European Centre for the Regions (EIPA-ECR)

Dear Sir / Madam,
Barcelona/Maastricht, July 2006
The European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) and its Antenna in Barcelona, the European
Centre for the Regions (EIPA-CER), organise a new seminar on “A New Open Europe: public
access to documents and data protection” that will take place in the premises of the European
Commission/European Parliament – Representation in Barcelona (ES) on 14-15 September 2006.
The seminar will familiarise the participants with the various aspects of “openness and
transparency” in the EU. While linking the concept of transparency with the broader issues of
political accountability and democratic deficit, the sessions will in particular cover some selected
relevant aspects: EU communication strategies, access to EU documentation, treatment of sensitive
data, relevant case law as well as the role of the Member States.
At the end of the seminar the participants will have a sound understanding of “the politics of
information” at European level, be more aware of the rights and obligations underpinning the access
and treatment of documents and have a better insight into the strategies aimed at promoting an
open Europe.
This seminar is designed for anyone whose work relies on access to EU documentation or relates to
the treatment of sensitive information. It is aimed at, among others, European, national and subnational
officials, lobbyists, journalists, researchers and informed observers.
The seminar will be held in English and Spanish with simultaneous translation provided. You will find
enclosed all the relevant information. You can also consult our web site: http://www.eipa.eu.
Should you wish to have more information about the content of the programme, do not hesitate to
contact us.
We would be most grateful if you could also distribute this information among other persons
who may be interested in this seminar.
We look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona next September.
Yours sincerely,
EUROPEAN INSTITUTE OF
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION – EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR THE REGIONS (EIPA-CER)
Gracia Vara Arribas
Senior Lecturer (EIPA-CER)
Project Leader
Tel.: +34 93 567 24 03
g.vara-arribas@eipa-ecr.com
–Centre Européen des Régions (IEAP-CER)
–European Centre for the Regions (EIPA-ECR)
Cosimo Monda
Senior Lecturer & Head of Information,
Documentation, Publications
and Marketing Services (EIPA)
Project Leader
Tel.: +31 43 32 96 283
c.monda@eipa-nl.com

–Centre Européen des Régions (IEAP-CER)
–European Centre for the Regions (EIPA-ECR)
European Information Management
International Seminar
A New Open Europe:
Public access to documents and data protection
Barcelona (ES), 14-15 September 2006
Organised by
European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), Maastricht (NL)
&
European Centre for the Regions (EIPA-CER), Barcelona (ES)
With the collaboration of

Thursday, 14 September 2006
PROGRAMME
09.00 hrs Opening of the Seminar
Representative of the European Commission – Representation in Barcelona
Gracia Vara Arribas, Project Leader, Senior Lecturer, European Institute of Public
Administration – European Centre for the Regions (EIPA-ECR), Barcelona (ES)
Cosimo Monda, Project Leader, Senior Lecturer & Head of Information,
Documentation, Publications and Marketing Services, European Institute of Public
Administration (EIPA), Maastricht (NL)
Communication, Transparency and Right to Access
09.15 hrs Introduction: purpose and organization of the seminar
Cosimo Monda
09.45 hrs Restoring Europeans’ confidence: the European Transparency Initiative
explained
Kristian Schmidt, Deputy Head of the Cabinet of Siim Kallas, European Commission,
Brussels (BE)
10.45 hrs Transparency and EU governance: “Let he who is without sin cast the first
stone”
Gracia Vara Arribas
Pierpaolo Settembri, Researcher, EIPA
11.45 hrs Coffee break
12.15 hrs Reviewing and revising access policy: the Commission’s point of view
Sandra Bartelt, European Commission, Brussels (BE) (invited)
13.15 hrs Access divide: national practices in comparative perspective
Cosimo Monda
14.00 hrs Lunch break
15.45 hrs Gaining access to Council’s documents
Jacob Thomsen, DG Press, Communication and Protocol, Unit 2 Communication;
Transparency, access to documents, information to the Public, General Secretariat of
the Council of the European Union, Brussels (BE)
16.45 hrs Communicating Europe: information, communication and democracy
Benoît Woringer, Head of Unit, DG for Communication; Directorate A Strategy,
General matters and Interinstitutional relations, European Commission, Brussels (BE)
17.45 hrs Civil society strikes back: Statewatch’s view on recent trends
Tony Bunyan, Statewatch
18.45 hrs End of the first day

