EU papers now available via internet

Date: 06/06/02

By Martin Banks

EUROPE'S citizens were this week granted unprecedented access to information when thousands of official EU papers became routinely available for the first time.

Information on everything from car prices and Third World debt to GMOs and Europol went on the internet on Monday (3 June).

The EU's new public register of documents is the cornerstone of a sweeping package of new rules giving citizens access to information that was either previously unavailable or almost impossible to obtain.

It is expected that about 90 of EU documents will be available via the online register.

Under the new measures, the public now also has the right to access official papers, unless officials can prove that their release would be harmful, and documents can only be kept secret for a maximum of 30 years.

The launch of the register was welcomed by UK Socialist Michael Cashman, author of the European Parliament's drive for improved access to documents.

'We are rolling back the veil of secrecy that has surrounded the EU for far too long,' he said. 'This is a real break with the past. There will be no more foraging around in the dark.

'Whether it is Romano Prodi's personal emails, new plans on defence or the latest thinking on GMOs, Europe now has a duty to tell you what you want to know.'

He added: 'This, though, is a start rather than the end. The next step is to ensure the Council of Ministers meets in public when acting in its legislative capacity.'

• The register of documents is at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/sgc/acc_doc/index_en.htm

The EU's new public register of documents was launched on 3 June 2002.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/secretariat_general/sgc/acc_doc/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/secretariat_general/sgc/acc_doc/index_en.htm

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