Written observations in Case C-18/18 (Glawischnig-Piesczek)
Dear Legal Service,
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:
The written observations of
– Ms Glawischnig-Piesczek
– Facebook Ireland Limited
– the Austrian Government
– the Latvian Government
– the Portuguese Government
– the Finnish Government
– the European Commission
in the Case C-18/18 (Glawischnig-Piesczek)
Yours faithfully,
Michael Veale
Address: Faculty of Laws, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping
[5]Ares(2020)155398 - Your requests for Access to Documents - Fair
Solution proposal
Sent by ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. All responses
have to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.
Dear Mr Veale,
Acknowledgement of receipt
We refer to your emails of 2 January 2020 by which you submit 4 requests
for access to documents under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding
public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
You have lodged your applications via the “AsktheEU.org” website. Please
note that this is a private third-party website which has no link with any
institution of the European Union. Therefore, the European Commission
cannot be held accountable for any technical issues or problems linked to
the use of this system.
Also, kindly note that this private third party - running the AsktheEU.org
website - is responsible and accountable for the processing of your
personal data via this website and not the European Commission. For more
information on your rights, please refer to the third party’s privacy
policy.
Furthermore, the third party usually publishes on this website the content
of the applicants’ correspondence with the European Commission. This
includes personal data which you may have communicated to the European
Commission (e.g. your private postal address, contact details, etc.) as
well as any reply which the European Commission will send to you.
If you do not wish your correspondence with the European Commission to be
published on the AsktheEU.org website, you can provide us with an
alternative, private e-mail address, for future correspondence. In this
case, the European Commission will send all electronic correspondence
addressed to you to the private email you have provided.
Fair solution proposal
Your requests concern the European Commission’s and third parties’
submissions to the Court of Justice in the Cases C-40/17, C-673/17,
C-18/18 and C-311/18.
Regarding Case C-311/18 Facebook Ireland & Schrems, we would like to
inform you that the case is currently pending and therefore the
submissions to the Court of Justice are covered by the exception provided
for under Article 4(2), second indent, of Regulation 1049/2001
("protection of court proceedings"). See in this respect judgment in
Joined Cases C-514/07P, C-528/07P and C-532/07P Sweden a.o v. API and
Commission (paragraphs 77, 79, 92 and 94).
As to the handling of the other three requests, namely Cases C-40/17,
C-673/17 and C-18/18, they contain 7, 11 and 6 documents, respectively (24
documents in total, 21 of which originate from Member States and other
third parties).
Please note that regarding the Commission’s documents, the Legal Service
has to carry out a concrete assessment of each document before taking the
decision of granting / refusing access in order to guarantee that the
documents to be disclosed do not contain information that should be
covered by any of the exceptions of Regulation 1049/2001, despite the fact
that these cases are no longer pending before the Court.
With regard to the documents originating from third parties, the
Commission has to consult those parties according to Article 4(4) of
Regulation 1049/2001, which provides that the institution shall consult
the third parties with a view to assessing whether an exception in
paragraph 1 of 2 is applicable. Therefore, the Legal Service will consult
the third parties setting a deadline of 10 working days, in order for them
to communicate the conclusions of their assessments. This consultation
period adds an additional administrative step to the handling of your
requests.
In view of the number of documents concerned by your request and the
procedure of consultation referred to above, it will not be possible for
the Legal Service to provide you with a reply within the lime limit set by
Article 8(2) of Regulation 1049/2001. In this respect, please also note
that the Commission cannot privilege one applicant and has to guarantee
that all the requests are dealt with within the deadlines of Regulation
1049/2001 or, where not possible – as in the present case – to seek for a
fair solution in conformity with Article 6(3) that reconciles the
interests of the applicant with those of good administration.
In accordance with the case-law of the EU Courts, a fair solution can only
concern the content or the number of documents applied for, not the
deadline for replying (judgment of 2 October 2014 in Case C-127/13, Guido
Strack v. Commission, paragraphs 26-28). This means that the scope of your
requests must be narrowed down in a way that would enable its treatment
within the extended deadline of 15 + 15 working days.
In view of the foregoing, we would like to propose a fair solution that
enables us to conciliate your interest with the principle of good
administration and without prejudice to other applicants’ requests. In
this sense, the Legal Service considers that it would be in a position to
deal, within the extended deadline of 15 + 15 working days, with one of
the cases concerned by your request. We kindly ask you to inform us which
Case you would like the Legal Service to deal with first.
Kindly send your agreement to this proposal to the following email
address: [6][SJ request email]
Access to Documents team
[7]cid:image001.gif@01D407C0.3E8CFF10
European Commission
Legal Service
Berlaymont
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
[8][email address]
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D5C7CD.0C08BCE0
2. file:///tmp/cid:editdata.mso
3. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
4. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
5. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
6. mailto:[SJ request email]
8. mailto:[email address]
Dear ve_sj.acces docs (SJ),
I do not agree with the way you have combined my three distinct requests, which are only related by virtue of being legal proceedings. However, in light of seeking a hassle-free resolution I will agree to the following fair compromise
The deadline for return of Written observations in Case C-18/18 (Glawischnig-Piesczek) to be extended to the new deadline of 2 March 2020 (13 February + 30 weekdays)
The deadline for return of Written observations in Case C-40/17 (Fashion ID) to be extended to the new deadline of 23 March 2020 (13 February + 45 weekdays)
The deadline for return of Written observations in Case C-673/17 (Planet49) to be extended to the new deadline of 13 April 2020 (13 February + 60 weekdays)
This reflects the fact that there is no reason for the extension of 15 additional weekdays for each case for the purpose of enabling third party confirmation or response for release, as the Legal Service can, with minimal effort, immediately ask the third parties in all 21 documents for permission immediately and simultaneously, as a form of efficient administration. In 5 of the cases, the same third party is involved, and so it would only generate more work to duplicate this activity.
