Study to support the preparation of the Defence of Democracy package and related docs
Dear Secretariat General of the European Commission,
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:
The study that the European Commission has Commissioned to the
Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services (CSES), VVA Europe and Tetra Tech to support the preparation of the Defence of Democracy Package and related documents.
Yours faithfully,
Carlotta Besozzi
Dear Sir or Madam,
We are writing to you concerning your request for access to documents sent
on 23/05/2023 and registered on 24/05/2023 under case number 2023/3002.
Since you have not indicated your postal address, we are not able to start
handling your request. The 15 working days to reply to your request will
start running only when you send us your postal address.
You can send your postal address by replying to this e-mail. If we do not
receive your reply we may close this case.
Please note that you can submit a request for access to Commission
documents via the portal [1]'Request a Commission document', which does
not require you to indicate your postal address.
Why do we need your personal postal address?
Since 1 April 2014, the submission of a postal address became a mandatory
feature when submitting an application for access to Commission documents
via an e-mail. We would like to explain why we need your postal address in
order to register and handle your application for access to documents when
submitted via e-mail:
• Firstly, to obtain legal certainty as regards the date you received
the European Commission reply to your application for public access to
documents. Article 297 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the
European Union (TFEU) states that 'decisions which specify to whom
they are addressed, shall be notified to those to whom they are
addressed and shall take effect upon such notification.' In line with
this provision, if the Commission does not grant full access to the
requested documents, it notifies the reply to the applicant via
registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt or via delivery
service. This requires an indication of a valid postal address by the
applicant;
• Secondly, to apply correctly the [2]Data Protection Regulation (EU)
2018/1725. Knowing whether the applicant is an EU resident (or not) is
necessary for deciding which conditions shall apply for the
transmissions of personal data to applicants for access to documents.
These conditions are not the same for recipients established in the
Union and for recipients in third countries. As the vast majority of
the documents requested contain personal data, the Commission cannot
ensure the correct application of the data protection rules in the
absence of a postal address;
• Thirdly, to apply correctly [3]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001. Article
4(1)(b) of that Regulation refers to the protection of the privacy and
integrity of the individual and has to be applied in line with the
Data Protection Regulation;
• Fourthly, to protect the interest of other citizens and safeguard the
principle of good administration. The Commission has to treat all
citizens equally by ensuring that the legal framework for public
access to documents is respected. For example, it has to verify
whether Article 6(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 is being evaded
by introducing several requests under different identities. Indeed, in
its Ryanair judgment ([4]EU:T:2010:511), the General Court confirmed
that Article 6(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 cannot be evaded by
splitting an application into several, seemingly separate, parts. In
addition, the Commission has to make sure that the legal framework is
respected and the right of access to documents is not abused by making
requests under an invented identity.
The considerations above show that the request for and the consequent
processing of the applicant's postal address is not only appropriate, but
also strictly necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the
public interest within the meaning of Article 5(1)(a) of Data Protection
Regulation, namely providing a smooth and effective access to documents.
Yours faithfully,
Secretariat-General - Access to Documents
European Commission
References
Visible links
1. https://www.ec.europa.eu/transparency/do...
2. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
3. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
4. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear Secretariat General of the European Commission,
Please find below my postal address:
rue Maximilien 28, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium.
I would nonetheless to receive the requested documents by email and not by post
Yours faithfully,
Carlotta Besozzi
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 23/05/2023 and registered on 24/05/2023 under the case number
2023/3002.
We will handle your request within 15 working days as of the date of
registration. The time-limit expires on 15/06/2023. 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 Secretariat General of the European Commission,
Thank you. I am looking forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Carlotta Besozzi
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 Ms Besozzi
Please find attached a message concerning your request for access to
Commission documents registered under the above case number 2023/3002.
Please acknowledge the receipt of this message by return email.
With regards,
JUST C4
European Commission
Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers
Dear Secretariat General of the European Commission,
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 'Study to support the preparation of the Defence of Democracy package and related docs'.
Dear Ms Gallego,
I would like to thank you for your response to my access to document request.
In your letter you seem to imply that the “study performed for the Commission to support the preparation of the Defence of Democracy package by the consortium made of Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services (CSES), VVA Europe and Tetra Tech” (hereinafter referred to as the “Study”) was part of an impact assessment that is still ongoing.
However, the study has been commissioned by the European Commission before a procedure for impact assessment has been agreed, delaying the presentation of the Defense of Democracy Package scheduled to be adopted by the College on 30 May and then 7 June.
The call for evidence clearly specified that no impact assessment was foreseen. Also the terms of reference for the study are framed accordingly and indicate that the contractor had 8 weeks to submit an interim report and 13 weeks to finalise its report after the signature of the contract,
We also understand that such a final report was meant to accompany a staff working document and be submitted to an interservice consultation, which took place in May. We also understand that such a document was available when meetings with the cabinets of Commissioners were organised in view of a presentation of a final proposal for the Defence of Democracy package end of May.
It is therefore surprising to hear that the Study is still ongoing. In light of the foregoing it seems very likely that you should be in possession of a finalized form of the Study. The request to receive the Study and related documents should have therefore been interpreted to make available to us the form of the Study and related documents that enable its understanding that you actually possess. The fact that the Study may not yet internally be labelled as “finalized” does not at all suggest that you are institutionally not in the possession of the Study. An applicant’s information disadvantage in relation to the actual and formal status of the documents it intends to be provided with should not be addressed by denying its right of information but to provide the documents it is interested to review that the Union’s institutions actually possess.
According to Recital (4) and (6) of Regulation (EC) No. 1049/2001, the purpose of the Regulation is to give “the fullest possible effect to the right of public access to documents” while even “wider access should be granted to documents in cases where the institutions are acting in their legislative capacity”. Such documents should be made “directly accessible to the greatest possible extent”.
For the avoidance of doubt, I hereby kindly request to make available the following documents:
The latest version of the Study that you actually possess
Any interim drafts of the Study that you received this year by the authors of the Study
Any related documents and e-mail communication with the authors of the Study that facilitate the genesis of the Study and its interim or final drafts, in particular should you confirm to us that you are not in possession of any draft, interim or final, of the Study
Kind regards,
Carlotta Besozzi
A full history of my request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: http://www.asktheeu.org/en/request/study...
Yours faithfully,
Carlotta Besozzi
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
2023/3002, sent on 28/06/2023 and registered on 28/06/2023.
We will handle your confirmatory request within 15 working days as of the
date of registration. The time-limit expires on 19/07/2023. 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
2023/3002, sent on 28/06/2023 and registered on 28/06/2023.
We will handle your confirmatory request within 15 working days as of the
date of registration. The time-limit expires on 19/07/2023. 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
Link: [1]File-List
Link: [2]themeData
Link: [3]colorSchemeMapping
[4]Deadline extension in case 2023/3002 - Ares(2023)5069422 (Please use
this link only if you are an Ares user – Svp, utilisez ce lien
exclusivement si vous êtes un(e) utilisateur d’Ares)
Hello,
We are writing concerning your confirmatory request for access to
Commission documents for case 2023/3002 registered on 28/6/2023.
We are currently working on your confirmatory 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 19/7/2023.
Therefore, in line with Article 8(2) of [5]Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 we
need to extend this time limit by 15 additional working days. The new time
limit expires on 9/8/2023.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Kind regards,
Access to Documents Team
Secretariat-General/SG.C.1 - rc
References
Visible links
1. file:///tmp/cid:filelist.xml@01D9BB37.FD56A650
2. file:///tmp/~~themedata~~
3. file:///tmp/~~colorschememapping~~
4. https://webgate.ec.testa.eu/Ares/documen...
5. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/...
Dear SG ACCES DOCUMENTS,
I am writing to you as a follow up to your response dated 20 July in which you requested an additional timeline until 9 August 2023 in order to gather the documents requested for the confirmatory request for access to Commission documents for case 2023/3002 registered on 28/6/2023.
To this date I have not received any response. You have therefore broken the timeframes laid out in Regulation 1049. Please let me know when you will answer my request.
If I do not hear from you in 5 days I will take a complaint to the Ombudsman.
Best regards,
Carlotta Besozzi
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 Ms Besozzi,
Thank you for your message concerning the delays in the handling of your request.
Please note that, while we are doing our best to provide you with a reply as soon as possible, delays are due to the very high volume of requests currently reaching our services. 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.
Under Article 8 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, it is indeed your right to submit a complaint to the European Ombudsman.
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,
European Commission
Access to Documents Team
Dear Ms Besozzi,
We refer to your request for access to the study concerning the defence of
democracy package and related documents (EASE 2023/3002).
We can inform you that the study you requested access to was published
today on the Commission website:
[1]Study to support the preparation of an EU instrument to help improve
the resilience of our democracies and address activities that may impact
public opinion or the democratic sphere funded by third countries |
European Commission (europa.eu)
https://commission.europa.eu/document/f3...
We can also inform you that the Defence of Democracy package was adopted
by the Commission on 12 December 2023. The package and the related
documents are available at the following link:
[2]Defence of Democracy (europa.eu)
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...
In light of this information that is now available, could you please
indicate us whether you wish to maintain your request EASE 2023/3002?
Thank you very much and best regards,
Secretariat-General/ Access to Documents Team
References
Visible links
1. https://commission.europa.eu/document/f3...
2. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscor...
Dear Ms Besozzi,
Unless we are mistaken, we have not yet received a reply from your side
regarding our proposal of 13 December 2023 (attached) following the
publication of the 'Study to support the preparation of an EU instrument
to help improve the resilience of our democracies and address activities
that may impact public opinion or the democratic sphere funded by third
countries'.
In the light of the above, please let us know if you wish to maintain your
confirmatory request.
Kind regards,
Secretariat-General
Access to Documents Team
Dear Secretariat General of the European Commission,
Unfortunately your answer is not satisfactory.
First of all you have not respected the time-frame for response as set out in regulation 1049. You should have provided a response on 19/08 and when you were reminded of this you simply suggested that you did not have time to respond and indicated that I could submit a complaint to the Ombudsman. Now you seem to suggest that you have never closed the timing for the request, but you cannot keep open those deadlines unilaterally and have to respect the Regulation.
In addition you have not answered to my questions in the confirmatory request. In particular I had asked :
- The latest version of the Study that you (the EC) actually possess(ed).
- Any interim drafts of the Study that you (the EC) received this year by the authors of the Study
- Any related documents and e-mail communication with the authors of the Study that facilitate the genesis of the Study and its interim or final drafts, in particular should you (the EC) confirm to us that you are (the EC is) not in possession of any draft, interim or final, of the Study
You have sent me links to the impact assessment study that accompanies the Defence of Democracy Study published on 12 December.
However you have not released the study that was available at the time of my access to document request.
You have not released any possible interim draft or any justification that at the time of my request you were not in the position of the study.
On the contrary the introduction of the « Study to support the preparation of an EU instrument to help improve the resilience of our democracies and address activities that may impact public opinion or the democratic sphere funded by third countries Final Report » (dated November 2023) mentions that « the core research activities for the study were carried out for DG Justice and Consumers (DG JUST) between December 2022 and March 2023 » and given that the proposal for directive was discussed by the Cabinets of Commissioners in May, as the document was due to adoption end of May, beginning of June, a full study was surely already available by that date, although different from the one published in December and date November 2023.
Yours faithfully,
Carlotta Besozzi
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 BESOZZI, Carlotta ,
Please find attached the electronic version of European Commission
Decision C(2024)1895 as adopted by the European Commission on 18/03/2024
concerning the request 2023/3002.
In accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this portal, please note
that this decision is being formally notified pursuant to article 297 TFEU
through this electronic platform only.
Yours sincerely,
Access to documents team - SG.C.1
Dear BESOZZI, Carlotta ,
Please find attached the electronic version of European Commission
Decision C(2024)1895 as adopted by the European Commission on 18/03/2024
concerning the request 2023/3002.
In accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this portal, please note
that this decision is being formally notified pursuant to article 297 TFEU
through this electronic platform only.
Yours sincerely,
Access to documents team - SG.C.1
Dear Madam,
Please find attached the electronic version of Commission Decision
C(2024)1895 as adopted by the European Commission on 18.03.2024.
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 document by return
e-mail?
Many thanks in advance.
Kind regards,
Access to documents team - cr
SG.C.1
Transparency
Dear [email address],
I confirm reception of the documents. Thanks for finally providing a response to my questions confirming the existence of a study that was completed by the time of my first request.
Yours sincerely,
Carlotta Besozzi