The Principle of Unconditional Access to Documents of EU Institutions and its Limitation on the Grounds of Personal Data Protection

As is apparent from Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 May 2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents, the procedure for providing access to documents of EU institutions is governed by numerous rules intended to organise it and ensure its proper operation, with a view to protecting the interests of those who seek access to a particular type of public documentation. Among them, the principle of unconditional access to public documents, laid down in Article 6(1), occupies an important place. The primary purpose of this study is to discuss the essence of this principle, its significance from the perspective of individuals seeking information, and its limitation arising from the need to ensure the protection of personal data.