Court ruling to boost access to EU documents

Report of the European Court of Justice judgement of the 3 July 2014 in ECJ Case C-350/12 P - Council v In 't Veld in a case brought by Dutch MEP Sophie In't Veld in the area of access to documents.

According to the report of the judgement in EUObserver the European Court of Justice ruled that EU institutions must demonstrate that the disclosure of a document effectively harms the public interest if they want to deny publication. The judgement could have a significant impact on future requests for access to documents relating to the EU's international activities.

Lawyer Onno Brouwer who represented Sophie in't Veld in this case and others in landmark transparency cases before the General Court and the Court of Justice, challenging EU institutions on openness and accountability, said: 'the Court's view that a European institution must demonstrate that the disclosure of a document effectively harms the public interest is of great practical importance for journalists, interest groups and all those who wish to obtain access to EU documents'.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Brussels Eyes a Halt to SWIFT Data Agreement http://www.europeansources.info/record/brussels-eyes-a-halt-to-swift-data-agreement/

ESO: Background information: MEPs to derail EU-US anti-terror talks http://www.europeansources.info/record/meps-to-derail-eu-us-anti-terror-talks/

ECJ: Documents in connection with ECJ Case C-350/12 P http://curia.europa.eu/juris/documents.jsf?pro=&lgrec=en&nat=or&oqp=&lg=&dates=&language=en&jur=C%2CT%2CF&cit=none%252CC%252CCJ%252CR%252C2008E%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252C%252Ctrue%252Cfalse%252Cfalse&num=C-350%252F12&td=%3BALL&pcs=Oor&avg=&page=1&mat=or&jge=&for=&cid=7291

EurActiv, 04.07.14: TTIP documents could be made public after EU court ruling http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/ttip-documents-could-be-made-public-after-eu-court-ruling-303288

Blog: EU Law Analysis, 03.07.14: The CJEU increases public access to legal advice on international treaties http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/the-cjeu-increases-public-access-to.html

ECJ: Judgement in Case C-350/12 P http://www.alde.eu/uploads/media/judgment_03072014.pdf

ALDE: Press Release, 03.07.14: Dutch liberal Sophie in 't Veld wins transparency lawsuit against the Council of Ministers http://www.alde.eu/nc/press/press-and-release-news/press-release/article/dutch-liberal-sophie-in-t-veld-wins-transparency-lawsuit-against-the-council-of-ministers-43187/

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