Civilian Access Initiative Act 2013
-
CIVILIAN ACCESS INITIATIVE ACT
Proposed by Halsberg :: Passed (13-0), January 25th, 2013 :: Unamended
SECTION I. PURPOSE AND DEFINITIONS
-
This Act aims to increase transparency and openness in the European Union?s legislative and executive procedures.
-
For the purposes of this Act:
a. The European Council is defined as the legislative body of the European Union, as set out in the Constitution of the European Union.
b. The European Commission is defined as the executive body of the European Union, as set out in the Constitution of the European Union.
c. A Councillor is defined as a member of the European Council.
d. A Commissioner is defined as a member of the European Commission.
SECTION II. ACCESS TO EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS
-
Members of the public shall be admitted, free of charge, to tour European institutions during reasonable business hours. Each individual institution shall designate areas open to the public, security restrictions, availability of guided tours, and other regulations as necessary.
-
Written records of the proceedings of European institutions shall be made available to members of the public upon request, during reasonable business hours, free of charge. Audio and/or video recordings shall be provided according to the same standards if available.
-
In addition to the privileges granted in subsections (1) and (2), members of the public may, free of charge, view proceedings of the European Council from the public galleries.
-
Members of the public in the galleries may quietly observe only. Flash photography is prohibited.
-
The Speaker of the European Council reserves the right to eject any member of the public deemed to be disrupting the smooth operation of Council proceedings.
-
The Council may close a session to the public by super majority vote of councillors present.
-
All proceedings of the European Council must be video recorded when possible.
-
These recordings shall be made physically available to the public at the European Archives and virtually available on the European Union?s official website.
-
Recorded Council proceedings shall be made available to national broadcasters through the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Broadcasters who are not members of the EBU can request recorded proceedings directly.
-
There is no limit as to how much recorded material can be obtained by either an individual or a broadcaster, within reason.
-
Broadcasters may transmit Council proceedings as they see fit.
-
Commissioners' Question Time shall be held once every month.
-
Members of the public may submit questions to the Speaker of the European Council for any of the five Commissioners, regarding any topic, within reason.
-
The Speaker of the European Council shall select a number of questions that the five Commissioners will answer, ensuring that each Commissioner receives the same number and quality of questions, when possible.
-
In addition to the privileges granted in subsections (1) and (2), members of the public may, free of charge, view the Question Time sessions. The sessions shall be recorded and made available in the same way as European Council proceedings.
SECTION III. ENFORCEMENT
- The European Court of Justice shall have original jurisdiction to try cases of non-compliance with the provisions of this Act.
NOTES
- There are no longer five Commissioners.
-