Ref. Ares(2019)1517941 - 06/03/2019
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General for Trade
The Director General
Brussels,
By registered letter with
acknowledgment of receipt
Lora Verheecke
Friends of the Earth Europe
Rue d'Edimbourg 26
1050 Bruxelles
Advance copy by email:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Subject:
Your application for access to documents – Ref GestDem 2019/400
Dear Ms Verheecke,
I refer to your e-mail dated 22 January 2019 in which you make a request for access to
documents, registered on 23 January 2019 under the above-mentioned reference number.
The idea of creating an EU-ASEAN working group on issues related to palm oil was launched
at the EU-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting of 21 January 2019. As the group has not yet
been formed and the process of its creation leading by EEAS is still ongoing, DG TRADE is
not in possession of any document related to the working procedures, participants, frequency,
expected objectives of such group or minutes (since no meetings have been held).
As specified in Article 2(3) of Regulation 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, are
held by the Commission, the Commission is not in a position to fulfil your request.
In accordance with Article 7(2) of Regulation 1049/2001, you are entitled to make a
confirmatory
application
requesting
the
Commission
to
review
this
position.
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 229 91111
Such a confirmatory application should be addressed within 15 working days upon 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 (SG.C.1)
BERL 7/076
B-1049 Bruxelles
or by email to:
xxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx
Yours sincerely,
Jean-Luc DEMARTY
2
Electronically signed on 01/03/2019 11:33 (UTC+01) in accordance with article 4.2 (Validity of electronic documents) of Commission Decision 2004/563