06/09/2024 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday 5 September, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that essential information on how Member States apply EU fisheries rules can remain confidential “in a major blow for transparency and ocean health”, according to the NGO ClientEarth, which brought the case before the judges. The Commission refused to grant the NGO access to audit reports detailing failings by France and Denmark to control illegal fishing “in breach of EU fisheries laws” and the Court ruled in favour of the institution (the judgment: https://aeur.eu/f/dcb ). Only a few civil servants have access to up-to-date and reliable information on the application of EU legislation, while MEPs and civil society are kept in the dark. (LC)