Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 11 July 2018

1. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Failure by the Commission to comply with time limits prescribed for replying to a confirmatory request for accessImplicit rejection decisionMaintenance of the Commission’s power to reply outside the time limits to the request for access

(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 8)

(see paras 43-46)

2. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001PurposeExceptions to the right of access to documentsStrict interpretation and application

(Art. 15(3) TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1049/2001, Recital 4 and Arts 1 and 4, and No 1367/2006, Art. 1)

(see paras 62-64)

3. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsObligation to state reasonsScope

(Art. 296 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Recital 2 and Art. 4)

(see paras 65-67)

4. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of the commercial interests of a given personScope

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent)

(see para. 69)

5. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of commercial interestsRefusal to grant accessObligation to state reasonsScope

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent)

(see para. 70)

6. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRequest for access concerning environmental informationApplication of Regulation No 1367/2006 as a lex specialis in relation to Regulation No 1049/2001EffectRequirement that exceptions to the right of access be interpreted strictly

(European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1049/2001, Art. 4, and No 1367/2006, Recital 15 and Arts 3 and 6(1))

(see para. 71)

7. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsRefusal based on a non-disclosure agreement concluded with a third partyNot permissible

(Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, Art. 42; European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1049/2001, Art. 4, and No 1367/2006, Recital15)

(see para. 74)

8. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsApplication for a maximum period of 30 yearsPossibility of reducing that period on the basis of Directive 2016/943Precluded

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(7); European Parliament and Council Directive 2016/943, Art. 8)

(see para. 90)

9. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRequest for access concerning environmental informationRegulation No 1367/2006Information relating to emissions into the environmentMeaningBroad interpretation

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1367/2006, Art. 6(1))

(see paras 100, 105, 106)

10. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRequest for access concerning environmental informationRegulation No 1367/2006Information relating to emissions into the environmentMeaningSufficiency of a direct link between the information and the relevant emissionsNot permissible

(Art. 339 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulations No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent, and No 1367/2006, Recital 2 and Art. 2(1)(d))

(see paras 101, 103)

Re:

Application on the basis of Article 263 TFEU, seeking the annulment of the Commission decision dated 25 September 2013 refusing to grant the applicant access to documents which contain information on the basis of assessment used by the Commission to determine the most efficient 10% of the installations used as a starting point for defining the principles for setting ex ante benchmarks, in accordance with Article 10a of Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ 2003 L 275, p. 32).

Operative part

The Court:

1. Dismisses the action;

2. Orders Rogesa Roheisengesellschaft Saar mbH to pay the costs.