WIREDGOV

Yesterday sees the launch of a new Transparency web portal, making the Commission's decision-making processes more open and accessible to citizens than ever before.

The portal acts as a window on the wide range of instruments developed over recent years to make public scrutiny easier, and improve citizens' ability to exercise their rights. It provides quick and direct access to information on:

• Legislation

• Impact assessments

• Experts groups and advisory committees

• Consultations

• Interest representation and lobbying

• Access to documents

• Recipients of EU funds

Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, responsible for interinstitutional relations and administration, said: "The Commission has been in the lead in bringing greater openness and transparency to decision-making in the EU. But we can still improve things further.

"We have listened to those who use our many transparency tools, and a common complaint is that the tools are scattered across the Europa website and are sometimes hard to find. The Transparency Portal brings all those tools, and lots more information besides, front and centre - where they belong."

To make sure the new portal is as user-friendly as possible, users from a wide variety of backgrounds including NGOs, the media, interest representatives and the European Parliament were invited to test it.

A spokesman for the European Ombudsman, who also tested the new site, said: "..the new portal is definitely a great improvement as regards user-friendliness, compared to the old transparency webpage. It gives a good and immediate overview of all crucial transparency tools."

Background

Link to Transparency Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/index_en.htm

Contacts :

Antonio Gravili (+32 2 295 43 17)

Marilyn Carruthers (+32 2 299 94 51)