Dutch plan to phase out natural gas production

Moritz Neujeffski made this acceso a documentos request to Mercado Interno, Industria, Emprendimiento y PYMEs

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Dear Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs,

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:

1. Letters of formal notice or draft letters of formal notification by the European Commission or any other communication between the European Commission and the Dutch government, regarding the dutch government‘s plan to phase out it‘s natural gas production (as described, for example, in this newspaper article: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nethe...)
2. A list of meetings and communications (including E-mails) between the European Commission and representatives of the gas industry discussing the above mentioned Dutch government‘s plan to phase out it‘s natural gas production.

The transparency rules as set out in the Lisbon Treaty oblige the EU institutions to work as openly and as closely as possible to citizens. Not only do climate mitigation initiatives such as phasing out natural gas production pose a key interest of the Dutch citizens. The area of Groningen, where a substantial amount of natural gas production is undertaken, has experienced increasing earthquakes in recent times. Thus, there is a clear public interest in the disclosure of these information, in order for citizens to better comprehend the democratic decision making process of their national government.

Yours faithfully,

Moritz Neujeffski
Heidebrinker Straße 10
13357 Berlin

GROW-ACCES-DOCUMENTS@ec.europa.eu, Mercado Interno, Industria, Emprendimiento y PYMEs

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your e-mail of 09/09/2022. We hereby acknowledge receipt of your application for access to documents, which was registered on 12/09/2022 under reference number GESTDEM 2022/5110.

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 03/10/2022. In case this time limit needs to be extended, you will be informed in due course.

You have lodged your application via 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.

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Yours faithfully,

Access to Documents Team

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GROW-ACCES-DOCUMENTS@ec.europa.eu, Mercado Interno, Industria, Emprendimiento y PYMEs

1 Adjuntos

Dear Sir,

 

We refer to your e-mail dated 09/09/2022 in which you make a request for
access to documents, registered on 12/09/2022 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, pursuant to Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001
regarding public access to documents, to provide us with more detailed
information on the documents that you seek to obtain.

 

In particular:

 

-        In the first point of your request, could you precise the meaning
of “letter of formal notice” and “draft of formal notification”, if you
are referring to documents falling under specific procedure, and which
procedures with which reference numbers.

-        In the second point of your request, please precise the levels of
meeting and communications targeted within the European Commission, and
please confirm that you wish to have access to an existing list as a
document request under this second point.

 

If you need assistance in clarifying or specifying your application,
please let us know.

In accordance with Article 2, third paragraph of the Implementing Rules to
Regulation 1049/2001[1], the 15 working days time limit for handling your
application will start running when we receive the requested
clarifications.

 

Thank you in advance for your understanding.

 

Kind regards,

 

DG GROW – Access to documents team

European Commission
Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and
SMEs
DG  GROW/B1 – Planning and Briefings

 

 

Dear [email address],
Thank you for your prompt reply. With regards to your request for clarification:

- In the first point of your request, could you precise the meaning
of “letter of formal notice” and “draft of formal notification”, if you
are referring to documents falling under specific procedure, and which
procedures with which reference numbers.

In terms of my first question I am requesting any and all correspondence (including email) between DG GROW and the Dutch government regarding the Dutch plan to phase out natural gas production. This may or may not include (draft) letters of formal notice sent by the Commission as part of potential EU infringement procedures.
- In the second point of your request, please precise the levels of meeting and communications targeted within the European Commission, and please confirm that you wish to have access to an existing list as a document request under this second point.
- Regarding the levels of meeting and communications please focus on DG GROW. In case such a list of meetings and correspondence does not exist, I believe that composing of such an overview list is within the scope of a FOI request.

Yours sincerely,

Moritz Neujeffski

GROW-ACCES-DOCUMENTS@ec.europa.eu, Mercado Interno, Industria, Emprendimiento y PYMEs

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your additional precision and reply to clarification request sent to us on 19/09/2022 for this request GESTDEM 2022/5110, it is noted.

Kind regards,

DG GROW – Access to documents team
European Commission
Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs DG GROW/B1 – Planning and Briefings

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Dear [email address],

Was it already possible to identify the requested documents based on my proposed clarifications?

Yours sincerely,

Moritz Neujeffski

GROW-ACCES-DOCUMENTS@ec.europa.eu, Mercado Interno, Industria, Emprendimiento y PYMEs

1 Adjuntos

Hello,

Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2022/5110.

Kind regards,

 

DG GROW ATD Team