2004-04-14 Council Prolongs Secrecy of Old Working Documents

In reply to Jonas Maebe's mail (and another one he sent later when it had become known that the software patent directive had become an A item and that they are obliged to release the documents in that case), the Council's secretariat replied:

• Dear Mr Maebe, Thank you for your e-mails of 23 and 26 April 2004 in which you make a confirmatory application for access to Council documents, pursuant to Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (Official Journal L 145/43 of 31.05.2001). Considering the timetable for meetings of the various Council bodies involved in the examination of your application, a decision by the Council cannot be taken before 25 May 2004. The time limit for the Council to reply to your application has therefore to be extended in accordance with Article 8(2) of the Regulation. Yours sincerely, Ramon Jiménez Fraile

Jonas comments:

• Mind you, this is still about the 6 April documents. They're really using all tricks in the books to avoid having to reply before the competition council deadline (their deadline to reply to my appeal was today) I'm really curious about which different Council bodies all have to meet about my email.