The General Court, in its Extended Composition, ruled on the case Izuzquiza and Others v Parliament (T-375/22), annulling the European Parliament’s decision dated April 8, 2022, which refused access to certain documents. The case involved a request by three citizens for documents related to allowances and expenses granted to Ioannis Lagos, an MEP sentenced to over 13 years in prison for criminal activities.

The Parliament had denied access, citing regulations on document access and personal data protection. However, the General Court determined that public access to documents related to travel reimbursements and subsistence allowances for Lagos and his parliamentary assistants should take precedence over privacy concerns, given the public interest in scrutinizing the use of these funds.

The Court upheld the Parliament’s refusal to disclose documents related to salaries and general expenditure allowances, as this information is already publicly accessible and does not provide insights into the usage of the funds.

The press release is available here.