Author (Person) | Banks, Martin |
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Series Title | European Voice |
Series Details | Vol.8, No.1, 10.1.02, p6 |
Publication Date | 10/01/2002 |
Content Type | News |
Date: 10/01/02 By EU OMBUDSMAN Jacob Söderman has called on the European Parliament to intervene in a long-running civil liberties case. Söderman has taken the rare step of sending a special report to the assembly, urging it to demand that the Council of Ministers releases documents to the campaign group, Statewatch. The UK-based organisation complained after it was twice denied documents and information by Council officials. It had unsuccessfully sought access to papers discussed by the police cooperation working party on 3 September 1998. These included ENFOPOL 98, a proposal to extend telecommunications surveillance to cover e-mails and mobile phones. Statewatch had a similar request blocked in January 1999. It argued that under the EU's Code of Good Administrative Behaviour citizens were entitled to see a list of all the documents considered by the Council. Söderman found that the Council's failure to maintain a list or register of all documents put before it constituted maladministration. In his special report - only the sixth the Ombudsman has made to the Parliament since 1995 - Söderman said the institution should establish such a list and make it freely available by 3 June this year. Tony Bunyan, editor of Statewatch, said: 'Söderman has laid down a marker ... for all documents considered at all levels of the decision-making process.' The EU Ombudsman has called on the European Parliament to intervene in a long-running civil liberties case. |
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Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
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