Parliament agrees defence documents deal

Date: 24/10/02

By Peter Chapman

THE European Parliament has backed a deal with the Council of Ministers that will give selected members of the assembly access to secret documents on foreign policy.

But Green MEPs attacked the accord - which will cover sensitive documents on the Common Foreign and Security Policy - stating that it falls far short of what the Parliament is entitled to under the EU Treaty.

Finnish member Heidi Hautala said: 'I am deeply disappointed to see how the majority gave up rights conferred to this Parliament in the treaties in exchange for counterfeit promises from the Council to share foreign policy secrets with few select members.

'Instead of granting rights to the Parliament, the agreement in reality leaves it completely up to the Council to choose which information to share or withhold from the Parliament. The Council even seems to get the final say in respect of to whom in the EP a document may be circulated,' she said.

MEPs were asked to vote on the issue even though it had not appeared on the plenary session agenda, she added.

The European Parliament has backed a deal with the Council of Ministers that will give selected members of the assembly access to secret documents on foreign policy.