Οι αντιπροσωπίες των Κάτω Χωρών, της Δανίας και της Σουηδίας δήλωσαν ότι θα καταψηφίσουν το σχέδιο απάντησης και προέβησαν στις ακόλουθες δηλώσεις:

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1 ΣΥΜΒΟΥΛΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΕΥΡΩΠΑΪΚΗΣ ΕΝΩΣΗΣ Βρυξέλλες, 18 Δεκεμβρίου 2009 (22.12) (OR. en) 16469/09 INF 303 API 145 JUR 488 ΣΗΜΕΙΩΜΑ ΣΗΜΕΙΟΥ «I/A» της : Ομάδας «Πληροφόρηση» προς : την ΕΜΑ (1ο τμήμα) / το Συμβούλιο αριθ. προηγ. εγγρ. : 16468/09 Θέμα : Πρόσβαση του κοινού στα έγγραφα - Επιβεβαιωτική αίτηση αριθ. 31/c/01/09 Διαβιβάζεται συνημμένως στις αντιπροσωπίες σχέδιο απάντησης του Συμβουλίου, ως έχει έπειτα από την εξέτασή του από την Ομάδα «Πληροφόρηση» στις 16 Δεκεμβρίου 2009, στην επιβεβαιωτική αίτηση αριθ. 31/c/01/09. Οι αντιπροσωπίες των Κάτω Χωρών, της Δανίας και της Σουηδίας δήλωσαν ότι θα καταψηφίσουν το σχέδιο απάντησης και προέβησαν στις ακόλουθες δηλώσεις: ΚΧ: «Έγγραφο 12071/08: οι ΚΧ τάσσονται υπέρ της δημοσιοποίησης των αποτελεσμάτων της Ομάδας«Κοινωνικά Θέματα» κατά τρόπον ώστε να είναι διαθέσιμες οι διαφορετικές θέσεις αλλά να μην ταυτοποιούνται τα κράτη μέλη. Έγγραφα 14896/08 και 8321/09: οι ΚΧ τάσσονται υπέρ της διαφάνειας της νομοθετικής διαδικασίας, συμπεριλαμβανομένων των νομικών συμβουλών. Η παροχή πρόσβασης στο κοινό μπορεί να απορριφθεί μόνο για τους λόγους που αναφέρονται στην απόφαση Turco. Στις συγκεκριμένες περιπτώσεις, δεν φαίνεται να υφίσταται βάσιμος λόγος για την άρνηση πρόσβασης στις νομικές συμβουλές. Εν πάση περιπτώσει, ο συλλογισμός της προτεινόμενης απάντησης δεν επαρκεί για την άρνηση της πρόσβασης» /09 ΔΛ/νικ 1 DG F EL

2 ΦI: «Όσον αφορά τη δημοσιοποίηση του εγγράφου 12071/08, η ΦΙ συμφωνεί με το σχέδιο απάντησης. Ωστόσο, ο συλλογισμός σχετικά με τα έγγραφα 14896/08 και 8321/09 δεν παραπέμπει σαφώς στην απόφαση Turco του ΔΕΚ (C-39/05 P και C-52/05 P) και παρέχει μόνο υποθετικούς λόγους για το ενδεχόμενο κινδύνου από τη δημοσιοποίηση. Συνεπώς, η ΦΙ δεν συμφωνεί με το συλλογισμό που αφορά τη δυνατότητα εφαρμογής του άρθρου 4, παρ. 2 του κανονισμού 1049/2001». ΣΔ: «Η ΣΔ εκφράζει ικανοποίηση για την πρόταση παροχής μερικής πρόσβασης στο έγγραφο 12071/08, φρονεί, όμως ότι θα μπορούσε να δοθεί περαιτέρω μερική πρόσβαση. Οι θέσεις της ΣΔ που περιγράφονται στο ζητούμενο έγγραφο θα πρέπει να δημοσιοποιηθούν στο σύνολό τους, δεδομένου ότι ήδη διατίθενται στο κοινό. Η ΣΔ εκφράζει ικανοποίηση για την πρόταση παροχής μερικής πρόσβασης στα έγγραφα 14896/08 και 8321/09, δεν συμφωνεί, ωστόσο, με το σχέδιο απάντησης όσον αφορά την προτεινόμενη ερμηνεία της εξαίρεσης από το απόρρητο στη δεύτερη περίπτωση του άρθρου 4, παρ. 2. Η ερμηνεία όσον αφορά το έγγραφο 14896/08 δεν συνάδει προς την απόφαση Turco και, όσον αφορά το έγγραφο 8321/09, προς τις αρχές στις οποίες βασίζεται η απόφαση Turco. Οι συγκεκριμένες νομικές συμβουλές δεν μπορούν να θεωρηθούν ούτε ιδιαιτέρως ευαίσθητες ούτε ότι έχουν ιδιαιτέρως ευρύ πεδίο το οποίο υπερβαίνει το πλαίσιο της εν λόγω νομοθετικής διαδικασίας. Δεν υφίσταται πραγματικός κίνδυνος, ευλόγως προβλέψιμος και όχι αμιγώς υποθετικός ότι η δημοσιοποίηση των εγγράφων θα υπονομεύσει την προστασία των νομικών συμβουλών ή τη διαδικασία λήψης αποφάσεων του οργάνου. Τα έγγραφα θα πρέπει να δημοσιοποιηθούν στο σύνολό τους». Η πλειοψηφία των αντιπροσωπιών συμφώνησε να δημοσιευθεί το αποτέλεσμα της ψηφοφορίας. Κατόπιν τούτου, καλείται η Επιτροπή των Μόνιμων Αντιπροσώπων να προτείνει στο Συμβούλιο κατά την προσεχή του σύνοδο: - να σημειώσει τη συμφωνία του ως προς το συνημμένο σχέδιο απάντησης ως σημείο «Α», με την αρνητική ψήφο των αντιπροσωπιών των Κάτω Χωρών, της Δανίας και της Σουηδίας, - να αποφασίσει τη δημοσίευση του αποτελέσματος της ψηφοφορίας. Το παράρτημα είναι διαθέσιμο μόνο στα αγγλικά /09 ΔΛ/νικ 2 DG F EL

