Ex-post control documents of H2020 project
Dear Research Executive Agency,
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:
Audit report, ex-post control, or recovery reports and letters — produced or held by the Research Executive Agency concerning institution with number PIC 999990849 on the EU project under the GA number 644373.
if full disclosure is not possible, I kindly request a partial or redacted version or at least confirmation of
(a) whether such audits or recovery decisions exist, and
(b) the date and reference numbers of those documents.
I prefer to receive the information by email in electronic form (PDF).
Please confirm receipt of this request in accordance with Article 7 of Regulation 1049/2001.
Yours faithfully,
Matteo Ottaviani
[1]Postal Address missing: access to documents request - Ex-post control
documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9016854 (Please use this link only
if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes
un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
Thank you for your request for access to documents submitted to the
European Research Executive Agency (REA).
Unfortunately, you have not indicated your complete postal address that is
required for registering and handling your request in line with the
procedural requirements. Please send us your full postal address at your
earliest convenience.
Pending your reply, we reserve the right to refuse the registration of
your request
Kind regards,
REA Access to Documents
Dear REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS,
My postal address is
Erfprins 18,
2342CK,
Oegstgeest
The Netherlands
Yours sincerely,
Matteo Ottaviani
[1]Acknowledge of Receipt: access to documents request - Ex-post control
documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9055439 (Please use this link only
if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes
un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
Thanks for confirming your postal address for your request for access to
documents submitted to the European Research Executive Agency (REA) on 17
October 2025 via the website AskTheEU.org.
You request has been registered under reference number Ares(2025)9055213
on 23 October 2025 following confirmation of your postal address.
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 13
November 2025. In case this time limit needs to be extended, you will be
informed in due course.
Kindly note that the AsktheEU.org website is a private third-party website
which has no link with any institution of the European Union. Therefore,
the European Commission or REA cannot be held accountable for any
technical issues or problems linked to the use of this system.
Please also note that the private third party running the AsktheEU.org
website is responsible and accountable for the processing of your personal
data via that website, and not the European Commission or REA. For further
information on your rights, please refer to the third party’s privacy
policy.
We understand that the third party running that website usually publishes
the content of applicants’ correspondence with the European Commission or
REA on that website. This includes the personal data that you may have
communicated to the European Commission or REA (e.g. your private postal
address). Similarly, the third party publishes on that website any reply
that REA will send to the email address of the applicants generated by the
AsktheEU.org website.
If you do not wish your correspondence with REA to be published on the
AsktheEU.org website, you can provide us with an alternative, private
e-mail address for further correspondence. In that case, REA will send all
future electronic correspondence addressed to you only to that private
address.
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
For information related to the processing of your personal data by REA,
you may consult the relevant [2]Data Protection Notice
From: REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[correo electrónico]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 11:10 AM
To: Matteo Ottaviani <[Dirección de correo de la solicitud #16468]>
Cc: REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[correo electrónico]>
Subject: Postal Address missing: access to documents request - Ex-post
control documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9016854
[3]Postal Address missing: access to documents request - Ex-post control
documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9016854 (Please use this link only
if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes
un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
Thank you for your request for access to documents submitted to the
European Research Executive Agency (REA).
Unfortunately, you have not indicated your complete postal address that is
required for registering and handling your request in line with the
procedural requirements. Please send us your full postal address at your
earliest convenience.
Pending your reply, we reserve the right to refuse the registration of
your request
Kind regards,
REA Access to Documents
[1]Extension of time limit- Initial Request to Access to documents -
Ex-post control documents of H2020 project - - Ares(2025)9725836 (Please
use this link only if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien
exclusivement si vous êtes un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
We refer to your request in subject, registered by the European Research
Executive Agency on 23/10/2025 under reference number Ares(2025)9055213.
Your application is currently being handled. However, we will not be in a
position to complete the handling of your application within the time
limit of 15 working days, which expires on 13/11/2025. An extended time
limit is needed as part of the documents requested originate from third
parties which have been consulted.
Therefore, we have to extend the time limit with 15 working days in
accordance with Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding
public access to documents. The new time limit expires on 04/12/2025.
