Concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses

La demande est partiellement réussie.

Dear Madam, Sir,

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 European External Action Service non-paper which took into account the Ministerial discussion and written inputs from Member States on the Council Decision and Regulation concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses (This non-paper's existence is mentioned in document 12329/20, point 1)

- All papers, non-papers, minutes, e-mails, notes, and other documents produced in the context of The Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) discussion on the above-mentioned EEAS non-paper

- All papers, non-papers, minutes, e-mails, notes, and other documents produced in the context of the discussion on the draft Council Decision and Regulation concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses . (Time period: 19 October 2020 until 27 November 2020, when the Foreign Relations Counsellors Working Party (RELEX) reached agreement)

I prefer to receive these documents digitally, so please consider the environment by not sending me postal mail.

Sincerely,
Peter Teffer

postal address:
Peter Teffer
Ekko Voorkamer
Bemuurde Weerd WZ 3
3513 BH Utrecht
The Netherlands

Postmaster Consilium, Conseil de l'Union européenne

Your message has been received by the Transparency and Access to Documents Unit of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. All requests for access to documents are treated on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. The General Secretariat will reply to your request within 15 working days upon registration of your request. Requests received before 5 PM on a working day are registered on the same day. Requests received after 5 PM are registered on the first following working day.

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TRANSPARENCY Access to documents (COMM), Conseil de l'Union européenne

2 Attachments

Please find attached a letter from the General Secretariat of the Council
concerning your request for access to documents.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Transparency

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01CFD3F6.0B583760

 

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

Directorate-General Communication and Information - COMM

Directorate Information and Outreach

Information Services Unit

 

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België

[2]www.consilium.europa.eu  |  [3][email address]

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely those of the writer and may not
be regarded as stating an official position of the Council of the EU

Clause de non-responsabilité: Les avis exprimés n'engagent que leur auteur
et ne peuvent être considérés comme une position officielle du Conseil de
l'UE

 

 

References

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3. mailto:[email address]

Dear Mr Florindo,

I refer to my access to documents request Ref. 21/0011-PRO-mf, filed on 23 December 2020, and your letter dated 22 January 2021 in which you inform me the deadline to reply to my request had to be extended by 15 working days, with a referral to Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.

Article 7(3) reads: "In exceptional cases, for example in the event of an application relating to a very long document or to a very large number of documents, the time-limit provided for in paragraph 1 may be extended by 15 working days, provided that the applicant is notified in advance and that detailed reasons are given."

The reason given, that the General Secretariat "is still conducting consultations", is neither detailed nor representing an exceptional case.

I therefore believe there is no legal basis for your decision to extend the deadline with reference to Article 7(3). I therefore expect a reply without delay.

Sincerely,
Peter Teffer

Postmaster Consilium, Conseil de l'Union européenne

Your message has been received by the Transparency and Access to Documents Unit of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. All requests for access to documents are treated on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. The General Secretariat will reply to your request within 15 working days upon registration of your request. Requests received before 5 PM on a working day are registered on the same day. Requests received after 5 PM are registered on the first following working day.

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L'unité "Transparence et accès aux documents" du Secrétariat général du Conseil de l'Union européenne a bien reçu votre message. Toutes les demandes d'accès à des documents sont traitées conformément au règlement (CE) n° 1049/2001 du 30 mai 2001 relatif à l'accès du public aux documents du Parlement européen, du Conseil et de la Commission. Le Secrétariat général répondra à votre demande dans un délai de 15 jours ouvrables à compter de l'enregistrement de celle-ci. Les demandes reçues les jours ouvrables avant 17 heures sont enregistrées le jour même. Les demandes reçues après 17 heures sont enregistrées le premier jour ouvrable suivant.

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Ihre Nachricht ist bei der Dienststelle "Transparenz und Zugang zu Dokumenten" des General-sekretariats des Rates der Europäischen Union eingegangen. Alle Anträge auf Zugang zu Dokumenten werden gemäß der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1049/2001 vom 30. Mai 2001 über den Zugang der Öffentlichkeit zu Dokumenten des Europäischen Parlaments, des Rates und der Kommission bearbeitet. Das Generalsekretariat wird Ihnen binnen fünfzehn Arbeitstagen nach Registrierung Ihres Antrags eine Antwort übermitteln. Anträge, die an einem Arbeitstag vor 17.00 Uhr eingehen, werden noch am selben Tages registriert. Nach 17.00 Uhr eingehende Anträge werden am erstfolgenden Arbeitstag registriert.

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TRANSPARENCY Access to documents (COMM), Conseil de l'Union européenne

Dear Mr Teffer,

We hereby acknowledge receipt of your new message here below.

As we mentioned in our letter of 22 January, our Transparency service is still examining your request for access to documents received on 23 December.
The EU institutions being closed from 24th December until 4th January, the 15-working day deadline foreseen in line with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 was 22 January.
Given the wide scope of your request (notably focusing on "All papers, non-papers, minutes, e-mails, notes, and other documents produced in the context of The Working Party on Human Rights (COHOM) discussion on a EEAS non-paper" and on "All papers, non-papers, minutes, e-mails, notes, and other documents produced in the context of the discussion on the draft Council Decision and Regulation concerning restrictive measures against serious human rights violations and abuses- (Time period: 19 October 2020 until 27 November 2020, when the Foreign Relations Counsellors Working Party (RELEX) reached agreement)"), unfortunately the necessary time to carry out all consultations with the services responsible for this policy matter did not enable us to complete this file within the first deadline.
It should also be taken into account that our service is examining on average over 2500 individual requests for access to documents per year and that the pandemic constraints have also an impact on the agenda of the officials from the different services and institutions involved in our consultations, which explains the exceptional framework in which our Transparency service is operating.
Please be reassured that we will reach a conclusion on your request as soon as our consultations and our examination process are achieved.

