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Public access to documents – report 2022 - 2024

TA-10-2026-0065 · P10_TA(2026)0065 · PE778.284

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This resolution assesses EU institutions' implementation of public access to documents rules for 2022-2024, noting trends, concerns, and recommendations for improvement. It calls for stricter compliance with deadlines, proactive publication, and modernized rules, including sanctions for non-compliance and updated legislation. It urges the Council and Commission to enhance transparency in legislative processes, including trilogues and comitology, and to follow Ombudsman recommendations.

Key points

  1. Notes that Commission confirmatory applications increased by 7% in 2024, 43% in 2023, and 17.8% in 2022, while initial requests decreased.
  2. Highlights that in 85% of reviewed cases the Commission missed legal time limits, with delays over 60 working days in 60% of cases.
  3. Calls for partial disclosure under Article 4(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 and strict interpretation of exceptions.
  4. Urges the Commission to ensure transparency in comitology, infringement procedures, and EU budget funding, including to non-EU countries.
  5. Calls on EU agencies to implement Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 and on EUAA to grant Parliament timely access to documents.
  6. Regrets lack of transparency in the Council, including 'LIMITE' designations and refusal to grant access to trilogue documents.
  7. Welcomes CJEU judgment in Stevi and The New York Times v Commission, extending access to all formats including text messages.
  8. Regrets Commission's withdrawal of 2008 and 2011 proposals to revise Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 and calls for an updated proposal with sanctions.
  9. Calls for independent oversight of classification, training for staff, and accessible complaint procedures.
  10. Demands transparency in AI use by EU institutions, including publication of algorithms and impact assessments.
  11. Calls for awareness campaigns to inform citizens of their access rights and for proactive publication of legislative documents.

Who is affected

  • EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, particularly the Commission and Council, must improve transparency and comply with access rules.
  • Citizens and civil society benefit from broader access to documents and more effective remedies for refusals.
  • EU agencies, including EUAA, are called to implement access rules and grant Parliament access to documents.

Figures and deadlines

  • 6,938 initial requests and 641 confirmatory applications in 2024; 7,274 and 599 in 2023; 7,410 and 418 in 2022.
  • Commission granted partial or full access in 51% of confirmatory cases in 2022, 85% in 2023, and 60% in 2024.
  • Parliament's register contained 918,803 references by end of 2024, up from 898,267; positive response rate 91%.
  • Council's register had over 527,000 documents by end of 2024, with over 72% publicly available; processed over 2,800 requests.

Legal basis: Articles 1, 9, 10, 11 and 16 TEU; Article 15 TFEU; Articles 41 and 42 of the Charter