The core of Access-Info Europe raison d'être is the belief that access to information is a basic human right, and the idea that this is critical for participatory government decision-making and accountability.

The Council responded by making public only part of the requested document and withheld portions that disclosed the positions expressed by Member States.

[2] On February 26, 2009, the Council sent Access Info an unregistered letter stating additional reasons for its response.

Access Info then applied to the European Court of Justice on June 3, within the 2 month time limit allowed by the Regulation.

It further ruled that the purpose of Regulation No 1049/2001 is to give the public the widest possible right of access to information.