Hydrogen COP28 Energy
To DG Energy,
From: Belen Balanya, Corporate Europe Observatory
Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Brussels.
8 July 2023 RE: Access to Documents related to Hydrogen and COP28
Dear sirs,
Referring to Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 on public access to EU documents and to the 'Aarhus Regulation', I would herewith like to ask for access to the following:
1. A list of the meetings/ discussions (including those held face to face, online, by telephone etc) that have taken place since 1 January 2023 between Commissioner Simson, her cabinet and/or officials from DG Energy on one hand and representatives from Dii Desert Energy, the MENA Hydrogen Alliance, Hydrogen Europe, the African Hydrogen Partnership Trade Association (AHP), the Hydrogen Council, Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), Shell, Total, Equinor, BP, Eni, FTI Consulting and/or Baker McKenzie, on the other, in which the issue of hydrogen and COP28 was discussed.
2. Any records, minutes or notes of these meetings/discussions.
3. Any briefings prepared for these meetings.
4. All correspondence exchanged since 1 January 2023 (including SMS & any other type of messages processed through phone apps - eg., WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram etc, recorded voice messages, emails, letters and attached documents) between Commissioner Simson, her cabinet and/or DG Energy director general and representatives of companies and/or industry associations Dii Desert Energy, the MENA Hydrogen Alliance, Hydrogen Europe, the African Hydrogen Partnership Trade Association (AHP), Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), Shell, Total, Equinor, BP, Eni, Hydrogen Council, FTI Consulting and/or Baker McKenzie, (including lobby consultancies and law firms working for them) in which the issue of hydrogen and COP28 was discussed.
In the interests of good administration, Corporate Observatory Europe requests that the response clearly identifies the documents held by the Commission in relation to each of these categories and clearly indicates to which category the disclosed documents relate.
To the extent possible, our preference is to receive documents in electronic format. Documents that cannot be sent in electronic format should be sent to Corporate Europe Observatory, Rue d’Edimbourg 26, 1050 Brussels – to the attention of Belén Balanyá. Should you transmit documents to us by regular post, we kindly ask you to announce us in advance in this regard.
I would like to make clear I prefer you produce the documents on a rolling basis.
At no point should the Commission’s search for—or deliberations concerning—certain documents delay the production of others that the Commission has already retrieved and elected to produce.
Should my request be denied wholly or partially, please explain the denial or all deletions referring to specific exemptions in the regulation. Also I expect the partial release of documents, in case of partial exemption according to article 4.6.
I reserve the right to appeal.
Please confirm having received this application. I look forward to your reply within 15 business days, according to the regulation.
Thank you for your assistance.
Belen Balanya
Corporate Europe Observatory
Your message has been received by the Transparency Unit of the
Secretariat-General of the European Commission.
Requests for public access to documents are treated on the basis of
[1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
The Secretariat-General will reply to your request within 15 working days
upon registration of your request and will duly inform you of the
registration of the request (or of any additional information to be
provided in view of its registration and/or treatment).
L’unité «Transparence» du secrétariat général de la Commission européenne
a bien reçu votre message.
Les demandes d’accès du public aux documents sont traitées sur la base du
[2]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 la date d’enregistrement de votre demande, et vous
informera de cet enregistrement (ou vous indiquera toute information
supplémentaire à fournir en vue de l'enregistrement et/ou du traitement de
votre demande).
Ihre Nachricht ist beim Referat „Transparenz“ des Generalsekretariats der
Europäischen Kommission eingegangen.
Anträge auf Zugang zu Dokumenten werden auf der Grundlage der
[3]Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1049/2001 vom 30. Mai 2001 über den Zugang der
Öffentlichkeit zu Dokumenten des Europäischen Parlaments, des Rates und
der Kommission behandelt.
Das Generalsekretariat beantwortet Ihre Anfrage innerhalb von
15 Arbeitstagen nach deren Registrierung und wird Sie über die
Registrierung Ihres Antrags (oder die Notwendigkeit weiterer Informationen
im Hinblick auf dessen Registrierung und/oder Bearbeitung) unterrichten.
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
2. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
3. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your request for access to documents
sent on 08/07/2023 and registered on 08/07/2023 under the case number
2023/3978.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 31/07/2023. We will let you know
if we need to extend this time limit for additional 15 working days.
To find more information on how we process your personal data, please see
[1]the privacy statement.
