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EU Parl Watch

Where the law stands, Dossier 2025/2137(INI)

Public access to documents – report covering the years 2022 - 2024

· First reading

Parliament sets out its own position on a topic. The resolution is not binding but signals what Parliament wants.

Where it stands

Parliament’s position

Parliament adopted the text on 10 March 2026. This is its final position on the matter.

  1. Referred to committee(done) 10 July 2025
  2. Committee work(done) Report adopted 27 January 2026
  3. Tabled for plenary(done) 2 February 2026
  4. Plenary vote(done) Adopted 10 March 2026
  5. Parliament’s position(done) Final

Decided in plenary

10 March 2026 · decision 7

EU institutions & Parliament, Resolution

Public access to documents - report 2022 - 2024

Adopted 602 for · 9 against · 8 abstained by an overwhelming majority

AI summary:The text reaffirms that access to documents is a fundamental right and calls for a culture of transparency where disclosure is the rule and secrecy the exception.

What changed

  • Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament

    AI summary:The versions differ only in formal points: footnote references are removed and punctuation adjusted.

    See the changes →

  • Committee draft → Tabled for plenary

    AI summary:The report expands significantly, adding many new recitals and paragraphs on transparency, delays, and institutional practices. It strengthens calls for proactive disclosure, criticizes the Commission's revised rules, and urges better compliance with deadlines. It adds detailed statistics on access requests and decisions, highlighting systemic delays and the need for reform. It includes new sections on AI, agencies, international agreements, and the Aarhus Convention, broadening the scope. The other changes are formal: updated references and renumbering.

    See the changes →

Who works on it

Lead committee
Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová (Renew)
Pekka Toveri (EPP), Evin Incir (S&D), András László (Patriots), Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR), Markéta Gregorová (Greens), Gaetano Pedulla' (The Left)

The text, version by version

Newest first.

  1. Adopted by Parliament· 10 Mar 2026

    Adopted text TA10-0065/2026

    AI summary:This resolution assesses EU institutions' implementation of public access to documents rules for 2022-2024, noting trends, concerns, and recommendations for improvement.

    What changed since Report A10-0011/2026 →

  2. Tabled for plenary· 2 Feb 2026

    Report A10-0011/2026

    AI summary:This resolution assesses the EU institutions' implementation of public access to documents rules for 2022-2024, highlighting systemic delays, over-classification, and lack of transparency in legislative processes.

    What changed since Draft report (LIBE) →

  3. Committee draft· 14 Oct 2025

    Draft report (LIBE)

    AI summary:This draft report assesses public access to EU documents in 2022-2024, noting progress and shortcomings, and makes recommendations to improve transparency.

Timeline

Newest first.

Plenary stage 3 steps
  1. 10 March 2026

    Plenary vote

    Sitting of 10 Mar 2026 Report A10-0011/2026Adopted text TA10-0065/2026

  2. 3 March – 4 March 2026

    14 amendments tabled for the plenary vote

    Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.

    Amendments 1–9Amendments 10–14

  3. 2 February 2026

    Report tabled for plenary

    This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.

    Report A10-0011/2026

Committee stage 4 steps
  1. 27 January 2026

    Committee vote: report adopted

    LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.

  2. 17 November 2025

    Amendments tabled in committee

    Members of LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.

    Amendments in committee (LIBE)

  3. 14 October 2025

    Draft report published

    The rapporteur’s first text in LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.

    Draft report (LIBE)

  4. 10 July 2025

    Referred to the LIBE (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) committee

    The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.

Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2025/2137(INI)