission
DG DEFIS|A.3

 

BREY 9/028

1049 Brussels/Belgium
+32 2 299 48 58

 

References

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Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

Please pass this on to the person who reviews confirmatory applications.

I am filing the following confirmatory application with regards to my access to documents request 'EDIDP compliance international law'.

First of all you state that as "a grant award procedure is considered to be ongoing until the grant agreement is signed. Therefore, the disclosure of such documents would seriously undermine the decision-making process of the Commission". You do not set out however how disclosure can "specifically and actually" undermine the decision-making process and why this is "reasonably foreseeable and not purely hypothetical", as required by the established case law of the Court of Justice of the EU (see e.g. Cases 576/12 P, para. 45; C-280/11 P, para. 54; and C-506/08 P, para. 76). The exceptions to the general right of access to documents must be interpreted and applied strictly (Case T-403/05).

It is especially unclear why the decision-making process would be undermined in case of disclosure as your institution has already extensively communicated about the outcome of the award procedure, including the beneficiaries of these projects (https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/e...). As such, it is unclear why disclosing the requested documents would specifically and actually undermine the decision-making process.

Secondly, you have not adequately taken into account the public interest in disclosing these documents. In a similar case related to the legal, societal and ethical reviews of Preparatory Action on Defence Research projects, the European Ombudsman decided that "the public has, in principle, a right to be adequately informed about the content of projects financed using public money, including the assessment of their possible ethical, legal and societal implications." (case 1529/2019/MIG)

Thirdly, you state that disclosure "would undermine the protection of the commercial interests". Again, in the same above mentioned case (1529/2019/MIG), the European Ombudsman stated that "it is not evident to the Ombudsman why disclosing this information [related to the ELSA reviews of PADR projects] would undermine any valid commercial interests." The Ombudsman concluded that increased access should be granted "including to the commercial information contained in those reports. "

A full history of my request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.asktheeu.org/en/request/edid...

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken
On behalf of Vredesactie

Patriottenstraat 27,
2600 Berchem
www.vredesactie.be
Tel. +32 (0) 3 281 68 39
Mobile: +32 497 13 14 64

ve_sg.accessdoc (SG), Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

[1]Ares(2020)3325030 - FW: Internal review of access to documents request
- EDIDP compliance international law

Sent by ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. All responses have
to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email dated 25/06/2020 by which you request, pursuant
to Regulation No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament,
Council and Commission documents, a review of the position taken by DG
DEFIS in reply to your initial application GESTDEM 2020/3149.

We hereby acknowledge receipt of your confirmatory application for access
to documents which was registered on 25/06/2020 (Ares(2020)3324904).

Your application will be handled within 15 working days (16/07/2020). In
case this time limit needs to be extended, you will be informed in due
course.

Please be informed that the answer to your confirmatory application is a
formal Commission decision that will be notified to you by express
delivery. Thank you for providing your contact phone number, so that the
external delivery service can contact you in case of absence.

Please note that the Commission will not use your phone number for any
other purpose than for informing the delivery service, and that it will
delete it immediately thereafter.

Yours faithfully,

Access to documents team (RC)
-----Original Message-----
From: Bram Vranken <[FOI #7976 email]>
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2020 2:00 PM
To: GROW ACCES DOCUMENTS <[DG GROW request email]>
Subject: Internal review of access to documents request - EDIDP compliance
international law

Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

Please pass this on to the person who reviews confirmatory applications.

I am filing the following confirmatory application with regards to my
access to documents request 'EDIDP compliance international law'.

First of all you state that as "a grant award procedure is considered to
be ongoing until the grant  agreement  is  signed.  Therefore,  the 
disclosure  of  such  documents  would  seriously undermine  the 
decision-making  process  of  the  Commission".  You do not set out
however how disclosure can "specifically and actually" undermine the
decision-making process and why this is "reasonably foreseeable and not
purely hypothetical", as required by the established case law of the Court
of Justice of the EU (see e.g. Cases 576/12 P, para. 45; C-280/11 P, para.
54; and C-506/08 P, para. 76). The exceptions to the general right of
access to documents must be interpreted and applied strictly (Case
T-403/05).