3 ΠΑΡΑΡΤΗΜΑ DRAFT REPLY ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL ON... TO CONFIRMATORY APPLICATION No 31/c/01/09 made by on 20 November 2009, pursuant to Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, for public access to documents 12071/08, 14896/08 and 8321/09 The Council has considered this confirmatory application under Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 (OJ L 145 of , p. 43) and Annex II to the Council's Rules of Procedure (Council Decision 2009/937/EU, Official Journal L 325, , p. 35) and has come to the following conclusion: 1. The applicant refers to documents 12071/08 and 14896/08 which concern the Proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. Document 12071/08 contains the outcome of proceedings of the meeting of the Working Party of Social Questions on 18 July Document 14896/08 is an opinion of the Council Legal Service concerning the same Proposal. The applicant also refers to document 8321/09 which contains an opinion of the Council Legal Service on a Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 2. In its replies dated 16 November and 20 November 2009, the General Secretariat refused public access to document 12071/08 pursuant to Article 4(3), first subparagraph, of the Regulation (protection of the Council's decision-making process). As regards documents 14896/08 and 8321/09, partial access was granted to the introductory paragraph and paragraphs 1-6 of document 14896/08 and to introductory paragraph and paragraphs 4-6 of document 8321/09, while refusing public access to the remaining parts of the documents in accordance with Article 4(2), second indent (protection of legal advice), and Article 4(3), first subparagraph (protection of the Council's decision-making process) of the Regulation /09 ΔΛ/νικ 3

4 3. The Council notes that the applicant asks the institution to reconsider its position, stating that the documents are needed for an academic purposes. 4. Having thoroughly examined the requested documents and carried out internal consultations, the Council has come to the conclusion set out below. 5. The Council understands the applicant's interest in obtaining access to the documents for academic purposes. However, the Council may not take into consideration the applicant's particular interest in obtaining those documents, since it is called upon to rule, in conformity with Regulation (EC) N 1049/2001 and Article 10(2) of Annex II of its Rules of Procedure, on the disclosure to the public of the requested documents on an erga omnes basis Documents 12071/08 and 14896/08 concern the proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. The Working Party on Social Questions, the Council's preparatory body responsible for the proposal, started the examination of the Commission proposal in July 2008 and has since met several times to discuss it. A number of major reservations have been indicated on certain parts of the text under discussion at the moment. Those issues will require extensive further work. The Council notes in this regard that the legal basis for the proposal is Article 13(1) of the Treaty establishing the European Community, prescribing unanimity in the Council for the adoption of the Directive. Document 12071/08 7. Disclosure of the names of the delegations that have put forward proposals during the discussions would adversely affect the efficiency of the Council's decision-making process at this stage when difficult negotiations are ongoing on the Commission proposal by compromising the Council's ability to conclude this dossier in particular by narrowing down 1 Article 10(2) of Annex II to the Council s Rules of Procedure, OJ L 325 of , p /09 ΔΛ/νικ 4

