The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has found in favour of Right to Know in a key judgment over the availability of copies of technical standards.
In partnership with Public.Resource.Org, Right to Know had in 2018 sought copies of harmonised technical standards for the safety of toys.
The European Commission refused access however, and that decision was upheld by the General Court of the European Union.
Now, in a judgment with wide-ranging impact across the European Union, the CJEU has ruled we should have been granted free access to the technical standards.
In a statement, the court said: “[We find] that there is an overriding public interest in disclosure of the harmonised standards in question.”
The judgment said it was important that citizens should be able to acquaint themselves with the standards that apply so that they could be sure that products or services they bought were in compliance.
It added that the standards formed part of EU law and that access to such was ensured for citizens through their right to access information.
The case has generated interest right across the European Union and its implications are significant.
You can read a full copy of the judgment below or alternatively the press release that was issued by the court here.