EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General for Competition
DG COMP A – Policy and Strategy
International Relations Unit
Brussels, 22/12/2023
COMP/A5/KT
Samuel Stolton
Bloomberg
International Press Centre
Boulevard Charlemagne 1,
Brussels
By e-mail:
ask+request-13756-
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Dear Sir,
Subject:
Your application for access to documents – Reference EASE No 2023/6293
We refer to your e-mail dated 24 October 2023 in which you make a request for access to
documents under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, registered on the same day under the above-
mentioned reference number.
1. DOCUMENTS CONCERNED
In your message you request access to
“- All documentation (including but not limited to: attendance lists, agendas, email
correspondence, briefing papers, and detailed minutes) transmitted between members of the
United States senate and the European Commission’s DG COMP, since 2018.
- All documentation (including but not limited to attendance lists, agendas, email
correspondence, briefing papers, and detailed minutes) transmitted between members of the
United States senate and the cabinet of Commissioner Vestager, since 2018.”
The following documents have been identified as falling within the scope of your application:
1. Ares(2021)1657088: Congratulations letter of 5 March 2021 by EVP Vestager to Senator
Amy J Klobuchar.
2. Ares(2021)1657023: Congratulations letter of 5 March 2021 by EVP Vestager to Senator
Michael S Lee.
3. Ares(2020)7335287: Email correspondence of October and November 2020 between the
EU’s Delegation in Washington, the cabinet of EVP Vestager and the office of senator
Klobuchar to set up a call between EVP Vestager and Senator Klobuchar.
4. Ares(2023)743054: Email correspondence of 1 February 2023 between the US Mission to
the EU and the cabinet of EVP Vestager to set up a meeting with Senator Blackburn.
5. Ares(2023)991152: Email correspondence of February 2023 between the US Mission to the
EU and the cabinet of EVP Vestager to set up a meeting between the EVP and Senator
Blackburn.
6. Ares(2023)1425168: Minutes prepared by the Commission’s Secretariat General following a
meeting of 21 February 2023 between EVP Vestager and Senator Blackburn.
With regards to some of the requested documents, a complete disclosure is prevented by the
exception concerning the protection of privacy and the integrity of the individual outlined in
Article 4(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, because it contains the following personal
data:
• the names/initials and contact information of Commission staff members not pertaining to
the senior management;
• other information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (names, positions
and contact information).
Article 9(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2018/17251 does not allow the transmission of these personal
data, except if you prove that it is necessary to have the data transmitted to you for a specific
purpose in the public interest and where there is no reason to assume that the legitimate interests
of the data subject might be prejudiced.
In your request, you do not express any particular interest to have access to these personal data
nor do you put forward any arguments to establish the necessity to have the data transmitted for a
specific purpose in the public interest.
Consequently, I conclude that, pursuant to Article 4(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001,
access cannot be granted to the personal data contained in the requested documents, as the need
to obtain access thereto for a purpose in the public interest has not been substantiated and there is
no reason to think that the legitimate interests of the individuals concerned would not be
prejudiced by disclosure of the personal data concerned.
Therefore, only a partial access, with redacted personal data, is granted to the requested
documents which you can find enclosed.
1 Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of
natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies
and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC,
OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39.
2. MEANS OF REDRESS
In case you would disagree with this position, you are entitled, in accordance with Article 7(2) of
Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, to submit a confirmatory application requesting the Commission
to review this position.
Such a confirmatory application should be addressed to the Secretariat-General of the
Commission within 15 working days upon receipt of this letter.
You can submit it in one of the following ways:
by asking for a review via your portal account (available only for initial requests submitted via
the portal account),
or by mail, to: European Commission Secretariat-General Transparency, Document Management
& Access to Documents (SG.C.1) BERL 7/076 B-1049 Bruxelles,
or by email t
o: xxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx
Yours faithfully,
[e-signed]
Eddy DE SMIJTER
Head of Unit