Yours SIncerely,
Fernando Florindo

Afficher les sections citées

TRANSPARENCY Access to documents (COMM), Conseil de l'Union européenne

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Teffer,

 

On 22 January 2021, the time-limit for replying to your application was
extended by 15 working days, until (12.02.2021).

 

However, the General Secretariat is still conducting consultations
necessary to the examination of your request and you will be notified of a
decision as soon as possible.

 

We apologise for the delay in replying to your request.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Transparency

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01CFD3F6.0B583760

 

Council of the European Union

General Secretariat

Directorate-General Communication and Information - COMM

Directorate Information and Outreach

Information Services Unit

 

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België

[2]www.consilium.europa.eu  |  [3][email address]

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely those of the writer and may not
be regarded as stating an official position of the Council of the EU

Clause de non-responsabilité: Les avis exprimés n'engagent que leur auteur
et ne peuvent être considérés comme une position officielle du Conseil de
l'UE

 

 

 

References

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2. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/
3. mailto:[email address]

Dear Madam, Sir,

I refer to my access to documents request Ref. 21/0011-PRO-mf, filed on 23 December 2020, and your message from 12 February acknowledging the Council will fail to meet the extended deadline.

I appreciate your apology but this does not change the fact that the Council is now in breach of Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. I note that in your 29 January message you cited 'pandemic constraints' as affecting 'the agenda of the officials from the different services and institutions involved in our consultations'.

While I am sympathetic to the constraints caused by the pandemic, these have been affecting everyone's jobs for almost a year now. All over Europe, workers have found a way to cope with the pandemic constraints. As time passes and everyone adapts to the new situation, the argument of exceptionality loses its strength. It cannot be the case that a year after the pandemic reached Europe, its constraints can still be used as an excuse for severely impacting the ability of the Council to abide by Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.

I also believe I have the right to a more detailed timeframe for when to expect a reply than "as soon as possible".

Sincerely
Peter Teffer

Postmaster Consilium, Conseil de l'Union européenne

Your message has been received by the Transparency and Access to Documents Unit of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. All requests for access to documents are treated on the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. The General Secretariat will reply to your request within 15 working days upon registration of your request. Requests received before 5 PM on a working day are registered on the same day. Requests received after 5 PM are registered on the first following working day.

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L'unité "Transparence et accès aux documents" du Secrétariat général du Conseil de l'Union européenne a bien reçu votre message. Toutes les demandes d'accès à des documents sont traitées conformément au règlement (CE) n° 1049/2001 du 30 mai 2001 relatif à l'accès du public aux documents du Parlement européen, du Conseil et de la Commission. Le Secrétariat général répondra à votre demande dans un délai de 15 jours ouvrables à compter de l'enregistrement de celle-ci. Les demandes reçues les jours ouvrables avant 17 heures sont enregistrées le jour même. Les demandes reçues après 17 heures sont enregistrées le premier jour ouvrable suivant.

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Pour consulter le texte du règlement (CE) n° 1049/2001, cliquez ici:
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Si le lien ne s'ouvre pas lorsque vous cliquez dessus, veuillez copier-coller l'adresse dans votre navigateur.

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Ihre Nachricht ist bei der Dienststelle "Transparenz und Zugang zu Dokumenten" des General-sekretariats des Rates der Europäischen Union eingegangen. Alle Anträge auf Zugang zu Dokumenten werden gemäß der Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1049/2001 vom 30. Mai 2001 über den Zugang der Öffentlichkeit zu Dokumenten des Europäischen Parlaments, des Rates und der Kommission bearbeitet. Das Generalsekretariat wird Ihnen binnen fünfzehn Arbeitstagen nach Registrierung Ihres Antrags eine Antwort übermitteln. Anträge, die an einem Arbeitstag vor 17.00 Uhr eingehen, werden noch am selben Tages registriert. Nach 17.00 Uhr eingehende Anträge werden am erstfolgenden Arbeitstag registriert.

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TRANSPARENCY Access to documents (COMM), Conseil de l'Union européenne

2 Attachments

Please find attached a letter from the General Secretariat of the Council
concerning your request for access to documents.

 

The requested documents will be sent separately via WeTransfer.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Transparency

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D59F80.749EEBA0

 

General Secretariat of the Council

Directorate-General Communication and Information - COMM
Directorate Information and Outreach
Information Services Unit / Transparency

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België

[2]www.consilium.europa.eu  |  [3][email address]

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely those of the writer and may not
be regarded as stating an official position of the Council of the EU

Clause de non-responsabilité: Les avis exprimés n'engagent que leur auteur
et ne peuvent être considérés comme une position officielle du Conseil de
l'UE

 

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TRANSPARENCY Access to documents (COMM), Conseil de l'Union européenne

5 Attachments

Please find attached a letter from the General Secretariat of the Council
concerning your request for access to documents.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

Transparency

 

[1]cid:image001.jpg@01D59F80.749EEBA0

 

General Secretariat of the Council

Directorate-General Communication and Information - COMM
Directorate Information and Outreach
Information Services Unit / Transparency

Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat, 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België

[2]www.consilium.europa.eu  |  [3][email address]

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are solely those of the writer and may not
be regarded as stating an official position of the Council of the EU

Clause de non-responsabilité: Les avis exprimés n'engagent que leur auteur
et ne peuvent être considérés comme une position officielle du Conseil de
l'UE

 

References

Visible links
2. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/
3. mailto:[email address]