WRITTEN QUESTION P-0522/02

by Marco Cappato (NI) to the Commission

(19 February 2002)

Subject: Transmission by Internet and recording of Commission deliberations

In view of Article 1 of the TEU on transparency, Article 255 of the EC Treaty on access to documents, Article 42 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, Regulation No 1049/2001(1) of 30 May 2001, the Commission decisions of 5 December 2001, 29 November 2001 and 23 January 2002 amending the Commission's Rules of Procedure and the fact that the definition of document in Regulation No 1049/2001 of 30 May 2001 covers any kind of content whatever its medium (for example audiovisual recordings of meetings or events), what meetings or deliberations of the Commissions or events organised by it or connected with it are public and which are not?

What measures is the Commission drawing up to ensure that European citizens can follow these deliberations, meetings or public events via Internet transmission or the creation of audiovisual archives accessible by Internet?

(1) OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43.

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(12 March 2002)

Without exception the Commission meets as a College once a week outside holiday periods(1). In addition to its weekly meetings, the Commission, still acting as a College, holds seminars or special meetings. Under Article 9 of the Commission's Rules of Procedure(2), these meetings are not public and discussions are confidential.

Minutes are kept of Commission discussions and decisions. These minutes used to be internal documents. Since the entry into force of the Commission Decision of 5 December 2001 amending its Rules of Procedure(3), they have been among the documents which are automatically made accessible to the public; they are also available on the Europa website at the following address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/secretariat_general/meeting/index_fr.htm.

Records are kept of Commission discussion seminars, at which no decisions are taken but which are designed to organise the Commission's work and to lay down the major strategic guidelines for its activities, but they are not published since they are preparatory acts.

Since the Commission's meetings are not public, there are no plans to make use of the new technologies with a view to disseminating them to the general public. However, a video is produced at the start of each meeting. It is broadcast on Europe by Satellite (EbS), the Community's televised information service, and in some cases by the Eurovision network of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). These pictures and the thematic picture banks produced by the Commission are intended to enable television journalists to illustrate the decisions announced at press conferences by the President or the

Members of the Commission responsible; these press conferences are broadcast on EbS, usually live, and repeated regularly. All Europe by satellite programmes are directly available on Europa, the Community's internet site.

On 20 December 2001, to mark the launch of euro coins and notes, the Commission held an open session which was broadcast in its entirety by EbS and in part by the EBU.

(1) Last week of December and all of August.

(2) OJ L 308, 8.12.2000.

(3) OJ L 345, 29.12.2001.