Letter to the Office of the South African President of Draft Copyright Bill
Dear European External Action Service,
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:
On 20 March 2020, the EU Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa Riina Kionka sent a letter to Dr. Cassius Reginald Lubisi, Director-General in the Office of the South African President, on the subject of South Africa’s copyright regime, available online at: https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/... In the letter, Ambassador Kionka states that she is writing on behalf of the European Commission.
Ambassador Kionka states in the letter in reference to South Africa’s Draft Copyright Bill: “The European Commission has participated continuously throughout the consultation process which began in 2015 and culminated in March 2019 with the final Copyright Bill being sent to the President for assent. In particular, by addressing its contributions on 16 September 2015 to Mr. Lionel October, Director General of the Department of Trade and industry, and on 22 February 2019 to the Hon. E. Makue Chairperson of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry Relations.”
I am explicitly seeking any information that the EEAS holds in connection with the letter of 20 March 2020, as well as any information related to the South African Draft Copyright Bill. I do not want this request to be limited to information that was registered as "not short-lived" or "not unimportant". I am requesting all information, including internal communication, communication with the European Commission, the Office of the South African President, the South African Department of Trade and Industry, the South African Select Committee on Trade and Industry Relations or any other South African bodies, or with third parties such as external stakeholders regarding or in connection with the letter of 20 March 2020 or the South African Draft Copyright Bill. This request also includes short-lived information such as drafts, e-mails, text messages, memos and follow-up communication, including responses to the letter of 20 March 2020.
Yours faithfully,
Julia Reda
Dear Ms Reda,
Please note that your request falls under the competence of the European
Commission (DG CNECT). We have just been informed that your request was
finally attributed to the DG CNECT of the European Commission.
We have been also informed by the EEAS’ Southern Africa and Indian Ocean
Division that the EEAS has not had any involvement in the subject.
Your request will be closed in the EEAS database and you will receive the
reply from the European Commission.
Yours faithfully,
ACCES TO DOCUMENTS (AD)
[1][email address]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
Dear EEAS ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS,
thank you for your reply. I have filed a separate access to information request to DG CNECT which is currently being handled. I would nevertheless like to register my request to EEAS and to proceed with the request to all documents (as defined by the original request) that are in posession of EEAS regardless of which authority has authored it.
Yours sincerely,
Julia Reda
Dear Ms Reda,
This message is an acknowledgement of receipt for your requests for access
to documents under Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (which the EEAS is
also respecting).
Your requests for access to document have been registered under reference
number: 2020/051
Please refer to this number in any further correspondence.
In accordance with the Regulation, you will receive a reply within 15
working days: 20/05/2020.
Yours sincerely,
EEAS ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS (AD)
[1][EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[EEAS request email]
Dear Ms Reda,
We refer to your request dated of 29/04/2020. 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 19/05/2020.
The responsible divisions are still looking for the requested documents.
We therefore, exceptionally, need to extend the deadline for reply by an
additional 15 working days.
We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause. We
will make every effort to process your request as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your understanding,
Yours sincerely,
EEAS ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS (AD)
[1][EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[EEAS request email]
Dear Ms Reda,
On behalf of Mr Visentin, please find attached the reply to your request
for access to documents.
Yours sincerely,
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
[1]EEAS-[EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
References
Visible links
1. mailto:EEAS-[EEAS request email]
Dear Ms Reda,
On behalf of Mr Visentin, please find attached the reply to your request
for access to documents.
Yours sincerely,
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS
[1]EEAS-[EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
References
Visible links
1. mailto:EEAS-[EEAS request email]
DOBRUCKI Andrzej (EEAS) would like to recall the message, "Reply to requests for access to documents - 2020/051".
Dear European External Action Service,
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 'Letter to the Office of the South African President of Draft Copyright Bill'.
I would like to thank you for the documents already sent in response to my request. However, I am convinced that the documents sent are not complete. All documents I have received are final versions of documents sent by the EEAS to different parts of the South African government. My request explicitly encompasses also, among others, "internal communication, communication with the European Commission" as well as "drafts, e-mails, text messages, memos and follow-up communication". As the letter of 20 March 2020 explicitly states that the Ambassador is writing on behalf of the European Commission, there must be documents such as emails or drafts held by the EEAS that document the communication between the European Commission and the EEAS that led to the letter of 20 March 2020 being sent.
I request the complete information held by the EEAS in relation to the letter of 20 March 2020, as well as any information related to the South African copyright bill. I reiterate that: "I do not want this request to be limited to information that was registered as "not short-lived" or "not unimportant". I am requesting all information, including internal communication, communication with the European Commission, the Office of the South African President, the South African Department of Trade and Industry, the South African Select Committee on Trade and Industry Relations or any other South African bodies, or with third parties such as external stakeholders regarding or in connection with the letter of 20 March 2020 or the South African Draft Copyright Bill. This request also includes short-lived information such as drafts, e-mails, text messages, memos and follow-up communication, including responses to the letter of 20 March 2020."
A full history of my request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.asktheeu.org/en/request/lett...
Yours faithfully,
Julia Reda
Dear Ms Reda,
This message is an acknowledgement of receipt for your confirmatory application requesting a review of our reply dated 3 June 2020, under Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (which the EEAS is also respecting).
Your confirmatory application has the same reference number 2020/051, as the initial one. Please refer to this number in any further correspondence.
In accordance with the Regulation, you will receive a reply within 15 working days from registration of the application, i.e. by 25 June 2020.
Yours faithfully,
EEAS ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS (AD)
[EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
Dear Ms Reda,
Your applications are currently being handled. However, we are not in a position to complete the handling of your applications within the time limit of 15 working days due to special circumstances [article 7(3) and 8(2) of the Regulation]– force majeure - current working arrangements due to the pandemics.
We therefore, exceptionally, need to extend the deadline for replies by an additional 15 working days.
We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause.
Thank you for your understanding,
Yours sincerely,
EEAS ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS (AD)
[EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
Dear Ms Reda,
Your applications are currently being handled. However, we are not in a
position to complete the handling of your applications within the time
limit of 15 working days due to special circumstances [article 7(3) and
8(2) of the Regulation]– force majeure - current working arrangements due
to the pandemics.
We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this may cause.
We will make every effort to process your request as quickly as possible
Thank you for your understanding,
Yours sincerely,
EEAS ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS (SBR)
[1][EEAS request email]
SG.AFFGEN.2 – Parliamentary Affairs
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[EEAS request email]