We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause.
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
For information related to the processing of your personal data by REA,
you may consult the relevant [2]Data Protection Notice
From: REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[correo electrónico]>
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2025 8:15 AM
To: Matteo Ottaviani <[Dirección de correo de la solicitud #16468]>
Cc: REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[correo electrónico]>
Subject: Acknowledge of Receipt: access to documents request - Ex-post
control documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9055439
[3]Acknowledge of Receipt: access to documents request - Ex-post control
documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9055439 (Please use this link only
if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes
un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
Thanks for confirming your postal address for your request for access to
documents submitted to the European Research Executive Agency (REA) on 17
October 2025 via the website AskTheEU.org.
You request has been registered under reference number Ares(2025)9055213
on 23 October 2025 following confirmation of your postal address.
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 13
November 2025. In case this time limit needs to be extended, you will be
informed in due course.
Kindly note that the AsktheEU.org website is a private third-party website
which has no link with any institution of the European Union. Therefore,
the European Commission or REA cannot be held accountable for any
technical issues or problems linked to the use of this system.
Please also note that the private third party running the AsktheEU.org
website is responsible and accountable for the processing of your personal
data via that website, and not the European Commission or REA. For further
information on your rights, please refer to the third party’s privacy
policy.
We understand that the third party running that website usually publishes
the content of applicants’ correspondence with the European Commission or
REA on that website. This includes the personal data that you may have
communicated to the European Commission or REA (e.g. your private postal
address). Similarly, the third party publishes on that website any reply
that REA will send to the email address of the applicants generated by the
AsktheEU.org website.
If you do not wish your correspondence with REA to be published on the
AsktheEU.org website, you can provide us with an alternative, private
e-mail address for further correspondence. In that case, REA will send all
future electronic correspondence addressed to you only to that private
address.
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
For information related to the processing of your personal data by REA,
you may consult the relevant [4]Data Protection Notice
From: REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[5][correo electrónico]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2025 11:10 AM
To: Matteo Ottaviani <[6][Dirección de correo de la solicitud #16468]>
Cc: REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS <[7][correo electrónico]>
Subject: Postal Address missing: access to documents request - Ex-post
control documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9016854
[8]Postal Address missing: access to documents request - Ex-post control
documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)9016854 (Please use this link only
if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes
un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
Thank you for your request for access to documents submitted to the
European Research Executive Agency (REA).
Unfortunately, you have not indicated your complete postal address that is
required for registering and handling your request in line with the
procedural requirements. Please send us your full postal address at your
earliest convenience.
Pending your reply, we reserve the right to refuse the registration of
your request
Kind regards,
REA Access to Documents
[1]Clarifications on Request for access to documents: Extension of time
limit- Initial Request to Access to documents - Ex-post control documents
of H2020 project - Ares(2025)10717822 (Please use this link only if you
are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous êtes un(e)
utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
We refer to your request for access to documents registered on 23 October
2025 under reference number REA - Ares(2025)9055213, concerning the entity
with PIC 999990849 on the EU project under the GA 644373.
Your application is currently being handled. However, we will not be able
to complete the handling of your application within the original deadline,
we sincerely apologize for this. As mentioned in previous communications
to you, the documents requested originate from third parties which have
been consulted.
Please rest assured that we are actively following up and will respond as
soon as we are in a position to do so. We appreciate your patience and
understanding in the meantime.
Kind regards,
REA Access to Documents
References
Visible links
1. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
Dear REA ACCESS DOCUMENTS, [name removed],
Thank you for your previous correspondence.
Given that the number of documents requested is small and that redaction—particularly with modern AI-assisted tools—should require no more than a few minutes, I am struggling to understand the basis for the ongoing delay. At present, no clear justification has been provided for withholding public documents that should be readily accessible.
Could you please provide a specific and substantive reason for the delay, including any legal or procedural grounds that prevent the timely release of the material? Is it the third party not releasing the "redacted" documents to REA? Without such clarification, the withholding of these documents for more than 30days appears disproportionate and inconsistent with standard public-access expectations.
Could you also give an estimate of the further expected delay?
