Ref. Ares(2021)3801941 - 10/06/2021
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
SECRETARIAT-GENERAL
Directorate D - Twin Transition, Economic & Social Affairs
The Director
Brussels
SG.D/EW
Mrs Belen Balanya
Corporate Europe Observatory
Rue d’Edimbourg 26
1050 Brussels
send by e-mail : ask+request-9581-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Dear Mrs Balanya,
Subject:
Your application for access to documents – Ref GestDem No
2021/3554
We refer to your e-mail dated 31 May 2021 in which you make a request for access to
documents, registered on 1 June under the abovementioned reference number.
You requested access to the following documents: ‘(i) all correspondence between 1
January 2021 and 31 May 2021 between Commissioner Timmermans, President van der
Leyen, and/or their cabinets and/or officials from DG Clima and Secretariat-General on
one hand and representatives of Shell, BP, Total, ENI, Repsol, Galp and/or Equinor on
the other, where the issues of COP26 and/or net-zero emissions were addressed, (ii) list
of meetings/videocalls/calls between 1 January 2021 and 31 May 2021 between officials
and/or representatives of the European Commission and representatives of Shell, BP,
Total, ENI, Repsol, Galp and/or Equinor on the other, where the issues of COP26 and/or
net-zero emissions were addressed and (iii) minutes of the meetings/videocalls/calls
mentioned above’. The Commission understands your request under point (ii) to refer to
the same officials and/or representatives of the European Commission as mentioned
under point (i).
This reply addresses the elements in your request falling under the responsibility of the
Secretariat-General, i.e. the correspondence, meetings/videocalls/calls with the President
von der Leyen, her cabinet and officials of the Secretariat-General and their related minutes.
The other elements of your request are addressed in a separate reply.
As for contacts involving President von der Leyen, her cabinet and officials of the
Secretariat-General, the Secretariat-General does not hold any documents that would
correspond to the description in your request.
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
As specified in Article 2(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, the right of access as
defined in that regulation applies only to existing documents in the possession of the
institution.
Given that no such documents, corresponding to the description given in your application
and involving the President von der Leyen, her cabinet and officials of the Secretariat-
General, are held, the Commission is not in a position to fulfil your request.
In accordance with Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, you are entitled to make
a confirmatory application requesting the Commission to review this position.
Such a confirmatory application should be addressed within 15 working days of receipt of
this letter to the Secretariat-General of the Commission at the following address:
European Commission
Secretariat-General
Transparency, Document Management & Access to Documents unit (SG.C.1)
BERL 7/242
B-1049 Bruxelles
or by email to:
xxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx
Yours sincerely,
e-signed
Elisabeth WERNER
(acting) Director
2
Electronically signed on 10/06/2021 09:15 (UTC+02) in accordance with article 11 of Commission Decision C(2020) 4482