Brussels, 16/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - European Ombudsman Nikiforos Diamandouros has called on the European Commission to release documents from Spain concerning the construction of an industrial port in Granadilla, Tenerife. This follows a complaint from the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), a federation of environmental citizens' organisations.
In 2006, the European Commission approved the Spanish authorities' plans to construct an industrial port in Granadilla. In July 2006, the EEB asked the Commission for access to a number of documents related to the Commission's decision to approve the project. The Commission refused to disclose some of the requested documents because the Spanish authorities, from whom the documents originated, opposed their disclosure. Access to a number of internal Commission documents was also refused, on the grounds that their disclosure would seriously undermine the institution's decision-making process.
The ombudsman concluded that the Commission should release them, unless the Spanish authorities gave valid arguments against disclosure. The Commission ultimately released the internal documents to the EEB. However, it maintained its refusal to release the documents originating from Spain, because of the Spanish authorities' objections. The ombudsman criticised the Commission for not having verified whether the reasoning of the Spanish authorities was convincing. Furthermore, he announced that he intended to launch an investigation into the Commission's, the Council's and the European Parliament's handling of requests for public access to documents originating from the member states. (L.C./transl.rt)