Transparency is one of the EU’s key principles. It requires the EU to disclose information on policy-making and spending and to uphold the principle of freedom of information. These principles are set out in the EU treaties.

Any EU citizen and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in the European Union has a right of access to the documents of the Court of Justice of the European Union listed in Article 1(1) subject to the conditions laid down in that decision.

The Public Register of Documents includes documents published by the ECB and documents released in response to public access requests.

Here you can find various types of Commission documents such as proposals, impact assessments, communications, delegated and implementing acts and other Commission decisions, agendas and minutes of meetings held by the College of Commissioners.

DORIE is a database providing colleagues interested in institutional issues, and a specialised audience via Europa, with access to the collection of documents put together over the years by the unit in the Secretariat-General responsible for institutional issues. It is not an exhaustive collection, but contains a selection of documents or excerpts of documents relating to general institutional issues and to the various intergovernmental conferences (including the 2002-03 European Convention) that have made changes to the founding treaties.

Most documents are available directly in the register without restriction, but for some documents it might be necessary to make an access request. This is indicated for each document.

The ECA strives to be of service to EU citizens, conducting its activity to the highest possible standards of transparency, accountability and integrity.

Article 15 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union states that citizens and residents of the European Union have a right of access to the documents of Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, whatever their medium.

The Historical Archives of the European Union preserves and makes accessible for research the archives deposited by EU institutions according to the thirty-year rule governing access to archival material. It also collects and preserves private papers of individuals, movements and international organisations involved in European integration.