50 organsations and international experts respond to Commission spokesperson's "nutty NGO's" attack

Over 20 non-governmental organisations have filed a petition to the European Parliament stating that the European Commission is repeatedly failing to comply with its transparency obligations, either by not replying to access to documents requests within the prescribed time period or not replying at all, or by applying exceptions without detailed argumentation or justification. In this context, it is clear that reforms to law and/or practice are needed and all parties should be engaging in an open and constructive debate on how to best achieve this. For example, in addition to transparency portal, what is the best approach to increasing proactive transparency in order to reduce the burden of answering access to documents requests.

The attached letter is signed by:

Helen Darbishire, Access Info Europe;

Anais Berthier, ClientEarth;

Jeremy Wates, European Environmental Bureau;

Paul de Clerck, Friends of the Earth Europe;

Katrina Perehudoff, Health Action International Europe;

Béatrice Gorez, Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements;

Maurice Frankel, Campaign for Freedom of Information UK;

Ronald Koven, European Representative, World Press Freedom Committee;

Sylvia Kierkegaard (Prof.), International Association of IT Lawyers;

Journal of International Commercial Law and Technology;

Venkatesh Nayak, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative;

Jacinto Lara Bonilla, Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España;

Codru Vrabie, Association EPAS;

Tiago Pérez, Foro Social de Cangas;

Ivar Tallo, eGovernance Academy;

Carolina Marin, AEQUITAS: Association for Equality, Integration and Community Development;

Brian O'Riordan, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers;

Mircea Toma, ActiveWatch – Media Monitoring Agency;

Lucas Amin and Brendan Montague of Request Initiative;

Tony Venables, European Citizen Action Service (ECAS);

Orestis Tringides, Socio-Political Studies Foundation;

Gergana Jouleva, Access to Information Programme;

Andreas Bock, n-ost: Network for Reporting on Eastern Europe;

Jacobo Elosua, Fundación Ciudadana Civio;

Will Dinan, SpinWatch;

Pia Eberhardt, Corporate Europe Observatory;

Alessandro Valera, European Alternatives;

Danela Zagar, GONG;

Sandor Lederer, K-Monitor: Watchdog for Public Funds;

Alex Skene, WhatDoTheyKnow.com;

Laura E. Williamson, HELIO International;

Jaime Doreste, Ecologistas en Acción;

Henri Christin Longendja, Codhod / Amicus / Collectif 24;

Adetokunbo Mumuni, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project;

Renate Schroeder, European Federation of Journalists;

Kim Smouter, European Network of National Civil Society Associations;

Ioana Avadani, Center for Independent Journalism;

Claudia Charles, Migreurop;

Karin Waringo, Chachipe a.s.b.l;

Nadejda Hriptievschi, Legal Resources Centre;

Sandor Orban, South East European Network for Professionalisation of Media;

Ezequiel F. Santagada, Environmental Law and Economics Institute;

Deus M Kibamba, Tanzania Citizens' Information Bureau;

Joanna Cornelius, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation;

Derviş Musannif, Cyprus EU Association;

À titre personnel:

Fabrizio Scrollini, International Freedom of Information Expert;

Mariana Berbec Rostas, human rights Lawyer, Open Society Foundations;

Prof. Dr. Manuel Sánchez de Diego - Facultad de Ciencias de la Información, Universidad Complutense de Madrid;

Ainhoa Alzola, Freedom of information advocate;

Ulf Öberg, Managing Partner, Advokatfirman Öberg & Associés AB;

David Goldberg, International Freedom of Information Expert.