New rules for access to documents so as to make the European Union’s work more "transparent". This is the goal of some regulatory changes that the EU Commission submitted today. "At the beginning of my term explains the Head of the EU Executive, José Manuel Barroso , I pointed at the need to make our work more transparent". Today’s changes intend to "respond to the changes in the jurisprudence of the Court and further improve the citizens’ access to documents". "Our aim explains Commissioner Margot Wallstrom is to improve access and develop communication and understanding. The citizens’ right to know is essential to any democratic system". This law "attaches more importance to the proactive dissemination of information and adapts the regulations to the provisions set forth by the Aarhus Convention on access to environmental data". In addition, it explains the definition of a "document" in order to include, for instance, "the contents of electronic databanks if they can be printed out or electronically transmitted". In addition, this law is more outspoken about the protection of documents regarding ongoing investigations.
