Following an appeal by a group of NGOs, the European Commission has released several previously confidential evaluations of EU fisheries agreements with developing countries.

Earlier this year the European Commission refused a request by a group of NGOs to access all the reports which provide evaluations of the fisheries agreements with non-EU countries.

The refusal was contested by NGOs TransparentSea and ClientEarth, first through a ‘confirmatory application’ and later through a letter stating that a court application was being prepared. Following these appeals, late July, the European Commission reviewed their decision and agreed to provide full access to 16 evaluations.

TransparentSea comments on their website, “The decision by the EC to grant full access to these 16 documents now means the veil of secrecy surrounding its evaluations of fisheries agreements has been lifted. We sincerely hope that the EC will follow through and provide unrestricted access to all of its evaluations.”

Read more:
European Commission grants access to confidential files (Transparentsea.co)
View the 16 documents here.
Read the Commission’s letter.

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NGOs file complaint with the Commission for denying access to documents

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