Yours faithfully,
Secretariat-General - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...
Dear Ms Balanya,
We are writing concerning your request for access to Commission documents
registered on 08/07/2023 under case number 2023/3978.
We are currently working on your request. However, we have not yet been
able to gather all the elements necessary to carry out a full analysis of
your request. We will not be able to send you the reply within the
prescribed time limit expiring on 31/07/2023.
The application concerns documents held by different Services, which must
be consulted.
Therefore, in line with Article 7(3) of [1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001,
we need to extend this time limit by 15 additional working days. The new
time limit expires on 22/08/2023.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards,
DG ENER Access to Documents Team
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Ms Balanya,
We are writing concerning your request for access to Commission documents
registered on 08/07/2023 under case number 2023/3978.
We are currently working on your request. However, we have not yet been
able to gather all the elements necessary to carry out a full analysis of
your request. We will not be able to send you the reply within the
prescribed time limit expiring on 31/07/2023.
The application concerns documents held by different Services, which must
be consulted.
Therefore, in line with Article 7(3) of [1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001,
we need to extend this time limit by 15 additional working days. The new
time limit expires on 22/08/2023.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards,
DG ENER Access to Documents Team
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Hello,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/3978.
Kind regards,
Dear Ms Balanya,
Hope you are doing well. This is just a kind reminder about the fair
solution proposal sent some days ago.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and your time.
Kind regards,
TF3 Secretariat
Dear ĆORIĆ Mila (ENER),
In response to your proposal for a fair solution regarding my request for access to documents
registered under the case number 2023/3978,
There is a public interest of public interest to be able to monitor and detect potential cases of undue influence. The Union institutions must conduct their work as openly as possible. Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states:
1. In order to promote good governance and ensure the participation of civil society, the Union's institutions, bodies, offices and agencies shall conduct their work as openly as possible.
As stated in Case C 280/11 P, the Court lays out the “advantage” of increased openness is that it enables citizens to participate more closely in the decision-making process and guarantees that the administration enjoys greater legitimacy and is more effective and more accountable to the citizen in a democratic system.
In addition to this, in relation to the right of access to EU documents, recital 4 in the preamble to Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 states:
The purpose of this Regulation is to give the fullest possible effect to the right of public access to documents
Article 1 of Regulation 1049/2001 states:
‘The purpose of this Regulation is:
(a) to define the principles, conditions and limits on grounds of public or private interest governing the right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission … documents … in such a way as to ensure the widest possible access to documents.
Your proposal for a fair solution is ignoring a main part of my request, which is not only about the minutes of meetings but for correspondence exchanged.
I’m therefore narrowing the scope of my original request
1- All correspondence exchanged since 1 May 2023 between Commissioner Simson, her cabinet and/or DG Energy director general and representatives of companies and/or industry associations Dii Desert Energy, the MENA Hydrogen Alliance, Hydrogen Europe, the African Hydrogen Partnership Trade Association (AHP), Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), Shell, Total, Equinor, BP, Eni, Hydrogen Council, FTI Consulting and/or Baker McKenzie, (including lobby consultancies and law firms working for them) in which the issue of COP28 was discussed.
From the list of meetings you pointed to in your list I request the minutes of the video conference that took place between Barbara Glowacka and Eni S.p.A on 23 June 2023 on the role of the private sector in COP, the ongoing private initiatives on reducing methane emissions.
Yours sincerely,
Belen Balanya
Dear Energy,
In response to your proposal for a fair solution regarding my request for access to documents
registered under the case number 2023/3978,
There is a public interest of public interest to be able to monitor and detect potential cases of undue influence. The Union institutions must conduct their work as openly as possible. Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states:
1. In order to promote good governance and ensure the participation of civil society, the Union's institutions, bodies, offices and agencies shall conduct their work as openly as possible.
As stated in Case C 280/11 P, the Court lays out the “advantage” of increased openness is that it enables citizens to participate more closely in the decision-making process and guarantees that the administration enjoys greater legitimacy and is more effective and more accountable to the citizen in a democratic system.
In addition to this, in relation to the right of access to EU documents, recital 4 in the preamble to Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 states:
The purpose of this Regulation is to give the fullest possible effect to the right of public access to documents
Article 1 of Regulation 1049/2001 states:
‘The purpose of this Regulation is:
(a) to define the principles, conditions and limits on grounds of public or private interest governing the right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission … documents … in such a way as to ensure the widest possible access to documents.
