Request for documents relating to fundamental rights at the Greek -Turkish border

The request was successful.

Lena Karamanidou

Dear Migration and Home Affairs,

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 official correspondence between the EU Commission and the Hellenic authorities relating to alleged and potential fundamental rights violations at the Greek-Turkish land border between 01 January 2018 and 15 June 2020.

All official correspondence between the EU Commission and Frontex relating to alleged and potential fundamental rights violations at the Greek-Turkish land border between 01 January 2018 and 15 June 2020.

All internal notes, communications, position papers relating to alleged and potential fundamental rights violations at the Greek-Turkish land border between 01 January 2018 and 15 June 2020.

Yours faithfully,

Lena Karamanidou

Lena Karamanidou

Dear Migration and Home Affairs,

I have received no acknowledgement of receipt of my FOI request submitted on the 15th June.

Could you please acknowledge that you have received and are processing my request? I am conscious that there are just five days left to reply to my request under the deadline specified in Article 7, par. 1 of Regulation 1049/2001.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.

Yours faithfully,

Lena Karamanidou

Migration and Home Affairs

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your request for access to documents.
Unfortunately, you have not indicated your postal address.
This is necessary 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.
Alternatively, you may use directly the electronic form available on the Europa website:
http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/....

Best regards,
JUST ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS

show quoted sections

Lena Karamanidou

Dear Migration and Home Affairs,

Many thanks for your reply.

My postal address is:
Dr Lena Karamanidou
Room W425, Hamish Wood Building
School for Business and Society
Glasgow Caledonian University
Cowcaddens Road
Glasgow G4 0BA
UK

I am aware that requesting a postal address is not a legal requirement under regulation 1049/2001, and hope that you will respond to my request within the time limits of the regulation.

Yours faithfully,

Lena Karamanidou

Lena Karamanidou

Dear Migration and Home Affairs,

I have not received a response to my last message, which the asktheeu.org website indicates that it has been delivered to you. Therefore I am not certain whether you have registered my application.

Can you please let me know the date of the registration of my application and the starting date for the 15 working days deadline as stipulated in Article 7(1) of Regulation 1049/2001?

Many thanks.

Yours faithfully,

Lena Karamanidou

ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME), Migration and Home Affairs

[1]Ares(2020)3715782 - RE: your access to documents' request - GestDem
2020/3992

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

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your message of 1 July 2020.  We hereby acknowledge receipt
of your application for access to documents, which was registered on 1
July under reference number GestDem 2020/3992.

In accordance with Regulation (EC) n°1049/2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, your application
will be handled within 15 working days.  The time-limit will expire on
23/07/2020. In case this time-limit needs to be extended, you will be
informed in due course.

For information on how we process your personal data visit our page
Privacy statement – access to documents:
[2]https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...

Yours faithfully,

European Commission
Migration and Home Affairs
Access to Documents Team

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ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME), Migration and Home Affairs

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

[4]Ares(2020)3885501 - FW: your access to documents' request - GestDem
2020/3992

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

Dear Ms Karamanidou,

 

We refer to your message of 1 July 2020 in which you make a request for
access to documents, registered on the same day under the above-mentioned
reference number.

 

Your application is currently being handled.  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 23 July 2020.

 

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 with 15 working days in accordance with Article
7(3) of Regulation (EC) n°1049/2001 regarding public access to documents.
 The new time limit expires on 13 August 2020.

 

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

 

Best regards

 

European Commission

Migration and Home Affairs

Access to Documents Team

 

From: ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[email address]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 3:25 PM
To: [FOI #8218 email]
Cc: HOME ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[DG HOME request email]>
Subject: Ares(2020)3715782 - RE: your access to documents' request -
GestDem 2020/3992

 

[5]Ares(2020)3715782 - RE: your access to documents' request - GestDem
2020/3992

 

Sent by ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[6][email address]>. All responses have to be sent to
this email address.

Envoyé par ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[7][email address]>. Toutes les réponses doivent être
effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your message of 1 July 2020.  We hereby acknowledge receipt
of your application for access to documents, which was registered on 1
July under reference number GestDem 2020/3992.

In accordance with Regulation (EC) n°1049/2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, your application
will be handled within 15 working days.  The time-limit will expire on
23/07/2020. In case this time-limit needs to be extended, you will be
informed in due course.

For information on how we process your personal data visit our page
Privacy statement – access to documents:
[8]https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...

Yours faithfully,

European Commission
Migration and Home Affairs
Access to Documents Team

show quoted sections

ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME), Migration and Home Affairs

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

[4]Ares(2020)3892469 - RE: Your application for access to documents –
GESTDEM 2020/3992

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

Dear Madam,

 

We refer to your e-mail below in which you make a request for access to
documents, registered on 01/07/2020 under the above mentioned reference
number.

 

The description given in your application does not enable us to identify
concrete documents, which would correspond to your request.

 

We therefore invite you, in accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation
(EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to documents, to provide us with
more detailed information on the documents you request, such as
references, specific dates or periods during which the documents would
have been drawn up, persons or bodies who drafted the documents, specific
events about which the documents would refer to, etc.

 

If you need assistance in clarifying or specifying your application, you
can contact us by email to: [DG HOME request email].

 

In accordance with the third paragraph of Article 2 of the Detailed rules
for the application of  Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001  , the deadline for
handling your application will start running when we receive the requested
clarifications.

 

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Françoise COMTE

Senior Legal Expert

European Commission

Directorate General Home Affairs

HOME/A2 Legal Affairs

LX 46 00/143

1049 Brussels - Belgium

Tél: +32 2 296 10 42

E-mail: [email address]

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Migration and Home Affairs

Dear Madam,

We are waiting for your answer. See below. Yours faithfully.

