(6) The purpose of this Regulation is to give the fullest possible effect to the right of public access to documents and to lay down the general principles and the limits on the grounds of public or private interest which govern such access in accordance with Article 255(2) of the EC Treaty and taking into account the experience of the initial implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 and of the resolution of the European Parliament of 4 April 2006 with recommendations to the Commission on access to the institutions' texts .

Does it already have comparative data for individual Member States on the procedures for reuniting family members (mainly women and children), particularly as regards their status (autonomous - dependent), their rights (access to work, social rights) and a series of sensitive issues such as bogus or forced marriages, polygamy and the loss of status of legal immigrants in the event of divorce or death of spouse?

Does it already have comparative data for individual Member States on the procedures for reuniting family members (mainly women and children), particularly as regards their status (autonomous - dependent), their rights (access to work, social rights) and a series of sensitive issues such as bogus or forced marriages, polygamy and the loss of status of legal immigrants in the event of divorce or death of spouse?

The Commission will launch a fundamental, forward looking review of the single market and present a report with concrete proposals next year; Creation of an entitlement card which will enable every European citizen to be aware of and enjoy full access to their rights; Launching a comprehensive stocktaking of today’s European society and an agenda for universal access and solidarity, in parallel with the single market review; Improving decision-making to make Europe a safer place to live, through use of the existing Treaty provisions for greater use of the Community method in areas like organised crime, terrorism, trafficking of perso ...[+++]ns and cooperation between police forces; Taking forward the debate on the value added of enlargement and the Union’s capacity to absorb new members with a Commission paper on enlargement strategy; A new approach to external competitiveness including looking into improved access to markets overseas and new priorities in trade relations; A strategy paper (Concept Paper) with concrete ideas on Europe’s role in the World; A further set of proposals to make cutting red tape (better regulation) a reality across the EU; Work on access to documents in the European Union will be accelerated; A new relationship with national Parliaments, including direct transmission of new proposals and consultation papers; A proposed timetable with a step by step approach to a solution to institutional questions; A declaration inspired by the Messina declaration to ensure that Europe moves ahead on a common footing.

When the regulation enters into force, the citizen's right of access to institution documents will no longer be a discretionary concession but a fundamental right, rooted in Article 255.

ANNEX DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT CONCERNING PUBLIC ACCESS TO COUNCIL AND COMMISSION DOCUMENTS The Council and the Commission, HAVING REGARD to the Declaration on the Right of Access to Information annexed to the Final Act of the Treaty on European Union, which emphasizes that transparency of the decision-making process strengthens the democratic nature of the Institutions and the public's confidence in the administration, HAVING REGARD to the conclusions wherein the European Councils in Birmingham and Edinburgh agreed on a number of principles to promote a Com ...[+++]munity closer to its citizens, HAVING REGARD to the conclusions of the European Council in Copenhagen, reaffirming the principle of giving citizens the greatest possible access to information and calling on the Council and the Commission to adopt at an early date the necessary measures for putting this principle into practice, CONSIDERING it desirable to establish by common agreement the principles which will govern access to Commission and Council documents, it being understood that it is for each of them to implement these principles by means of specific regulations, WHEREAS the said principles are without prejudice to the relevant provisions on access to files directly concerning persons with a specific interest in them, WHEREAS these principles will have to be implemented in full compliance with the provisions concerning classified information, WHEREAS this code of conduct is an additional element in their information and communication policy, HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: General principle The public will have the widest possible access to documents held by the Commission and the Council".