Madrid, 5 March 2013 – Last week AsktheEU.org observed the 400th access to documents request made on the website since the launch on 28th September 2011.
Since then, AsktheEU.org’s users have made access to documents requests to the EU institutions on a wide variety of topics and themes which reflect ongoing European debates or which have an impact on the lives of European citizens.
Requests range from specific inquiries for details of air quality complaints from the United Kingdom for example, to broader investigations into the spending of EU funds such as the allocation of structural and cohesion funds for EU candidate countries or details of the Irish bailout.
Overall, over 170 fully or partially successful requests have been made through AsktheEU.org. Only 23 have been completely rejected and there are over 100 requests that continue to await responses or are still ongoing. The EU has told requestors in 66 cases that the documents requested were not held by the institution or body.
Upgrading AsktheEU.org
Over the next few months, AsktheEU.org will begin to upgrade its software and user interface. This will include updating to the latest version of the open-source requesting software Alaveteli, in order to rectify some of the problems and issues that users have faced. The upgrade will also include a revamp of the front page and the introduction of more sophisticated searching and browsing tools, as well as the potential for civil society organisations to make full and integrated use of the website for their own transparency-related campaigns.
We will be keeping you updated via this blog, on Twitter and through Facebook about any disruption on the website, so make sure you check regularly! We hope to keep any disruption to a minimum.
Meanwhile, keep requesting and exercise your right to know!
Published by AsktheEu.org.
