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Implementation Legal reform Research

Transparency reforms “better served” by withholding access, access applicant is told

The Council’s ongoing transparency overhaul continues to attract public attention.

Fragment from the confirmatory application.
Categories
Civil society Jurisprudence Legal reform

Council of EU undergoing full reorientation on transparency question

On Wednesday 18 July 2018, the committee  of ambassadors of the member states to the EU (Coreper) held an orientational debate about the need for reforms of the Council’s transparency policy, thus Agence Europe reports.

Categories
Oversight

European Ombudsman inquiry criticises Council’s legislative opacity

European Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly
Photo: European Parliament (via EUObserver.com)

Today European Ombudsman O’Reilly presented the outcomes of her own-initiative inquiry of the transparency of Council preparatory bodies in the negotiation of EU legislative acts. Significantly, the Ombudsman found instances of maladministration, which signifies the strongest sanction her office can provide.

The European Ombudsman’s concludes her inquiry with the observation that the current way in which the legislative procedure in the Council is set out, it is impossible for citizens to have timely access to sufficient information on the general development of legislative dossiers and specific inputs offered by the different member states. The Ombudsman concludes that:

“[T]he Council of the EU – through practices that inhibit the scrutiny of draft EU legislation – undermines citizens’ right to hold their elected representatives to account. This constitutes maladministration.”

Categories
Civil society Oversight

Coalition of actors criticises Commission’s transparency initiative for falling short

Recent days have seen a wave of criticism against the new Commission’s transparency initiative.