It is especially unclear why the decision-making process would be
undermined in case of disclosure as your institution has already
extensively communicated about the outcome of the award procedure,
including the beneficiaries of these projects
([2]https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/e...
As such, it is unclear why disclosing the requested documents would
specifically and actually undermine the decision-making process. 

Secondly, you have not adequately taken into account the public interest
in disclosing these documents. In a similar case related to the legal,
societal and ethical reviews of Preparatory Action on Defence Research
projects, the European Ombudsman decided that "the public has, in
principle, a right to be adequately informed about the content of projects
financed using public money, including the assessment of their possible
ethical, legal and societal implications." (case 1529/2019/MIG)

Thirdly, you state that disclosure "would undermine the protection of the
commercial interests". Again, in the same above mentioned case
(1529/2019/MIG), the European Ombudsman stated that "it is not evident to
the Ombudsman why disclosing this information [related to the ELSA reviews
of PADR projects] would undermine any valid commercial interests." The
Ombudsman concluded that increased access should be granted "including to
the commercial information contained in those reports. "

A full history of my request and all correspondence is available on the
Internet at this address:
[3]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken
On behalf of Vredesactie

Patriottenstraat 27,
2600 Berchem
[4]https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.v...
Tel. +32 (0) 3 281 68 39
Mobile: +32 497 13 14 64

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #7976 email]

This message and all replies from Internal Market, Industry,
Entrepreneurship and SMEs will be published on the AsktheEU.org website.
For more information see our dedicated page for EU public officials at
[5]https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

References

Visible links
1. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
2. https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/e...
3. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....
4. https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.v...
5. https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....

hide quoted sections

ve_sg.accessdoc (SG), Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

1 Attachment

Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping

[5]Ares(2020)3779303 - Your confirmatory application Gestdem 2020/3149

Sent by ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. All responses have
to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

Dear Mr Vranken,

 

I refer to your email of 25 June 2020, registered on the same day, by
which you submit confirmatory application in accordance with Article 7(2)
of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European
Parliament, Council and Commission documents (‘Regulation 1049/2001’).

 

Your confirmatory application is currently being handled. Unfortunately,
we have not yet been able to gather all the elements needed to carry out a
full analysis of your requests and to take final decisions. Therefore, we
are not in a position to reply to your confirmatory requests within the
prescribed time limit which expires on 16 July 2020.

 

Consequently, we have to extend this period by another 15 working days in
accordance with Article 8(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. The new
deadline expires on 7 August 2020.

 

I regret this additional delay and sincerely apologise for any
inconvenience this may cause.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

María OLIVÁN AVILÉS
Head of Unit

[6]cid:image001.gif@01D13362.41D673C0

European Commission

Secretariat General

Unit C.1 (Transparency, Document Management and Access to Documents)

 

 

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D65C1A.39883060
2. file:///tmp/cid:editdata.mso
3. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
4. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
5. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...

ve_sg.accessdoc (SG), Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

1 Attachment

Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping

[5]Ares(2020)4145762 - Your confirmatory application under Regulation (EC)
No 1049/2001 – Gestdem 2020/3149

Sent by ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. All responses have
to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sg.accessdoc (SG) <[email address]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

Dear Mr Vranken,

I refer to your email of 25 June 2020, registered on the same date, by
which you submit confirmatory applications in accordance with Article 7(2)
of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European
Parliament, Council and Commission documents (‘Regulation 1049/2001’).

I also refer to our holding reply of 17 July 2020, by which the time limit
for replying to your confirmatory applications was extended by 15 working
days, pursuant to Article 8(2) of Regulation 1049/2001. This extended time
limit expires on 7 August 2020.

The reply to your confirmatory application is ready and is awaiting the
signature of the Secretary-General. I can assure you that we are doing our
utmost to provide you with a final reply as soon as possible.

