EU Commission faces backlash over delays in transparency requests

Over 140 journalists, including from publications such as Politico, The Guardian, Le Monde, and Financial Times, have sent a letter to the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič, demanding that EU transparency laws be adhered to.

"Access to documents is a key tool for the press in studying the institutions of the European Union in its legislative, regulatory, and administrative functions. However, the practical implementation of these commitments in recent years has faced significant difficulties. These shortcomings, noted by the European Ombudsman's Institute, undermine the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability enshrined in European law," the letter states. The document was published by Politico Europe.

The primary issue raised in the appeal is the long processing time for document access requests. According to the European Ombudsman's Institute, in 60% of cases, the processing time exceeded the legally prescribed 15 working days, sometimes stretching over 60 working days, and in several instances, the European Commission (EC) required over a year to prepare a response to a request.

The letter also highlights delays in processing requests. The Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) often "requires weeks just to register inquiries sent by email, let alone start processing them." This all hampers journalists in "fulfilling their public role as public watchdogs."

Journalists also emphasized that the EC "too broadly" applies the practice of excluding access to certain internal documents, without providing any evidence of actual harm to the protected interests.

By Tamilla Hasanova