EU court backs Commission on keeping trade documents secret

The European Court of Justice decided on 05 June 2015 in favour of the European Commission’s (EC) right to protect the confidentiality of trade documents. The ruling upheld a 2013 ruling rejecting claims by the campaign group Corporate Europe Observatory that the EC was within its rights to restrict access to documents.

Corporate Europe Observatory launched the legal action in 2011, accusing the EC of withholding documents related to the EU’s free trade talks with India.

The case concerns 17 documents sent to industry groups including BusinessEurope and the Confederation of the European Food and Drink Industry (CIAA).

• Primary Source

Politico, 04.06.15: Trade documents can stay secret http://www.politico.eu/article/trade-documents-can-stay-secret/

ESO: Background information: Access to documents http://www.europeansources.info/record/access-to-documents/

ECJ: Case C‑399/13 Stichting Corporate Europe Observatory v European Commission http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=164729&pageIndex=0&doclang=en&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=510415

---