40As a preliminary point, it is necessary to bear in mind that, under paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 255(1) and (2) EC, any citizen of the Union, and any natural or legal person residing or having its office in a Member State, is to have a right of access to documents of the Union’s institutions, subject to the principles and the conditions to be defined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 EC. Regulation No 1049/2001 seeks, as indicated in recital 4 of the preamble and Article 4, to give the public a right of access to documents of the institutions which is as wide as possible. It is also apparent from that regulation, in particular from recital 11 of the preamble and Article 4, which lays down a system of exceptions in that regard, that that right is, nevertheless, subject to certain limits based on reasons of public or private interest (see Commission v Technische Glaswerke Ilmenau, paragraph 51; Sweden and Others v API and Commission, paragraphs 69 and 70; Case C‑404/10 P Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob [2012] ECR, paragraph 111; and Case C‑477/10 P Commission v Agrofert Holding [2012] ECR, paragraph 53).
Source: EUR-Lex, © European Union, 1998-2026. Reuse authorised under Decision 2011/833/EU.