62022CJ0234_SUM
Case C‑234/22
Roheline Kogukond MTÜ and Others
v
Keskkonnaagentuur
(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Tallinna Halduskohus)
Judgment of the Court (Fourth Chamber) of 7 March 2024
(Reference for a preliminary ruling – Environment – Aarhus Convention – Directive 2003/4/EC – Right of access to environmental information – Exceptions – Data relating to the location of permanent sample plots used to draw up a forest inventory)
Environment – Right of access to information – Directive 2003/4 – Environmental information – Meaning – Location coordinates of permanent sample plots used to draw up a statistical forest inventory – Location coordinates inseparable from the data collected from the sample plots – Included
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, Art. 2(1)(a))
(see paragraphs 18-23, operative part 1)
Environment – Right of access to information – Directive 2003/4 – Grounds for refusal to disclose information relating to the environment – Documents in the course of completion or unfinished documents – Meaning – Location coordinates of permanent sample plots used to draw up a statistical forest inventory – Not included
(Aarhus Convention, Art. 4(3)(c); European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, Art. 4(1), first subpara., point (d))
(see paragraphs 31-35, 38-41, 59, operative part 2)
Environment – Right of access to information – Directive 2003/4 – Grounds for refusal to disclose information relating to the environment – Confidentiality of the proceedings of public authorities – Scope – Location coordinates of permanent sample plots used to draw up a statistical forest inventory – Not included
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, Art. 4(2), first subpara., point (a))
(see paragraphs 42-46, 59, operative part 2)
Environment – Right of access to information – Directive 2003/4 – Grounds for refusal to disclose information relating to the environment – Risk of prejudicing international relations – Scope – Disclosure of the location coordinates of permanent sample plots used to draw up a statistical forest inventory – Disclosure resulting in the deterioration in the reliability of the data used as a basis for drawing up that inventory – Included – Conditions – Balancing of the public interest served by the disclosure of environmental information against the interests served by the refusal to disclose – Reasonably foreseeable and not merely hypothetical risk of harm – Verification by the national court
(Aarhus Convention, Art. 4(4)(b); European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, Art. 4(2), first subpara., point (b))
(see paragraphs 48-51, 59, operative part 2)
Environment – Right of access to information – Directive 2003/4 – Grounds for refusal to disclose information relating to the environment – Risk of prejudicing protection of the environment – Scope – Disclosure of the location coordinates of permanent sample plots used to draw up a statistical forest inventory – Disclosure resulting in the deterioration in the reliability of the data used as a basis for drawing up that inventory – Included – Conditions – Balancing of the public interest served by the disclosure of environmental information against the interests served by the refusal to disclose – Reasonably foreseeable and not merely hypothetical risk of harm – Verification by the national court
(Aarhus Convention, Art. 4(4)(h); European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, Art. 4(2), first subpara., point (h))
(see paragraphs 53-59, operative part 2)
Environment – Right of access to information – Directive 2003/4 – Obligation for Member States to ensure the quality of environmental information – Scope – Location coordinates of permanent sample plots used to draw up a statistical forest inventory – Refusal of an administrative authority to disclose those coordinates on the basis of that obligation – Not permissible
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, Art. 8(1))
(see paragraphs 61-65, operative part 3)
Acts of the institutions – Preamble – Binding legal force – None – Communication to the public of environmental information solely on the basis of a recital of Directive 2003/4 – Not permissible
(European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/4, recital 21)
(see paragraphs 69-71, operative part 4)
See the text of the decision.