25. 9. 97 Official Journal of the European Communities L 263/27 (Acts whose publication is not obligatory) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DECISION of 10 July 1997 on public access to European Parliament documents (97/632/ECSC, EC, Euratom) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, Having regard to the Treaties establishing the European Communities, and in particular Article 142 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to its Rules of Procedure, and in particular Rule 22 thereof, 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, Whereas the European Parliament should adopt provi- sions to implement the principles set out in the above- mentioned declaration and the conclusions of the Euro- pean Council meetings in Birmingham and Edinburgh in favour of promoting a Community that is closer to its citizens; Whereas the principle of allowing the public wide access to European Parliament documents, as part of the trans- parency of Parliament’s work, must not prejudice the protection of the public interest, the individual and privacy, and provision must therefore be made for deroga- tions in this respect, inter alia; Whereas these principles are without prejudice to the relevant provisions on access to files directly concerning persons with a specific interest in them; Whereas this Decision must apply with due regard for provisions governing classified information that may be adopted, if appropriate, by Parliament; Whereas the provisions of this Decision shall apply in accordance with, and without prejudice to, the provisions of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure; Whereas the European Parliament has always attached great importance to the need to maintain an open and continuous dialogue with the citizens of the Union in order to ensure that they are closely involved in, and well informed about, the activities of the Community; Whereas the aim of the present rules is to complement the information facilities traditionally offered by Parli- ament, its Members and its services, by granting a right of access to documents drawn up by the institution, HEREBY DECIDES: Article 1 1. The public shall have the right of access to Euro- pean Parliament documents pursuant to the conditions laid down in this Decision. 2.  ‘European Parliament document’ shall mean any written text, whatever its medium, containing existing data and drawn up by the institution, subject to the provi- sions of Article 2 (3). Article 2 1.  Applications for access to European Parliament documents shall be made in writing to the Secretariat of the European Parliament or to the European Parliament Information Office in the Member State in which the