Press Release: Ombudsman calls on Commission to reconsider refusal of access to Transatlantic Business Dialogue documents

The European Ombudsman, Jacob Söderman, called on the European Commission on 17 July 2002 to reconsider its refusal to give access to the briefing notes of its delegations to two meetings of the Transatlantic Business Dialogue (TABD). This re-examination should be based on the new rules on access to documents that came into force in December 2001 and should consider partial access to the documents. The Ombudsman has given the Commission until 31 October 2002 to respond.