Brussels, 24/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The draft regulation on public access to the documents of the European Institutions, under Article 225 of the Amsterdam Treaty, was "supposed to mark a new stage towards greater transparency" but "could actually emerge as a step backwards by comparison with the old 1993 codes of conduct", sates ECAS (Euro Citizen Action Service) in a press release. ECAS urges the European Parliament "when it votes probably in mid-November to adopt a position which forces the Council and the Commission to shift the balance of their positions towards greater transparency". The Council "appears determined to legislate behind closed doors", says ECAS, noting that the citizens "are not supposed to know what their government is proposing on their behalf, but fortunately they can find the documents on the Statewatch website".
ECAS is publishing a five-point model for an EU regulation on freedom of information, mainly stressing that access to documents should only be refused where disclosure could seriously undermine the protection of military operations, public safety; prevention and prosecution of criminal activities; personal privacy; commercial secrecy; monetary stability; equality of parties to court proceedings; inspections, investigations and audits.