在欧盟监察专员对欧盟委员会拒绝公开加沙相关文件一事展开调查之际，15个媒体机构、记者协会和新闻自由组织于周三敦促欧洲委员会主席乌尔苏拉·冯德莱恩改善记者获取公共文件的途径。
A group of 15 media outlets, journalist associations and press freedom organizations urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday to improve journalists’ access to public documents, as an inquiry by the EU Ombudswoman into the commission’s refusal to release documents concerning Gaza unfolds.
在致冯德莱恩的一封公开信中，这些组织呼吁欧盟执行机构解决它们所称的“无声危机”，这一危机阻碍了记者获取审查公众利益事务所需信息的工作。
In an open letter to von der Leyen, the organizations called on the EU executive to address what they described as a “silent crisis” that has hampered journalists’ efforts to obtain information needed to scrutinize matters of public importance.
此前，欧洲监察专员特雷莎·安茹上周针对一家新闻媒体的投诉启动了一项调查，起因是欧盟委员会拒绝公开17份关于欧盟资助加沙地带基础设施项目的文件。
The appeal comes after European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho last week opened an inquiry into a news outlet’s complaint over the commission’s refusal to release 17 documents concerning EU-funded infrastructure projects in the Gaza Strip.
《欧盟观察家》于2月首次索取这些文件，作为一项调查的一部分，该调查旨在了解以色列的袭击在多大程度上摧毁了欧盟在巴勒斯坦领土上资助的基础设施。
EUobserver first requested the documents in February as part of an investigation examining the extent to which Israeli attacks had destroyed infrastructure financed by the EU in the Palestinian territory.
委员会拒绝公布这些材料，并辩称不存在凌驾一切之上的公众利益来证明公开的正当性。《欧盟观察家》随后的上诉也没有得到回应。
The commission refused to release the material, arguing that there was no overriding public interest justifying disclosure. EUobserver’s subsequent appeal went unanswered.
作为调查的第一步，安茹已要求委员会最迟于11月4日对该上诉做出回应。如果欧盟执行机构未能提供令人满意的回应，她将亲自审查这些文件。
As a first step in her inquiry, Anjinho has asked the commission to respond to the appeal by Nov. 4 at the latest. If the EU executive fails to provide a satisfactory response, she will examine the documents herself.
在此背景下，这15个组织敦促委员会承诺提高透明度，并表示记者在获取文件时经常面临严重的延误、可疑的拒绝以及大量删节，导致公开的材料大打折扣，几乎失去意义。信中称，在某些情况下，委员会还未能保留和妥善归档关键文件。
Against this backdrop, the 15 organizations urged the commission to commit to greater transparency, saying journalists routinely face severe delays in obtaining documents, questionable refusals and extensive redactions that render released material largely meaningless. In some cases, they said, the commission also fails to retain and properly archive crucial documents.
信中指出，这些限制阻碍了对重大公共利益议题的报道，其中包括欧盟成员国如何使用数十亿欧元的新冠疫情后复苏资金，以及在武器研究方面与以色列的合作。
The restrictions have hindered reporting on issues of major public interest, including how EU member states spent billions of euros in post-COVID recovery funds and cooperation with Israel on arms research, the letter said.
信中写道：“在全欧洲，公众辩论正在受到损害。本应浮出水面的报道未能出现。公民无法在关键时刻做出重要的政治判断。”
“Around Europe, public debate is being harmed. Stories which should emerge do not. Citizens cannot make important political judgements at critical moments,” it said.
签署方呼吁委员会废除2024年12月的内部议事规则（他们认为该规则使获取文件变得更加困难），并确保严格执行关于公众查阅欧盟文件的法规。
The signatories called on the commission to revoke its December 2024 internal rules of procedure, which they said had made access to documents more difficult, and ensure strict implementation of the regulation on public access to EU documents.
这些团体还呼吁制定一项新的行动计划，以改善记者获取信息的途径，包括落实欧洲监察专员的建议、全面遵守欧洲法院的裁决，以及加强文件归档和存档的内部程序。
The groups also called for a renewed action plan to improve journalists’ access to information, including implementing recommendations from the European Ombudsman, fully complying with European Court of Justice rulings and strengthening internal procedures for filing and archiving documents.
信中警告称：“欧盟委员会捍卫欧盟民主价值观的声誉正处于危险之中。在世界各地的民主准则受到攻击之际，现在正是捍卫这些价值观的时候。”
“The European Commission’s reputation for safeguarding EU democratic values is in peril. At a time when democratic norms are under attack around the world, now is the time to uphold these values,” the letter warned.
签署方包括保护记者委员会、《欧盟观察家》、欧洲记者联合会、“追踪金钱”组织、禁忌故事、国际记者联合会、国际新闻学会、“调查欧洲”和国际笔会。
The signatories included the Committee to Protect Journalists, EUobserver, the European Federation of Journalists, Follow the Money, Forbidden Stories, the International Federation of Journalists, the International Press Institute, Investigate Europe and PEN International.