Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This report aims to reaffirm that access to documents is a fundamental right of every citizen under the Treaties, the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Union’s access-to-documents framework, and to strengthen a transparency culture that brings fairness to policy processes and public discourse. It assesses recent developments and identifies existing shortcomings—systemic delays, over-classification, uneven proactive publication, and uncertainty.

On that basis, the report advances a modern, citizen-centred approach that makes disclosure the rule and secrecy an exception. The report further aims to secure timely, well-reasoned decisions on requests; guarantee early and effective access to legislative, trilogue and international-agreement documents; and to enhance proactive registers. It seeks to ensure equal treatment of stakeholders, enable informed participation, and strengthen democratic accountability across the European institutions, bodies, offices, and agencies.