Judgment of the General Court (Fifth Chamber) of 22 January 2025

1. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Limitations of the principle of access to documentsExistence of the documents forming the subject matter of the application for accessPresumption of non-existence based on the statement to that effect by the institution concernedSimple presumption rebuttable on the basis of relevant and consistent evidence

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001)

(see paragraph 30)

2. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001ScopeApplication for access seeking to obtain a search in databasesIncludedLimitsCommunication of information which cannot be extracted from those databases using existing search toolsNot included

(European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Arts 2(1), 3(a) and 4)

(see paragraphs 36, 41, 44-46)

3. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Requirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individuallyExamination proving particularly onerous and inappropriateDerogation from the obligation to examineLimited scopeBurden of proof lying with the institutionObligation 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 institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsRequirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individuallyScopeDerogation from the obligation to conduct such an examinationConditions

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

(see paragraphs 58-60, 69, 77)

5. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsRefusal to grant accessRequirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individuallyPossibility to base reasoning on general presumptions applying to certain categories of documentsLimits

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

(see paragraphs 61, 82)

6. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of privacy and integrity of the individualProvisions of Regulation 2018/1725 fully applicableObligation on the applicant to demonstrate the need to communicate the personal data in questionScope

(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 institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsProtection of the commercial interests of a third partyScopeInformation concerning the trade name and additional dataConceptRequirement that the institution should examine the documents specifically and individuallyPossibility to base reasoning on general presumptions applying to certain categories of documentsLimits

(Art. 339 TFEU; European Parliament and Council Regulation No 1049/2001, Art. 4(2), first indent)

(see paragraphs 82, 83, 86-92)

8. EU institutionsObligationsPreservation of professional secrecyEstablishing whether information is covered by professional secrecyCriteria

(Art. 339 TFEU)

(see paragraph 84)

9. EU institutionsRight of public access to documentsRegulation No 1049/2001Exceptions to the right of access to documentsDocuments emanating from third partiesRequirement for prior consultation of the third parties concernedScope

(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.