The Written Observations Submitted in the Gambazzi Case

Many thanks to Prof. Koji Takahashi for sending the following text and the files with the written observations submitted in the Gambazzi case.

The written observations submitted to the European Court of Justice are normally unpublished. Earlier this year, I obtained the observations submitted in Case C-394/07 Gambazzi by the United Kingdom, the Republic of Italy and the Commission of the European Communities as well as the French translation of the observation of Italy supplied by the Court of Justice. The request was made under the United Kingdom Freedom of Information Act 2000 (My thanks are due to the United Kingdom Ministry of Justice and those helped me in the process). Since I was told that those observations were now regarded as being in the public domain, I think I should make them available to all rather than keeping them to myself. Please note that the United Kingdom is withholding the written observations submitted on behalf of the Hellenic Republic, Mr Gambazzi, Daimler Chrysler Canada Inc. and CIBC Mellon Trust Company since they did not consent to disclosure by the United Kingdom.

Commission observations

UK observations

Italy observations (in italian)

Italy observations (in french)

Note: On October the 1st Advocate General Poiares Maduro delivered his opinion in the joined Cases C?514/07 P, C?528/07 P and C?532/07 P.  The Opinion is connected with the information provided by Prof. Takahashi in as much as the central issue submitted to the ECJ is “to what extent do the principles of transparency of judicial proceedings and publicity of trial require members of the public to be allowed access to the written submissions filed with the Court by the parties to a case”.

Many thanks to Daniel Sarmiento Ramirez-Escudero for the hint.