Expenses related to STOA delegation trip to FASHIONTECH Berlin
Dear European Parliament,
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:
Documents that detail the total expenses, as well as a breakdown by item, related to the trip undertaken by MEPs Christian Ehler and Pernille Weiss as part of the STOA delegation to the FASHIONTECH fair in Berlin, in July, 2022, as described in this link: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/en/h...
I am also requesting documents that explain how these expenses were paid for: which items were paid by the MEPs out of their own private funds; in which cases Parliamentary travel allowances were used; in which cases funds provided STOA were used; and any other sources of funding for the trip not covered by the above.
I would also like to an itinerary of the trip.
Yours faithfully,
Carlo Martuscelli
Rue de la Loi 62,
1040 Bruxelles,
Belgium
Our reference: 2023-3506
Dear Mr Martuscelli,
The European Parliament hereby acknowledges receipt of your message, which
was registered on November 3, 2023.
All applications for public access to documents are treated in compliance
with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access
to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
In accordance with the above-mentioned Regulation, your application will
be handled within 15 working days upon registration of your request.
Your personal data will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU)
2018/1725 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. A
detailed privacy statement is available [1]here.
The European Parliament reserves the right to ask for additional
information regarding your identity in order to verify compliance with
Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 and the European Parliament’s implementing
measures.
Your attention is drawn to the fact that you have lodged your application
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Best regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[2][European Parliament request email]
[3]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
References
Visible links
1. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
2. mailto:[European Parliament request email]
3. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
Our reference: 2023-3506
Dear Mr Martuscelli Carlo,
Your request for public access to documents concerns information relating
to identified natural persons within the meaning of Article 3(1) of
Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, i.e. expenses linked to Members of the European
Parliament Christian Ehler and Pernille Weiss.
In light of Article 4(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, the
possibility of undermining the protection of the integrity of the
individual must always be taken into consideration in the context of
applications for public access to documents containing personal data. In
that sense, Article 9(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 provides that the
recipient of personal data must establish the necessity to have the data
transmitted for a specific purpose in the public interest.
In view of the above, we would like to ask you to establish that the
transmission of the personal data you have requested is necessary in the
above-mentioned sense.
Best regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[1][European Parliament request email]
[2]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[European Parliament request email]
2. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
Dear Transparency Unit,
You've requested that, under Article 9(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725, I provide the necessity to have the data
transmitted for a specific purpose in the public interest.
I am undertaking this request for documents as a journalist in the exercise of my professional duties. The request is in the context of a wider investigation looking at whether the relationship between MEPs Christian Ehler and Pernille Weiss has contravened any of the Parliament's ethical standards and which, and is, therefore, in the public interest.
Yours faithfully,
Carlo Martuscelli
Our reference: 2023-3506
Dear Mr Martuscelli,
The time limit for responding to your application for public access to
documents under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, as registered on Nov 3,
2023, expires on Nov 24, 2023.
However, our consultations are taking more time than expected, so that
Parliament must exceptionally extend the time limit provided by Article
7(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 by a further 15 working days in
accordance with Article 7(3) of that Regulation in order to reply to your
application.
Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience. We thank you for your
understanding.
Best regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[1][European Parliament request email]
[2]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[European Parliament request email]
2. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
Dear Mr Martuscelli,
This concerns your requests registered under references nr. 2023-3506,
2023-3509 and 2023-3522, which have been treated together and which
concern all documents related to the drafting and publishing of the STOA
study on improving access to medicines in the Union, in particular
communications since January 2022, as well as documents related to
expenses of the STOA delegation to the FASHIONTECH Berlin.
In light of your requests, Parliament has identified 61 documents,
including a financial statement related to the FASHIONTECH delegation and
60 pieces of correspondence, which are being made publicly available on
[1]Parliament’s Public Register (Register reference:
[2]EP-PE_DV(2023)3523). Please be aware that, for technical reasons, it
may take some time for all documents to appear on the website of the
Register.
As for the costs related to the STOA delegation to FASHIONTECH Berlin, we
would like to highlight that Members are largely responsible for their own
schedule and that only some of their political activities involving travel
are eligible for reimbursement ([3]here you can find information about the
kinds of trips Members can be reimbursed).
Notably, with a view to the application of these rules, there was no joint
trip by the Members you refer to, as Mr Ehler travelled to FASHIONTECH
Berlin as a local member, so that his expenses were not covered by the
STOA delegation and could not be covered by the identified financial
statement, as Members are responsible to individually apply for the
defrayal of their expenses under the above-mentioned rules.
On this basis, Parliament considers your application handled and the file
closed. Should you wish to submit any new requests for specific Parliament
documents, [4]please do not hesitate to come back to us.
Kind regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[5][European Parliament request email]
[6]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
References
Visible links
1. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
2. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
3. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/a...
4. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
5. mailto:[European Parliament request email]
6. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
Dear Transparency Unit,
Thank you for that.
So if I am understanding you correctly, the documents that will be included register reference "EP-PE_DV(2023)3523" pertain to all three of my requests, namely: Private Expenses related to STOA delegation trip to FASHIONTECH Berlin; Communications between MEPs Ehler and Weiss and the Secretariat of the Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) related to the pharma report; Communications to the Secretariat of the Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) related to the pharma report.
