61It should be recalled, at the outset, that Article 255(1) and (2) EC provides that any citizen of the Union, and any natural or legal person residing or having its registered office in a Member State, are to have a right of access to the documents of the institutions of the European Union, subject to the principles and conditions defined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 EC. Regulation No 1049/2001 is designed to confer on the public as wide a right of access as possible to documents of the institutions. It is also apparent from that regulation, in particular from Article 4 thereof, which lays down exceptions in that regard, that the right of access is nevertheless subject to certain limits based on reasons of public or private interest (see Commission v Technische Glaswerke Ilmenau, paragraph 51; Joined Cases C-514/07 P, C-528/07 P and C-532/07 P Sweden and Others v API and Commission [2010] ECR I-8533, paragraphs 69 and 70; Commission v Éditions Odile Jacob, paragraph 111; Commission v Agrofert Holding, paragraph 53; and Case C‑514/11 LPN and Finland v Commission [2013] ECR, paragraph 40).
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