Are you one in 79,000?

Only I ask, because of this:

"Europe's citizens are showing an ever greater interest in Commission activities, over a growing number of policy areas. That's the conclusion of the latest annual report on public access to documents, which shows an 18% increase in the number of requests for documents in 2010".

Must be pretty big numbers by now, eh?

Or maybe not:

In total, the Commission received 6,361 requests for access to documents in 2010.

With an EU population of about 501 million, that's one request for every 79,000 odd people, so I'm not sure I would say that that demonstrated 'an ever greater interest in Commission activities'.

However, onwards:


"In certain limited circumstances defined by the legislation (Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001), the Commission can refuse to supply a document".

Fancy that.

And how often is that get out exercised?: "full access was granted in more than four out of five cases".

Hurrah for open government.