Friday, 15 September 2006
Access to documents and Data Protection
The other side of the coin: origins, practice and perspective of regulation
09.30 hrs European perspective: The past, the present and the future of Data Protection in
Europe
Alfonso Scirocco, Legal Advisor, Policy and Information Unit, European Data
Protection Supervisor, Brussels (BE)
10.15 hrs Public Access to Documents and Data Protection in Europe
Alessandra Pierucci, Public Official, Data Protection Commission (invited)
11.00 hrs Coffee break
Case Studies: The role of supervisory authorities in Member States
The implementation of EU legislation on personal data protection
11.30 hrs The example of Spain
N.N., Data Protection Agency (ES)
The example of Italy
Alessandra Pierucci (invited)
13.00 hrs Open Discussion
All participants and speakers
13.45 hrs End of the seminar
14.00 hrs Lunch

GENERAL INFORMATION
International Seminar
A New Open Europe:
Public access to documents and data protection
Barcelona (ES), 14-15 September 2006
Venue of the Seminar:
Aula Europa
Europan Parliament/ European Commission – Representation in Barcelona
Passeig de Gràcia, 90
08008 Barcelona (ES)
Working languages:
The seminar will be conducted in English and Spanish, and simultaneous interpretation will be
provided.
Registration:
- Fee: € 600 (includes the participation, documentation, 2 lunches, coffee breaks and a certificate of
attendance)
- Deadline for registration: 4 September
- Payment: prepayment before 14 September is a condition for participation. For cancellations
received after 4 September we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless an
alternative participant is nominated.
Information:
European Centre for the Regions (EIPA-CER)
C/Girona, 20
08010 Barcelona (ES)
Tel.: +34 93 567 23 89
Fax: +34 93 567 23 56
n.domenech@eipa-ecr.com
You can find all the information about this seminar on our website: http://www.eipa.eu
Hotel reservations:
The EIPA-ECR would be pleased to make reservations for you in one of these two hotels in Barcelona:
Hotel Catalonia Berna**** (Roger de Llúria, 60. Tel.: 93 272 00 50)
€ 128 Double room for single use, € 160 Double room, breakfast included.
Hotel Europark*** (Aragó, 325 - Tel.: +34 93 457 92 05)
€ 90 Double room for single use, € 108 Double room, € 9 breakfast buffet (optional).
7% VAT is not included in these fares.
Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please indicate the name of the hotel and the dates of
arrival and departure on the registration form. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the
hotel on checking out. Please note that if you register after the closing date, hotel reservations cannot
be guaranteed.
Confirmation:
Confirmation of the registration will be sent by e-mail after receiving the registration form

REGISTRATION FORM
International Seminar
A New Open Europe:
Public access to documents and data protection
Barcelona (ES), 14-15 September 2006
PARTICIPANT’S DATA
SURNAME:
FIRST NAME(S):
POSITION HELD:
DEPARTMENT:
ORGANISATION:
ADDRESS:
COUNTRY - POSTCODE AND TOWN:
OFFICE TEL. NO.:
FAX:
E-MAIL:
REGISTRATION FEE
The registration fee includes participation, a documentation folder, coffee breaks, 2 lunches and
a certificate of attendance.
€ 600
Payment Method
When your registration if confirmed, please make the payment indicating your SURNAME, NAME,
and nº 0662901 to the account number:
EIPA-ECR´s account nº IBAN: ES23-0182-7305-5700-1800-0228
BIC: BBVAESMMXXX at the BBVA, Plaça Catalunya 5, 08002 Barcelona (ES)
Please indicate if the payment will be made by credit card:
Mastercard Nº Expiry date: CVC
Visa Nº Expiry date: CVC
(The invoice will be sent by post)
N.B: Payment before 14 September is a condition for participation. We will have to charge an
administration fee of € 150 for cancellations made after 4 September unless an alternative
participant is nominated.
HOTEL BOOKING
HOTEL CATALONIA BERNA**** (C/Roger de Llúria, 60; Tel.: 93 272 00 50)
€ 128 double room for single use, € 160 double room / breakfast included (+ 7% IVA)
HOTEL EUROPARK*** (C/Aragón 325; Telf.: 93 457 92 05)
€ 90 double room for single use, € 108 double room / breakfast € 10 (+ 7% IVA)
Date and place:
Double room for single use Date of arrival:
Double room Date of departure:
Nº of nights:
To ensure the optimal organisation of the seminar, please return the completed registration by fax or e-mail
before 4 September 2006 to:
Natalia Doménech, Programme Organiser
Tel. +34 93.567 23 89; Fax: +34 93.567 23 56; E-mail: n.domenech@eipa-ecr.com
“The European Institute of Public Administration - European Centre for the Regions hereby informs you that your personal data
will be included in the automated files belonging to this company and in the list of participants will be distributed in the activity. If
you wish, you can exercise your rights of access, modification, erasure and opposition by writing to: EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR
THE REGIONS, Ref. DATA, c/ Girona, 20 , 08010 BARCELONA. If you do not want to be included in these files, please inform
us by sending a letter to the abovementioned address. If we do not receive a reply from you within one month, we understand
that we have your consent, which in any case can be withdrawn at any moment. “