 

Acess to Documents Team

European Commission

Directorate General Home Affairs

HOME/A2 Legal Affairs

LX 46 00/143

1049 Brussels - Belgium

 

 

From: ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[email address]>
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2020 3:47 PM
To: Lena Karamanidou <[FOI #8218 email]>
Cc: RYAN Stephen Augustine (HOME) <[email address]>; HOME ACCESS
DOCUMENTS <[DG HOME request email]>
Subject: Ares(2020)3892469 - RE: Your application for access to documents
– GESTDEM 2020/3992

 

[1]Ares(2020)3892469 - RE: Your application for access to documents –
GESTDEM 2020/3992

 

Sent by ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[2][email address]>. All responses have to be sent to
this email address.

Envoyé par ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[3][email address]>. Toutes les réponses doivent être
effectuées à cette adresse électronique.

 

Dear Madam,

 

We refer to your e-mail below in which you make a request for access to
documents, registered on 01/07/2020 under the above mentioned reference
number.

 

The description given in your application does not enable us to identify
concrete documents, which would correspond to your request.

 

We therefore invite you, in accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation
(EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to documents, to provide us with
more detailed information on the documents you request, such as
references, specific dates or periods during which the documents would
have been drawn up, persons or bodies who drafted the documents, specific
events about which the documents would refer to, etc.

 

If you need assistance in clarifying or specifying your application, you
can contact us by email to: [4][DG HOME request email].

 

In accordance with the third paragraph of Article 2 of the Detailed rules
for the application of  Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001  , the deadline for
handling your application will start running when we receive the requested
clarifications.

 

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Françoise COMTE

Senior Legal Expert

European Commission

Directorate General Home Affairs

HOME/A2 Legal Affairs

LX 46 00/143

1049 Brussels - Belgium

Tél: +32 2 296 10 42

E-mail: [5][email address]

Help save paper - do you need to print this email?

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Muss diese e-Mail ausgedruckt werden?

 

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Lena Karamanidou

Dear Migration and Home Affairs,

Many thanks for your reply.

I do not know any reference numbers for any relevant documents – if I did, I would have requested documents in that manner. However, I can narrow down the request in the following way:

Time frame: 27 February – 30 July 2020

Persons or bodies who drafted the documents, although not exclusively (so please do not limit your research to these persons only), could be the following:
EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johannson
Director General Monique Pariat
Director – Borders Interoperability and Innovation Matthias Oel
Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri
The Greek Ministry for Citizen Protection and/or minister Michalis Chrysochoidis
The Greek Ministry for migration and Asylum and/or minister Notis Mitarakis
The Office of the Greek Prime Minister

Events: fundamental rights violations related to border control operations in the area of Greek Turkish land-border, including (but not limited to) a) incidents of alleged collective expulsions (pushbacks) b) deaths attributed to life fire by the Greek forces (police and army) c) use of violence against migrants d) the suspension of asylum law by the Greek government in March 2020 e) other violations of EU asylum law (for example, failure to register third country nationals to the EURODAC database).

I hope the above is sufficiently specific. Please let me know if you require any further clarification.

Yours faithfully,

Lena Karamanidou

ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME), Migration and Home Affairs

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

[4]Ares(2020)4285448 - your access to documents request, gestdem 2020/3992

Sent by ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[email address]>. All responses have to be sent to
this email address.
Envoyé par ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME)
<[email address]>. Toutes les réponses doivent être
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Dear Ms Karamanidou,

 

In reference to your above-mentioned request, we wish to inform you that
we were not able to reply by 13/08/2020, but our services are still
gathering information for you

As the application concerns documents held by different Services, they
have been consulted, but have not replied yet.

 

We will do our best to reply in the days to come.

 

In the meantime, please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this
may cause.

 

Best regards,

 

European Commission

DG Migration and Home Affairs

Access to Documents Team

 

 

 

show quoted sections

Dear ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME),

Many thanks for your reply, and the explanations you provided regarding the delay.

I am however concerned that I have still not received any documents I requested under Regulation 1049/2001, and conscious that the time frames specified in Article 7, par. 1-3 have been long exceeded.

I would therefore very much appreciate an update on the status of my request and the specific reasons why I have received no documents so far.

Yours sincerely,

Lena Karamanidou

ve_home.access.to.documents (HOME), Migration and Home Affairs

[1]Ares(2020)5000425 - your access to documents request, gestdem 2020/3992

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

Dear Ms Karamanidou,

In reference to your above-mentioned request, we wish to inform you that
we were not able to
reply by the deadline, but our services are still gathering information
for you.

As the application concerns documents held by different Services, they
have been consulted, but we don’t have all the replies yet.

We will do our best to reply in the days to come.

In the meantime, please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this
may cause.

Best regards,
European Commission
DG Migration and Home Affairs
Access to Documents Team

show quoted sections

ve_home.access.to.documents(HOME), Migration and Home Affairs

7 Attachments

Dear Madam,

Please find attached the reply to your request for access to documents, registered under reference GestDem 2020/3992 (along with its attachments).

According to standard operational procedure, the reply is usually also sent to you by registered post. Please note, however, that due to the extraordinary health and security measures currently in force during to the COVID-19 epidemics, which include the requirement for all Commission non-critical staff to telework, we are unfortunately not in a position to follow this procedure until further notice.

We would therefore appreciate if you could confirm receipt of the present e-mail by replying to ([DG HOME request email]).

Best regards,

European Commission
DG Migration and Home Affairs
Access to Documents Team

Dear ve_home.access.to.documents(HOME),

I acknowledge receipt of the documents, many thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Lena Karamanidou