Group sues European Commission over environmental analysis documents

The European Commission is being sued by a group of green organisations, which claim that the establishment refused to disclose environmental analysis documents detailing negative effects of biofuel use.

Attempts to view the information in question began on October 15th 2009 but the European institution denied access to the figures by the statutory deadline and told the groups that they had the right to sue.

The organisations involved in the legal action - ClientEarth, BirdLife International, Transport & Environment and the European Environmental Bureau - indicate that a complete environmental analysis of biofuel use may not currently be on display.

Staff attorney at ClientEarth Tim Grabiel remarked: "The public's right to this information is a fundamental principle of European law. That the Commission should choose to deny our rights on such a critical issue … is astounding."

The issue has been taken to the General Court of the European Union, which is a branch of the Court of Justice of the European Union.