Categories
Oversight

European Ombudsman: failure to search for requested text messages Von der Leyen constitutes maladministration

European Commission says it will study the decision and respond within the deadline set by the European Ombudsman.

Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer responds to questions after the European Ombudsman’s publication of her decision on Von der Leyen’s undisclosed text messages with Pfizer’s CEO, earlier that day. (Source: Commission, still from midday press briefing 28.1.22)
Categories
Oversight Research

ECI researcher provides expert testimony in Dutch Parliament’s European Affairs Committee

Round table on EU information provision hears Aidan O’Sullivan (European Ombudsman), Maarten Hillebrandt (Eric Castrén Institute and Meijers Committee) and Mendeltje van Keulen (Hague University of Applied Science) provide testimony on public access to documents and parliamentary scrutiny.

Photo: screen shot from Debat Gemist
Categories
Implementation

Controversy over Von der Leyen’s secret text exchanges with Pfizer CEO

Text messages that apparently sealed a deal between Commission and Pfizer early 2021 are slowly becoming the centre of broader transparency questions.

Photo credit: Politico/Getty images
Categories
News reports

EU transparency news reports in 2021

Since September 2014, the Open Government in the EU blog scans English-language online news outlets for news on EU transparency. Below, you can find the news digest for 2021.

Central topics in news coverage were opacities caused by the corona pandemic and the rule of law crisis, and the potential reform of the EU’s access to documents regulation.

Euronews correspondent Meabh Mcmahon in front of the European Parliament. Credit: The Drum.