The complainant requested public access from the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency's (INEA) to documents related to the Lyon-Turin base tunnel project, notably the 'grant agreement' concerning EU funds granted to the project. The INEA disclosed only parts of the document in question, invoking exceptions under the EU's rules on public access to documents, and arguing that disclosing the other parts could undermine data protection or the commercial interests of parties concerned by the agreement.
In the context of the inquiry, the CINEA (the successor to the INEA) granted access to further parts of the documents but continued to withhold certain information, invoking a different exception for the protection of public security. The Ombudsman considered that the CINEA had not sufficiently explained its reasons for invoking this exception and wrote to it, urging it to do so. CINEA agreed, and provided additional information to the complainant. The Ombudsman considered this subsequent explanation sufficient and closed the inquiry.