Your proposal for a fair solution is ignoring a main part of my request, which is not only about the minutes of meetings but for correspondence exchanged.
I’m therefore narrowing the scope of my original request
1- All correspondence exchanged since 1 May 2023 between Commissioner Simson, her cabinet and/or DG Energy director general and representatives of companies and/or industry associations Dii Desert Energy, the MENA Hydrogen Alliance, Hydrogen Europe, the African Hydrogen Partnership Trade Association (AHP), Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), Shell, Total, Equinor, BP, Eni, Hydrogen Council, FTI Consulting and/or Baker McKenzie, (including lobby consultancies and law firms working for them) in which the issue of COP28 was discussed.
From the list of meetings you pointed to in your list I request the minutes of the video conference that took place between Barbara Glowacka and Eni S.p.A on 23 June 2023 on the role of the private sector in COP, the ongoing private initiatives on reducing methane emissions.
Yours sincerely,
Belen Balanya
Dear Ms Balanya,
Thank you for your email. We take good note of it, however, given the delay in the response, we would need adequate time to process the request.
Kind regards,
Ener TF3 secretariat
Dear Energy
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 (on hydrogen and COP28) sent on 08/07/2023 and registered under the case number 2023/3978.
The last message from DG Energy (after some exchange on a demand for fair solution) was on 19/09/2023.
A full history of my request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.asktheeu.org/r/8aa42b14-1d2b...
The delay to disclose the documents is unjustified and very long. I hope for a swift disclose of the requested documents.
Kind regards,
Belen Balanya
Your message has been received by the Transparency Unit of the
Secretariat-General of the European Commission.
Requests for public access to documents are treated on the basis of
[1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
The Secretariat-General will reply to your request within 15 working days
upon registration of your request and will duly inform you of the
registration of the request (or of any additional information to be
provided in view of its registration and/or treatment).
L’unité «Transparence» du secrétariat général de la Commission européenne
a bien reçu votre message.
Les demandes d’accès du public aux documents sont traitées sur la base du
[2]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 la date d’enregistrement de votre demande, et vous
informera de cet enregistrement (ou vous indiquera toute information
supplémentaire à fournir en vue de l'enregistrement et/ou du traitement de
votre demande).
Ihre Nachricht ist beim Referat „Transparenz“ des Generalsekretariats der
Europäischen Kommission eingegangen.
Anträge auf Zugang zu Dokumenten werden auf der Grundlage der
[3]Verordnung (EG) Nr. 1049/2001 vom 30. Mai 2001 über den Zugang der
Öffentlichkeit zu Dokumenten des Europäischen Parlaments, des Rates und
der Kommission behandelt.
Das Generalsekretariat beantwortet Ihre Anfrage innerhalb von
15 Arbeitstagen nach deren Registrierung und wird Sie über die
Registrierung Ihres Antrags (oder die Notwendigkeit weiterer Informationen
im Hinblick auf dessen Registrierung und/oder Bearbeitung) unterrichten.
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
2. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
3. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your confirmatory request for case
2023/3978, sent on 24/10/2023 and registered on 24/10/2023.
We will handle your confirmatory request within 15 working days as of the
date of registration. The time-limit expires on 16/11/2023. We will let
you know if we need to extend this time limit for additional 15 working
days.
Yours faithfully,
Secretariat-General - Access to Documents
European Commission
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your confirmatory request for case
2023/3978, sent on 24/10/2023 and registered on 24/10/2023.
We will handle your confirmatory request within 15 working days as of the
date of registration. The time-limit expires on 16/11/2023. We will let
you know if we need to extend this time limit for additional 15 working
days.
Yours faithfully,
Secretariat-General - Access to Documents
European Commission
Dear applicant,
We are writing concerning your confirmatory request for access to
Commission documents for case 2023/3978 registered on 24 October 2023.
We are currently working on your confirmatory request. However, as
consultations have to be performed, we have not yet been able to gather
all the elements necessary to carry out a full analysis of your request.
We will not be able to send you the reply within the prescribed time limit
expiring on 16 November 2023.
Therefore, in line with Article 8(2) of [1]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 we
need to extend this time limit by 15 additional working days. The new time
limit expires on 7 December 2023.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards,
SG.C.1 - Access to Documents team
References
Visible links
1. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Mr Balanya,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/3978.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Kind regards,
ENER TF3 Secretariat