Is that correct?
So far there are no documents related to the FASHIONTECH Berlin trip.
On a separate point, you write that: "there was no joint trip by the Members you refer to, as Mr Ehler travelled to FASHIONTECH Berlin as a local member, so that his expenses were not covered by the STOA delegation and could not be covered by the identified financial statement, as Members are responsible to individually apply for the defrayal of their expenses under the above-mentioned rules."
I would like to request any documentation that relates to individual defrayal applications made by Mr. Ehler in connection with this trip.
Yours faithfully,
Carlo Martuscelli
Our reference: 2023-3661
Dear Mr Martuscelli,
We confirm that your three requests have been treated together and that
you can find all concerned documents in [1]Parliament’s Public Register
under reference [2]EP-PE_DV(2023)3523. We would like to highlight that
Parliament identified a financial statement related to FASHIONTECH Berlin,
which you can access [3]here. Please note that this constitutes an
estimate of the costs that may arise from the delegation overall, and that
the actual costs may have been lower.
Your additional request concerning individual defrayal applications made
by Mr. Ehler in connection with the FASHIONTECH Berlin trip will be
handled under reference 2023-3661.
All applications for public access to documents are treated in compliance
with Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access
to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. In accordance
with the above-mentioned Regulation, your application will be handled
within 15 working days upon registration of your request (December 8,
2023).
Your request for individual defrayal expenses of an identified natural
person aims at the transmission of personal data, which must always be
taken into consideration in the context of applications for public access.
In that sense, Article 9(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 provides that
the recipient of personal data must establish the necessity to have the
data transmitted for a specific purpose in the public interest.
In view of the above, we will consider that this request is also in the
context of a wider investigation looking at whether the relationship
between MEPs Christian Ehler and Pernille Weiss has contravened any of the
Parliament's ethical standards, unless otherwise provided.
Kind regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[4][European Parliament request email]
[5]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
References
Visible links
1. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
2. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
3. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/p...
4. mailto:[European Parliament request email]
5. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
Dear Transparency Unit,
I can confirm that this request is also in the the investigation into the relationship between MEPs Christian Ehler and Pernille Weiss, and whether it contravened any of the Parliament's ethical standards.
I wanted to confirm that the only document identified by the Transparency Unit that related to expenses for the FASHIONTECH Berlin trip is the following: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/p...
I also wanted to confirm that this only related to MEP Weiss's expenses, as MEP Ehler's were submitted individually on a separate basis. I also wanted to know whether it was possible to obtain a more detailed breakdown of the estimated chargeable cost of €5,682 submitted in the linked financial statement. Finally, I noted that the document lists 3 under the heading "number of chairs." I wanted to know what that referred to.
Yours faithfully,
Carlo Martuscelli
Our reference: 2023-3661
Dear Mr Martuscelli,
With regard to your request for public access to documents, Parliament
informs you that no reimbursement request of Mr. Ehler has been identified
in relation to the FASHIONTECH Berlin trip.
As regards the detailed breakdown of the estimated chargeable cost of
€5,682 submitted in the [1]financial statement, Parliament has identified
a relevant table (see attached), which is being made publicly available on
Parliament's [2]Public Register of documents. Please note that, as
mentioned in the table itself, this is an estimate of the maximum costs
that could be defrayed, if requested, by Parliament.
As for the term "chairs" mentioned in the above financial statement,
please note that it refers to committee chairpersons.
On this basis, Parliament considers your application handled and the
procedure closed. Should you wish to submit any new requests for specific
Parliament documents, [3]please do not hesitate to come back to us.
Best regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[4][European Parliament request email]
[5]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
References
Visible links
1. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/p...
2. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
3. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreW...
4. mailto:[European Parliament request email]
5. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb
Dear Transparency Unit,
Thank you for the help so far. I had a few additional questions regarding the two documents provided.
1) Why is the number of chairs listed as 3 in the first document? What is this in reference to? There is only once chair in STOA, Christian Ehler. Pernille Weiss, who is the only other MEP who is listed as having attended the Berlin FASHIONTECH trip, isn't a chair for any committee.
2) The second document lists 3 members as having attended the trip. Who are these? Once again, STOA only lists two MEPs as having attended (Ehler and Weiss): https://www.europarl.europa.eu/stoa/en/h...
3) You write that "this is an estimate of the maximum costs that could be defrayed, if requested, by Parliament." I want to know how much of this cost has actually been defrayed, or if any defrayal applications have been made by any of the MEPs. Where can I find this information?
Yours faithfully,
Carlo Martuscelli
Dear Mr Martuscelli,
With regard to your follow-up requests for information, concerning the
case under reference 2023-3661, we would like to inform you that our
service is responsible only for providing access to specific documents
held by the European Parliament and not information.
Please note that you will, therefore, receive a response to these requests
for information directly from the Spokesperson's service (contact details
in copy).
Best regards,
TRANSPARENCY UNIT
European Parliament
Directorate-General for the Presidency
Directorate-General for Interinstitutional Affairs and Legislative
Coordination
[1][European Parliament request email]
[2]www.europarl.europa.eu/RegistreWeb