TRANSPARENCY, ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS AND THE ARCHIVES
THE AIM
(article 1 TEU)
An ever closer union among the peoples of Europe with decisions
taken as closely as possible to its citizens.
TRANSPARENCY PRINCIPLES
(article 15(3) TFEU)
(article 15(3) TFEU)
W
hen deliberating and voting on
The public has a right of access to documents
legi
slative acts the Council meets in public.
of the Union's Institutions.
MEANS
Council Rules of Procedure (Articles 7-10 and Annex II)
Regulation 1049/2001 on access to documents
Regulation 1700/2003 on opening the historical archives to the public
ACTIONS
OPENNESS
ACESS TO DOCUMENTS
Through the Council's internet entry
Council
Each EU Institution is required to set up a
LIVE , the public can:
public register for documents.
Watch open sessions LIVE,
The
Council's Public Register has been
operational since 1999 at
See voting results of legislative acts,
www.consilium.europa.eu
Consult documents related to the public
sessions,
All Council documents contain a reference
in the register (with a few exceptions) and
C
onsult background notes and press
can be requested by the public.
re
leases.
ARCHIVES
Each EU Institution is required to set up its historical archives. The Council
Central Archives can be found at
www.consilium.europa.eu.
Documents which are over 30 years old are directly accessible to the public
(exceptions apply).
Each historical archives of the institutions has a reading room open to the public.
THE WORK
DG F 2 Transparency ensures the consistency in the implementation of the rules on
transparency and access to documents. It also houses the archives of the Council. In
this capacity, it is responsible for:
coordinating the overall implementation of the openness of Council
sessions;
monitoring and coordinating the implementation of the policy of public
access to Council documents;
forming the collective memory of the Council and of other bodies for
which the GSC is document depository, such as the European Councils,
Intergovernmental Conferences (revisions of the Treaties/enlargements)
and the European Convention.
DG F 2A is responsible for overseeing the displaying of voting results during Council
meetings and its simultaneous transmission on the internet, and for the processing of
initial and confirmatory requests for access to documents.
DG F 2B, the Central Archives, establish and preserve the collection of documents
produced and received by the Council.
CONTACTS
Transparency:
email: xxxxxx.xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx, fax: + 32 (0) 2 281 63 61
address: Service Transparence, Rue de la Loi 175, B-1048 Bruxelles
Access to documents:
email: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx, fax: + 32 (0) 2 281 63 61
address: Service Access to Documents, Rue de la Loi 175, B-1048 Bruxelles
Archives:
e-mail: xxxxxxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx, fax: + 32 (0) 2 281 81 24
address: Central Archives, Rue de la Loi 175, B-1048 Bruxelles
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