Meetings with Thorn
Alexander Fanta made this access to documents request to Migration and Home Affairs Automatic anti-spam measures are in place for this older request. Please let us know if a further response is expected or if you are having trouble responding.
Dear Migration and Home Affairs,
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:
- All documents relating to a virtual meeting between Natasha Bertaud and Thorn on 29/03/2022. This includes meeting minutes, e-mails and any other communication related to said meeting, including all communication with Thorn since the meeting.
- All documents relating to a meeting between Monika Maglione and Thorn on 08/06/2022. This includes meeting minutes, e-mails and any other communication related to said meeting, including all communication with Thorn since the meeting.
Yours faithfully,
Alexander Fanta
netzpolitik.org e.V.
Schönhauser Allee 6-7
10119 Berlin
Germany
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your request for access to documents
sent on 11/04/2023 and registered on 11/04/2023 under the case number
2023/2144.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 03/05/2023. 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,
Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://ec.europa.eu/info/principles-and...
Hello,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/2144.
Kind regards,
Directorate -General Migration & Home Affairs
European Commission
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]themeData
Link: [3]colorSchemeMapping
[4]Your application for access to documents – EASE 2023/2144 - Extended
deadline letter - Ares(2023)3737129 (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. Fanta,
We are writing concerning your request for access to Commission documents
registered on 11 April 2023 under case number EASE 2023/2144.
We are currently working on your request. However, we are afraid that we
will not be able to send you the reply within the prescribed time limit
expiring on 30 May 2023.
We are working on providing you with the reply in the coming days.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we would like to
thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards,
Directorate -General Migration & Home Affairs
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D99322.86FF9C10
2. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
3. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
4. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
Hello,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/2144.
Kind regards,
Hello,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/2144.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Kind regards,
Dear Mr. Fanta,
We are writing concerning your request for access to Commission documents
registered on 11 April 2023 under case number EASE 2023/3058.
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 have been not be able to send you the reply within the
prescribed time limit which expired on 26/05/2023.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards,
The SG Access-to-Documents Team - cr
Dear Migration and Home Affairs,
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 'Meetings with Thorn'.
As regards documents 3 and 5, access was denied with reference to commercial interests of Thorn and the ongoing decision-making process. The former refusal was reasoned only in the most general terms. I would like to ask the Commission to provide a more concrete reason why releasing this information would undermine Thorn's commercial interest, or release the document in question. I also ask to clearly state on what definition of "commercial interest" the Commission operates.
Further, I point out that Thorn is not just lobbying on the upcoming Regulation against child sexual abuse material, but also provides software that helps with the detection of such material. I ask the Commission to clarify whether it has been approached by Thorn with an offer for the use of such software. If that is the case, I expect the Commission to uphold the high standard of transparency in public procurement.
On the protection of ongoing decision-making, the Commission has not provided any clear reasoning other than a reference to Article 4 (3.) of the Regulation. I would like to point to the recent De Capitani v Council ruling, in which the Court stated that "the preliminary nature of the discussions relating to the legislative proposal in question does not justify, as such, the application of the exception laid down in the first subparagraph of Article 4(3) of Regulation No 1049/2001." Indeed, discussions feeding into law-making should be held to a high standard of transparency.
I further want to argue that there is a overriding public interest for disclosure. Thorn has provided significant input in drafting the proposal, while possibly being its commercial beneficiary. (I would also like to point out that President von der Leyen took part in a video-conference with Thorn's founder Ashton Kutcher.) Withholding documents related to the upcoming law and possibly Thorn's commercial ventures would give rise to serious doubt into whether the Commission's policy-making process was transparent.
Yours faithfully,
Alexander Fanta
netzpolitik.org e.V.
Schönhauser Allee 6-7
10119 Berlin
Dear Sir or Madam,
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of your confirmatory request for case
2023/2144, sent on 09/06/2023 and registered on 09/06/2023.
We will handle your confirmatory request within 15 working days as of the
date of registration. The time-limit expires on 30/06/2023. 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
2023/2144, sent on 09/06/2023 and registered on 09/06/2023.
We will handle your confirmatory request within 15 working days as of the
date of registration. The time-limit expires on 30/06/2023. 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 Mr Fanta,
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/3058.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
Kind regards,
SG.E2
Dear Migration and Home Affairs,
I wanted to follow up on the confirmatory application to my request regarding documents related to an exchange with Thorn. The deadline expired two months ago. Any news?
Yours faithfully,
Alexander Fanta
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]Edit-Time-Data
Link: [3]themeData
Link: [4]colorSchemeMapping
[5]Your confirmatory application for access to documents - Meetings with
Thorn 2023/2144 - Ares(2023)6390005 (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 Fanta,
We understand your email of 18/09/2023 concerns your confirmatory
application 2023/2144 and the delays in the handling of your request.
Considering that the consultations in relation to your application have
not yet been finalised, unfortunately we cannot commit to a specific time
frame within when the final decision will be adopted.
Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience the delay in
this case may cause to you and thank you for your understanding.
Kind regards,
ACCESS TO DOCUMENTS TEAM
European Commission
Secretariat-General
SG.C1 (Transparency, Document Management and Access to Documents)
[6][email address]
Dear Mr. Alexander Fanta,
Please find attached the electronic version of the Commission Decision
C(2024)804 as adopted by the European Commission on 2.2.2024.
The formal notification of the decision under Article 297 TFEU is being
made only in electronic form.
Could you please confirm receipt of the attached documents by return
e-mail?
Many thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Dimitra PROTOPSALTI
SG.B2 Procédures écrites, habilitation, délégation
European Commission
Secretariat-General
BERL 005/155
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tél: (+32) 2 29 56750
Dear Mr. Alexander Fanta,
Unless we are mistaken, and while checking our records, we have not
received your confirmation of receipt regarding the message below.
Could you please acknowledge the receipt of the document enclosed in the
message addressed to you, by return email?
Kind regards,
Dimitra PROTOPSALTI
SG.B2 Procédures écrites, habilitation, délégation
European Commission
Secretariat-General
BERL 005/155
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tél: (+32) 2 29 56750
From: SG GREFFE CERTIFICATION <[email address]>
Sent: Monday, February 5, 2024 12:35 PM
To: [FOI #12844 email]
Cc: GRIGORAS Eduard (SG) <[email address]>
Subject: C(2024)804 final - Alexander Fanta
Dear Mr. Alexander Fanta,
Please find attached the electronic version of the Commission Decision
C(2024)804 as adopted by the European Commission on 2.2.2024.
The formal notification of the decision under Article 297 TFEU is being
made only in electronic form.
Could you please confirm receipt of the attached documents by return
e-mail?
Many thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Dimitra PROTOPSALTI
SG.B2 Procédures écrites, habilitation, délégation
European Commission
Secretariat-General
BERL 005/155
B-1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tél: (+32) 2 29 56750
Dear Ms Protopsalti,
thank you for your work on this - I received the documents.
Yours sincerely,
Alexander Fanta