EU Commission Delays Access to Information Despite Falling Application Numbers

The European Commission is still facing delays in responding to requests for access to information, despite a notable decrease in the overall number of applications since the peak years. Data from 2025 indicates that the commission continues to process requests slowly, even though it can no longer cite applicant overload as a primary reason.

In 2021, the commission recorded a record 8,420 information requests. At the time, overwork was cited as justification for prolonged response times. However, by 2025, the number of applications had fallen to 6,434, a decrease of almost a quarter from the peak and the lowest level in eight years. Despite this reduction in incoming requests, the commission has not improved its processing times. While 8,280 formal replies were issued in 2021, this number dropped to just 4,471 in 2025. Consequently, applicants still face months-long waits for information.

Journalists constitute a significant portion of applicants at approximately 15 percent, followed by businesses at nearly 11 percent and academic institutions at around 10 percent. The largest group, representing over 26 percent of requesters, is the general public seeking to exercise their right to democratic oversight. Geographically, Germany leads with over 18 percent of all requests, followed by Spain, France, and Italy.

The commission's approach to disclosure is restrictive. Full access to requested documents is granted in just over 28 percent of cases. Nearly half of all applications result in documents with partially redacted information. Almost 23 percent of requests are rejected outright. Reasons for redactions often include the protection of privacy (over half of instances) and the safeguarding of commercial interests (around 14 percent).

Those dissatisfied with refusals or extensive redactions must pursue a second-instance review. However, the commission shows little flexibility in this confirmatory stage. More than a third of original rejections are upheld unchanged. A complete review leading to unrestricted access is a rare exception, occurring in under 20 percent of cases.