"With this vote, the European Parliament makes a step forward to lead the democratic battle for active transparency", said Marco CAPPATO MEP (Radicals, Italy) following the adoption of his report on of the public access to documents of the European Institutions today in Strasbourg.

"Mere access to documents may not be enough. We need to help citizens gain easy access to information and to be able to understand it by facilitating their consultation. This is the difference between 'passive' and 'active transparency'. Indeed, some information are in theory public as they are disseminated on a number of different pages on the EP website, but in practice are difficult to find.
With today's vote Parliament pledges to establish, before the 2009 European Elections, a public online database providing easy access to MEPs' activities and financial records. Moreover, we call on EU Institutions to agree on a single consultation procedure and integrate their databases so to give citizens the easiest access as possible to all public documents and information. We also ask to introduce web -streaming of parliamentary committee meetings", concluded Cappato.

Speaking after the vote in plenary on the Cappato report, Euro MP and EP Vice-President in charge of Transparency Diana WALLIS (LibDems/UK) added:"Making such public information more accessible is a modest step for the Parliament to take, but it is an important one, particularly ahead of the next elections in June. Citizens need to have the tools to keep their elected representatives to account." "It is good that this report is exactly in line with the decision taken by Parliament's Bureau at my instigation on Monday of this week. We now have the politics and administration of transparency in step in our institution - in stark contrast with many national parliaments."The Cappato report deals with the implementation of the Access to Documents 1049/2001 Regulation, highlighting shortcomings and proposing changes for the future, as the Regulation is now starting to be reviewed in co-decision by the EP and the Council. It also builds upon the recent Maurizio Turco (former Radical MEP, now MP) judgment by the ECJ, which widened the right to access to legal opinions.

It also reiterates the call on the Council to hold all its sessions at all levels in public when it deals with legislative dossiers and stop with the practice of secret meetings, "room documents" and diplomatic documents to avoid public access and scrutiny.