The European Parliament today overwhelmingly ratified legislation to give citizens access to previously confidential documents.
MEPs voted 400 to 85, with 12 abstentions, for a compromise deal brokered with the 15 EU governments last week on public access to documents.
"It creates a new right for the citizens of Europe," Ms Britta Lejon, Swedish minister for democratic issues, said after the vote was carried.
It ends a long battle between the parliament and EU nations over how much information should be made available to the public.
Mr Michael Cashman, the British Labour MEP who authored the legislation, said the new rules would cover all categories of documents, including internal working material and defence documents.
Under the rules, EU institutions can block release of certain documents if they are judged to violate certain secrecy rules.
Secrecy can only be invoked to protect commercial interests, cases before a court or "to protect internal working material". In those cases, documents can only be kept secret for a maximum of 30 years.
AP