Opening to the public of documents and files from the historical archives of the Commission which are covered by the obligation of professional or business secrecy

(2001/C 137/02)

Under the 30-year rule (Article 1 of Commission Decision No 359/83/ECSC of 8 February 1983 and of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community(1)), the Commission is required to open to the public, year by year, the files of the ECSC (from 1983) and those of the EEC and Euratom (from 1989) kept in its historical archives. Opening the files to the public serves three purposes: to encourage research into the history of the Communities; to foster public interest in progress towards European integration; and to throw more light on the operation of the Community institutions.

The Commission considers that, under Article 4 of the Decision and of the Regulation, there is, as a general rule, nothing to prevent a file from being opened to the public at the end of the 30-year period even when there are documents in it that contain information which, at the time, was covered by the obligation of professional or business secrecy.

However, the Decision of 30 November 1990(2) requires the Commission to publish a notice in the Official Journal of the European Communities to inform the persons or firms concerned or their successor(s) in title that it intends to release to the public a document covered by the obligation of professional or business secrecy.

Documents containing professional or business secrets in which reference is made to the firms mentioned below will, provided 30 years have elapsed (30-year rule mentioned above) from the date on which the documents were produced, be released to the public eight weeks after publication of this notice unless a reasoned objection, based on the obligation of professional or business secrecy, is submitted in writing to the Commission by that time. Objections should be addressed to Mr Hofmann, Historical Archives, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200, B-1049 Brussels, JECL 03/40 (Tel. (32-2) 295 20 53; fax (32-2) 296 10 95, e-mail: archis@cec.eu.int).

Main areas dealt with in documents and files covered by the obligation of professional and business secrecy (Article 4 of Commission Decision No 359/83/ECSC and of Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83)

FIRMS CONCERNED BY THE OBLIGATION OF PROFESSIONAL OR BUSINESS SECRECY FOR THE PERIOD 1952-1970 - 23rd PART

A. TRADE

A.3. COAL-SELLING AGENCIES - organisation, selling arrangements, reorganisation of coal sales:

Documents concerning the organisational aspects of coal sales.

Belgium

Cobechar: Comptoir belge des charbons

A.4. RESTRICTIVE AGREEMENTS AND MERGERS - policy of the High Authority, business agreements and mergers:

Documents concerning the High Authority's policy on restrictive agreements and mergers (Articles 65 and 66, ECSC Treaty).

France

ATIC: Association technique de l'importation charbonnière

ORCIS: Société d'achat et de réception des combustibles pour l'industrie sidérurgique

B. PRODUCTION

B.2. THE MARKET IN COAL, STEEL AND SCRAP: SUPPLIES AND PRODUCTION:

Documents concerning: general objectives, production, policy on coal, supply, consumption, stocks, costs and income, grants and loans, business situation and forward programmes.

Federal Republic of Germany

HWS-Hüttenwerke Siegerland

Hessische Berg- und Hüttenwerke

Luitpoldhütte AG

France

CAFL: Compagnie des ateliers et forges de la Loire

Établissements Prenat

SNCF: Société nationale des chemins de fer français

Société des forges et ateliers du Creusot

Société des hauts fourneaux de la Chasse

Société minière et métallurgique du Périgord

Société métallurgique d'Imphy

Luxembourg

ARBED: Aciéries réunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange

Italy

Assider: Associazione industrie siderurgiche italiane

Acciaierie e ferriere Luigi Bosio SpA

ORI: Officine riunite italiane

B.3. REORGANISATION OF COALMINES - inspection, rationalisation, conversion:

Documents concerning the inspection, rationalisation and conversion of coalmines.

Federal Republic of Germany

Gelsenkirchener Bergbau AG

Gewerkschaft Karl Georg

Hibernia Bergbaugesellschaft AG

Kautex-Werke

Rheinpreussen AG für Bergbau und Chemie

Rheinstahl Eisenwerke

Saarbergwerke AG

Steinkohlenbergwerk Graf Bismarck GmbH

Belgium

Aciéries et minières de la Sambre

Charbonnages d'Aiseau-Presle SA

Charbonnages d'Amercoeur SA

Charbonnages de Gosson-Kessales SA

Charbonnages de Noël Sart-Culpart SA

Charbonnages de Ressaix, Leval, Péronnes, Sainte-Aldegonde et Genck SA

Charbonnages des Quatre-Jean SA

Charbonnages du Bois-d'Avroy SA

Charbonnages du Bois-du-Luc SA

Charbonnages du Centre

Charbonnages du Levant et des produits du Flénu SA

Charbonnages du Rieu du Coeur et de la Boule réunis SA

Charbonnages Elisabeth

Charbonnages Mambourg, Sacré Madame et Poirier réunis SA

Charbonnages réunis Roton-Farciennes et Oignies-Aiseau SA

Charbonnages unis de l'Ouest de Mons

Cockerill-Ougrée SA

Houillères unies du Bassin de Charleroi

France

CTA: Société chaudronnerie-tôlerie de l'Aveyron

Établissements Prenat

Mines de Basse-Aumance

Mines de Puy-St-Gulmier

Socadour

Société Alumétal

Société Benoto

Société Bretonne de fonderie et de mécanique

Société Commentryenne des aciers fins vanadium alloys

Société des usines St-Jacques

B.5. WORKFORCE-RELATED PROBLEMS:

Documents concerning housing policy, pay, health and readaptation of workers.

Belgium

Cobechar: Comptoir belge des charbons

Charbonnages d'Aiseau-Presle SA

B.6. TECHNICAL AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - coal, steel:

Documents relating to requests for financial aid from the ECSC High Authority; description of the research projects, patents for inventions.

Belgium

Charbonnages de Monceau-Fontaine

C. TRANSPORT

C.1. RATES AND PRICES FOR ROAD, RAIL AND RIVER TRANSPORT - requests for information, rates, price parities, conditions, complaints:

Documents concerning the conditions of transport for ECSC products.

Federal Republic of Germany

Aachener Kohlenverkauf

Eisenwerk Gesellschaft Maximilianshütte AG

Erzbergbau Salzgitter AG

HWS-Hüttenwerke Siegerland

Hessische Berg- und Hüttenwerke

Hüttenwerk Ilsede-Peine

Hüttenwerk Salzgitter AG

Luitpoldhütte AG

RBV: Rheinischer Braunkohlenbrikett-Verkauf GmbH

Ruhrkohlenkontor Gemeinschaftliches Büro der Präsident, Geitling, Mausegatt

Wirtschaftsvereinigung Eisen- und Stahlindustrie

Belgium

SNCB: Société nationale des chemins de fer belges

France

Charbonnages de France

SNCF: Société nationale des chemins de fer français

Italy

Assider: Associazione industrie siderurgiche italiane

Acciaierie e ferriere lombarde Falck SpA

Netherlands

De Gezamenlijke Steenkolenmijnen in Limburg

Koninklijke Nederlandsche Hoogovens en Staalfabrieken NV

NV Nederlandse Spoorwegen

(1) OJ L 43, 15.2.1983.

(2) OJ L 340, 6.12.1990, p. 24.