I regret this additional delay and sincerely apologise for any
inconvenience this may cause.

Yours sincerely,

 

María OLIVÁN AVILÉS
Head of Unit

[6]cid:image001.gif@01D13362.41D673C0

European Commission

Secretariat General

Unit C.1 (Transparency, Document Management and Access to Documents

 

 

 

References

Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D66C0A.3B84F3D0
2. file:///tmp/cid:editdata.mso
3. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
4. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
5. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...

Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Bram Vranken,

 

Please find attached the electronic version of Commission Decision C(2020)
6420 final as adopted by the European Commission on 15.9.2020.

 

Given the exceptional circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
formal notification of the decision under Article 297 TFEU is being made
only in electronic form.

 

Please confirm receipt of the attached document by return e-mail.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Giovanni VALASTRO

COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

Équipe certification/notification 

BERL 05/155

Tél: +32-2-29 61594

Email: [email address]

 

 

Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Dear MR Bram Vranken,

Could you please confirm the receipt of the document sent on the 16.9.2020

Kind regards,

Giovanni VALASTRO

COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

Équipe certification/notification 

BERL 05/155

Tél: +32-2-29 61594

Email: [email address]

 

 

From: SG GREFFE CERTIFICATION
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 4:25 PM
To: '[FOI #7976 email]'
<[FOI #7976 email]>
Cc: BEVIERE Chantal (SG) ([email address])
<[email address]>
Subject: C(2020) 6420 final addressed to Bram Vranken - Vredesactie

 

Dear Mr Bram Vranken,

 

Please find attached the electronic version of Commission Decision C(2020)
6420 final as adopted by the European Commission on 15.9.2020.

 

Given the exceptional circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
formal notification of the decision under Article 297 TFEU is being made
only in electronic form.

 

Please confirm receipt of the attached document by return e-mail.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Giovanni VALASTRO

COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

Équipe certification/notification 

BERL 05/155

Tél: +32-2-29 61594

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]

Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

I hereby confirm the receipt of the document you sent on 16.9.2020.

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken

Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

Dear Mr Bram Vranken,,

It is very important for us.

Please, could you please acknowledge the receipt of the document enclosed
in the message addressed to you ?

Giovanni VALASTRO

COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

Équipe certification/notification 

BERL 05/155

Tél: +32-2-29 61594

Email: [email address]

 

 

From: SG GREFFE CERTIFICATION
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2020 4:15 PM
To: '[FOI #7976 email]'
<[FOI #7976 email]>
Cc: BEVIERE Chantal (SG) ([email address])
<[email address]>
Subject: RE: C(2020) 6420 final addressed to Bram Vranken - Vredesactie

 

Dear MR Bram Vranken,

Could you please confirm the receipt of the document sent on the 16.9.2020

Kind regards,

Giovanni VALASTRO

COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

Équipe certification/notification 

BERL 05/155

Tél: +32-2-29 61594

Email: [1][email address]

 

 

From: SG GREFFE CERTIFICATION
Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2020 4:25 PM
To: '[FOI #7976 email]'
<[2][FOI #7976 email]>
Cc: BEVIERE Chantal (SG) ([3][email address])
<[4][email address]>
Subject: C(2020) 6420 final addressed to Bram Vranken - Vredesactie

 

Dear Mr Bram Vranken,

 

Please find attached the electronic version of Commission Decision C(2020)
6420 final as adopted by the European Commission on 15.9.2020.

 

Given the exceptional circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the
formal notification of the decision under Article 297 TFEU is being made
only in electronic form.

 

Please confirm receipt of the attached document by return e-mail.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

Giovanni VALASTRO

COMMISSION EUROPEENNE

Équipe certification/notification 

BERL 05/155

Tél: +32-2-29 61594

Email: [5][email address]

 

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. mailto:[FOI #7976 email]
3. mailto:[email address]
4. mailto:[email address]
5. mailto:[email address]

Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

As acknowledged in my previous message, I have received your correspondence.

Yours faithfully,

Bram Vranken