62023TJ0127_INF
Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 22 January 2025 –eClear v Commission
(Case T‑127/23)
(Access to documents – Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 – Binding tariff information decisions – Refusal to grant access – Definition of ‘document’ – Substantial investment – Exception relating to the protection of personal data – Exception relating to the protection of the commercial interests of a third party)
1.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Limitations of the principle of access to documents – Existence of the documents forming the subject matter of the application for access – Presumption of non-existence based on the statement to that effect by the institution concerned – Simple presumption rebuttable on the basis of relevant and consistent evidence
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001)
(see paragraph 30)
2.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Scope – Application for access seeking to obtain a search in databases – Included – Limits – Communication of information which cannot be extracted from those databases using existing search tools – Not included
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Arts 2(1), 3(a) and 4)
(see paragraphs 36, 41, 44-46)
3.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Examination proving particularly onerous and inappropriate – Derogation from the obligation to examine – Limited scope – Burden of proof lying with the institution – Obligation of the institution to liaise with the applicant
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Arts 7(3) and 8(2))
(see paragraphs 48, 62)
4.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Scope – Derogation from the obligation to conduct such an examination – Conditions
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4)
(see paragraphs 58-60, 69, 77)
5.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Refusal to grant access – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Possibility to base reasoning on general presumptions applying to certain categories of documents – Limits
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2))
(see paragraphs 61, 82)
6.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of privacy and integrity of the individual – Provisions of Regulation 2018/1725 fully applicable – Obligation on the applicant to demonstrate the need to communicate the personal data in question – Scope
(European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1049/2001, Art. 4(1)(b), and 2018/1725, Art. 9(1)(a) and (b))
(see paragraph 67)
7.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Protection of the commercial interests of a third party – Scope – Information concerning the trade name and additional data – Concept – Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individually – Possibility to base reasoning on general presumptions applying to certain categories of documents – Limits
(Art. 339 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent)
(see paragraphs 82, 83, 86-92)
8.
EU institutions – Obligations – Preservation of professional secrecy – Establishing whether information is covered by professional secrecy – Criteria
(Art. 339 TFEU)
(see paragraph 84)
9.
EU institutions – Right of public access to documents – Regulation No 1049/2001 – Exceptions to the right of access to documents – Documents emanating from third parties – Requirement for prior consultation of the third parties concerned – Scope
(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(4))
(see paragraph 114)
Operative part
The Court:
1.
Annuls section 2.4 and section 4, only in so far as that latter section refers to invalid binding tariff information decisions, of Commission Decision C(2023) 3193 final of 8 May 2023;
2.
Dismisses the action as to the remainder;
3.
Orders the European Commission to pay the costs.