I am proceeding now with the request of an internal review and then in case of no proper reply is received, the intervention of the EU ombudsman will be deemed necessary.
I look forward to your prompt reply.
Yours sincerely,
Matteo Ottaviani
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
Please find attached the REA reply, registered under registration number Ares(2025)10995783 to your request for access to documents registered under registration number Ares(2025)9055213.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message by return email to [correo electrónico]
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
For information related to the processing of your personal data by REA, you may consult the relevant Data Protection Notice here: https://rea.ec.europa.eu/system/files/20...
Dear Research Executive Agency, Dear Barbara Kampis,
Thanks for the documents. I really appreciate the effort.
Your reply partly satisfies my request. It confirms that an audit from REA was executed on that project and the dates.
Please pass this on to the person who reviews confirmatory applications.
I am filing the following confirmatory application with regards to my access to documents request 'Ex-post control documents of H2020 project'.
The intention behind the request was to understand which type of documentation and checks REA does to institutions for this type of subsidy. The annex 1 is entirely obscured so it is not possible to retrieve any information about REA appointed auditor requests, findings or advices. Not all the text is related to personal information or would mine the existing and future commercial relations of the auditee, especially the list of items and documentation checked and the questions by auditors to the institution and the secondees.
So I kindly request an annex 1 where such information is partly disclosed.
It would also be relevant to read any advice. In the attached letter the institution is informed about the next steps i.e. the implementation of the audit results. It means that some action should have been carried out by the institution even if the costs were declared eligible. How can this information be completely obscured? I understand the redaction of any personal information but denying the public to know which action was requested to the institution does not fall to any of the REA indicated exceptions. I kindly ask to retrieve this information too.
A full history of my request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.asktheeu.org/request/ex_post...
Yours faithfully,
Matteo Ottaviani
[1]AOR- Internal review of access to documents request - Ex-post control
documents of H2020 project - Ares(2025)11249550 (Please use this link
only if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien exclusivement si vous
êtes un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Mr Ottaviani,
We refer to your message dated 11/12/2025 making a confirmatory
application, regarding REA reply, registered under registration number
Ares(2025)10995783.
We hereby acknowledge receipt of your request registered by the European
Research Executive Agency(REA) on 16/12/2025 under reference number Ares
(2025)11247536. 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 16/01/2026. In case this time limit needs to be extended,
you will be informed in due course.
Please also note that the private third party running the AsktheEU.org
website is responsible and accountable for the processing of your personal
data via that website, and not the European Commission or REA. For further
information on your rights, please refer to the third party’s privacy
policy.
We understand that the third party running that website usually publishes
the content of applicants’ correspondence with the European Commission or
REA on that website. This includes the personal data that you may have
communicated to the European Commission or REA (e.g. your private postal
address). Similarly, the third party publishes on that website any reply
that REA will send to the email address of the applicants generated by the
AsktheEU.org website.
If you do not wish your correspondence with REA to be published on the
AsktheEU.org website, you can provide us with an alternative, private
e-mail address for further correspondence. In that case, REA will send all
future electronic correspondence addressed to you only to that private
address.
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
References
Visible links
1. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]themeData
Link: [3]colorSchemeMapping
[4]extension of time limit- Internal review of access to documents request
- Ex-post control documents of H2020 project - Ares(2026)428917 (Please
use this link only if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien
exclusivement si vous êtes un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Dear Sir,
We refer to your confirmatory application, registered on 16/12/2025 under
reference number Ares (2025)11247536.
Your application is currently being handled. However, we will not be in a
position to complete the handling of your application within the time
limit of 15 working days, which expires on 16/01/2026.
An extended time limit is needed as your application entails the
consultation of other Services.
Therefore, we have to extend the time limit with 15 working days in
accordance with Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 regarding
public access to documents. The new time limit expires on 06/02/2026.
We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause.
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01DC863C.BB654C10
2. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
3. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
4. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
Dear Mr Ottrviani,
Please find attached REA Director's reply Ares(2026)1364854 to your confirmatory request for access to documents registered under reference Ares(2025)11247536.
Please acknowledge receipt of this message by return email to [REA request email]
Yours faithfully,
REA ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS