Access to documents
- Citizens have a right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (Photo: www.creativeunion.com)
According to the Amsterdam Treaty (Art. 255) and the Treaty of Nice, citizens have a right of access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents. Under Art. 255, in May 2001, the EU adopted a regulation on public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents.
On 9 November 2005, the European Commission established a European Transparency Initiative with the aim of strengthening transparency throughout the European Union. The Lisbon Treaty does not change the rule laid down in Art. 255 TEC but extends it to more EU institutions in Art. 15 TFEU.
Transparency is regulated by Directive 1049/2001. The Commission has proposed limitations in the provision of access to its databases. They have also promised to publish the names of all recipients of agricultural subsidies. Lobbying is a big industry in Europe, and there are thousands of advisors, expert groups and working groups (industry representatives/lobbyists) which influence new EU legislation.
The Commission, confronted with the criticism that many decisions are influenced by what happens in their so-called "secret" working groups, has promised to publish the names of the individual members of these working groups as well as a list of working groups.
Links
See also Transparency
Access to Documents: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/......play.do?id=151&language=EN
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/PDF/r1049_en.pdf
The European Transparency Initiative http://ec.europa.eu/commission......oso/kallas/transparency_en.htm