Facebook x 2
Austria x 2
Portugal x 2
Italy x 2
Germany x 2
Latvia
Finland
Belgium
Ms G-P
Verbraucherzentrale NRW eV
Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband eV
Fashion ID
Planet 49
Poland
NRW DPA
The additional, and non-overlapping, 15 working days for each case following that are well within reasonable scope for consideration of these documents.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Veale
[1]Ares(2020)235912 - Your requests for Access to Documents - Fair
Solution proposal
Sent by ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. All responses
have to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.
Dear Mr. Veale,
We refer to your below response to the Legal Service's proposal for a fair
solution to deal with your requests for access to the Commission's and 3rd
parties' submissions to the Court of Justice in Cases C-40/17, C-673/17
and C-18/18, concerning 7, 11 and 6 documents respectively.
As explained in our proposal for a fair solution, the Legal Service will
not be in a position to deal with your requests within the time limit set
by Article 8(2) of Regulation 1049/2001 due to the number of documents
concerned, the procedure of consultation of the third parties concerned
and that the Commission has to guarantee that all the requests are dealt
with within the deadlines of Regulation 1049/2001. In this respect, please
note that the Legal Service is presently dealing with more than 50
requests for access to documents, 5 of which are similar to yours and are
being dealt with according to the "fair solution" agreement. As also
indicated, in accordance with the case-law of the EU Courts, a fair
solution can only concern the content or the number of documents applied
for, not the deadline for replying (judgment of 2 October 2014 in Case
C-127/13, Guido Strack v. Commission, paragraphs 26-28).
In the light of the above, and taking into account the considerations put
forward in your response, the Legal Service has registered your request on
14 January 2020 concerning Case C-18/18 (under reference GestDem2020/0265)
and will deal with it within the extended deadline of 15 + 15 working days
(time limit 25 February 2020). In addition, since you express your
interest in maintaining your requests regarding Cases C-40/17 and
C-673/13, the Legal Service will launch the consultations to the third
parties. By this, once your request concerning Case C-18/8 is closed, the
Commission will do its utmost to deal with Cases C-40/17 and C-676/13,
each within a 15 working-day deadline.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and for your agreement to this
proposal.
Yours sincerely,
Access to Documents team
European Commission
Legal Service
Berlaymont
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
[email address]
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping
[5]Ares(2020)1186551 - your requests for access GestDem 2020/265 and
GestDem 2020/1108
Sent by ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. All responses
have to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.
Dear Mr Veale,
We refer to your requests for access to documents, under Regulation
1049/2001, regarding Cases C-18/18, C-40/17 and C-673/17. We furthermore
refer to our proposal for a fair solution, under Article 6(3) of that
regulation, to deal with your applications.
By email of 15 January 2020 we informed you on the registration of the
part of your request relating to Case C-18/18 (reference GestDem 2020/265)
and indicated as the date for sending the response on February 25, 2020.
However, the Commission has not been in a position of completing the
handling of your request. Please note that according to Article 4(4) of
Regulation 1049/2001 we have consulted the third parties concerned on the
disclosure of their documents and that the consultation process is not
completely closed.
Please be assure that we will do our utmost to send you the reply in the
shortest time possible. We apologise for this delay and for any
inconvenience this may cause.
On the other hand, please note that we have registered today, the part of
your request regarding the submissions in Case C-40/17 (reference number
GestDem 2020/1108). Since the consultations to the third parties have
been already launched we expect to be able to deal with it within 15
working days (time limit 17/03/2020). In case this time limit needs to be
extended, you will be informed in due course.
Yours sincerely,
___________________________
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
LEGAL SERVICE
Information and documentation team
Email: [6][SJ request email]
P Before printing, think about the environment
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D5EC05.A05F2800
2. file:///tmp/cid:editdata.mso
3. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
4. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
5. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
6. mailto:[SJ request email]
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping
[5]Ares(2020)1562159 - Your request for Access to Documents - Reference:
GestDem2020/1108
Sent by ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. All responses
have to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.
Dear Mr Veale,
Attached, please find the Legal Service’s reply to your above-referenced
request for access to documents. Kindly confirm receipt of this email.
Our reply concerning Case C-18/18 Facebook will be sent to you shortly.
In the framework of the Fair Solution agreed upon on 25 February 2020, the
Legal Service has now registered the third, and final part, of your
request concerning Case C-673/17 Planet 49 under reference:
GestDem2020/1495.
In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 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 3
April 2020.You will be informed in due course, should we need to extended
this deadline.
Kind regards,
Access to Documents team
[6]cid:image001.gif@01D407C0.3E8CFF10
European Commission
Legal Service
Berlaymont
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
[7][email address]
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D5F94C.7DC6A9E0
2. file:///tmp/cid:editdata.mso
3. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
4. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
5. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
7. mailto:[email address]
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping
[5]Ares(2020)1567213 - Your request for Access to Documents - Reference:
GestDem2020/0265
Sent by ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. All responses
have to be sent to this email address.
Envoyé par ve_sj.acces docs (SJ) <[SJ request email]>. Toutes les
réponses doivent être effectuées à cette adresse électronique.
Dear Mr Veale,
Attached, please find the Legal Service’s reply to your above-referenced
request for access to documents.
The original of our reply-letter will also be sent to you via Registered
Mail with Acknowledgment of Receipt.
Kind regards,
Access to Documents team
[6]cid:image001.gif@01D407C0.3E8CFF10
European Commission
Legal Service
Berlaymont
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
[7][email address]
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D5F95E.4B617D60
2. file:///tmp/cid:editdata.mso
3. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
4. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
5. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
7. mailto:[email address]