5 delegations' room for compromise within the Council. Furthermore, if it were to be accepted that documents containing written positions of delegations submitted at a preliminary phase of the discussions be disclosed in their entirety in an ongoing decision-making procedure, delegations would be induced to cease submitting their views in writing, and instead would limit themselves to oral exchanges of views in the Council and its preparatory bodies, which would not require the drawing up of documents. This would cause significant damage to the effectiveness of the Council's internal decision-making process by impeding complex internal discussions on the proposed act, and it would also be seriously prejudicial to the overall transparency of the Council's decision-making. 8. The Council has weighed the public interest relating to the efficiency of its internal decisionmaking against the public interest in increased openness, which guarantees that the EU institutions enjoy greater legitimacy and are more accountable to the citizens. It has concluded that in that case the protection of the Council's decision-making process outweighs the applicant's interest in the disclosure of document 12071/08. The Council therefore confirms the partial access granted to this document in the initial phase pursuant to Article 4(6) of the Regulation, while refusing public access to the remaining parts of the document on the basis of Article 4(3), first subparagraph, of Regulation 1049/2001 (protection of the Council s decision-making process). Document 14896/08 9. Document 14896/08 comprises an opinion of the Council Legal Service on the Proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, currently under examination within the Council (cf. point 6 above). It comprises a legal advice analysing the scope of Article 13 EC, the Community competence with regard to the scope of the proposed Directive and the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. 10. The legal advice contained in the requested document addresses issues relating to the question of the respective competences of the Community and the Member States to adopt measures, as proposed by the Commission, in relation to social protection, including social security and healthcare, social advantages, education and access to and supply of goods 16469/09 ΔΛ/νικ 5

6 and other services which are available to the public, including housing. Furthermore, the Legal Service's analysis of the limits of the powers of the Community legislator to adopt measure under Article 13 EC is particularly wide in scope, going well beyond the specific legislative context. Finally, the legal advice relates to a decision-making procedure which is currently ongoing and where many of the issues analysed by the Legal Service are subject of intensive discussions within the Council. 11. Divulgation of the legal advice contained in the document would undermine the protection of legal advice, since it would make known to the public an internal opinion of the Legal Service, intended for the members of the Council. Moreover, the possibility that the legal advice in question be disclosed to the public may lead the Council to display caution when requesting written opinions from its Legal Service, since it could find itself in a situation where it would need to defend the decision it has taken against a - potentially critical - advice given by its Legal Service. The Legal Service could also come under external pressure which could affect the way in which legal opinions are drafted and hence prejudice the possibility of the Legal Service to express its views free from external influences. Lastly, disclosure of the legal advice would also affect the ability of the Legal Service to effectively defend the decision taken by the Council before the Union courts. 12. In addition, and in view of the fact that the decision-making process is currently ongoing, disclosure of the opinion of the Legal Service would adversely affect the efficiency of negotiations by impeding internal discussions of the Council on the legality of the proposed act and would compromise the conclusion of the dossier. 13. The Council has weighed the public interest relating to the protection of legal advice and the protection of its decision-making process against the public interest in the release of the requested document, but concluded that, on balance, the principle of transparency which underlies the Regulation would not, in the present case, prevail over the above two interests so as to justify disclosure of the document. Neither is the Council allowed to take into account the applicant's academic interest to obtain access to the document, as indicates in point 5 above /09 ΔΛ/νικ 6

7 14. In view of the foregoing, the Council concluded that full public access must be refused to document 14896/08 on the basis of Article 4(2), second indent (protection of legal advice) and Article 4(3) first subparagraph (protection of the institution's decision-making process) of Regulation 1049/2001. However, the Council decided to extend, in accordance with Article 4(6) of the Regulation, the partial access given in the initial reply by the General Secretariat to include points 7, 56, 63 and 64. Document 8321/ Document 8321/09 comprises an opinion of the Council Legal Service on a Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The requested document contains legal advice by the Council Legal Service on the legal basis for the draft Council Decision, in which it examines the scope of the various Treaty legal bases proposed by the Commission for the decision on the conclusion of the Convention. 16. Divulgation of the legal advice contained in the document would undermine the protection of legal advice, since it would make known to the public an internal opinion of the Legal Service, intended for the members of the Council. It may lead the Council to display caution when requesting written opinions from its Legal Service, since it could find itself in a situation where it would need to defend the decision it has taken against a - potentially critical - advice given by its Legal Service. Moreover, the Legal Service could come under external pressure which could affect the way in which legal opinions are drafted and hence prejudice the possibility of the Legal Service to express its views free from external influences. Lastly, disclosure of the legal advice would also affect the ability of the Legal Service to effectively defend the decision taken by the Council before the Union courts. 17. The Council has weighed the public interest relating to the protection of legal advice contained in the requested document against the public interest in its release but concluded that, in the absence of evidence suggesting an overriding public interest to warrant disclosure of this document, the General Secretariat has thus concluded that the protection of internal legal advice outweighs the public interest in disclosure /09 ΔΛ/νικ 7

8 18. Under those circumstances, full public access to document 8321/09 must be refused in accordance with Article 4(2) second indent (protection of legal advice) of Regulation 1049/2001. However, the Council decided to extend, in accordance with Article 4(6) of the Regulation, the partial access given in the initial reply by the General Secretariat to include the 2nd, 3rd and 4th sentences of point 3, the first subparagraph of point 9, the first subparagraph of point 12, the first sentence of point 14 and point /09 ΔΛ/νικ 8