Statewatch provides an analysis of the proposed changes to the European Union regulation on access to EU documents. The proposed amended Article 12 would require that "Documents drawn up or received in the course of procedures for the adoption of EU legislative acts or non-legislative acts of general application shall, subject to Articles 4 and 9, be made directly accessible to the public." In a further change, "Each institution would define in its rules of procedure which other categories of documents are directly accessible to the public." The new Article 12.4 would let each institution decide for itself "which other categories of documents are directly accessible to the public.” The intent of some of the proposed changes is, according to the analysis, "to align the Regulation with the Aarhus Convention", in particular with respect to commercial confidentiality. With the Commission proposal's consolidated text, explanatory memorandum and table comparing current text to proposed changes.
