Secrecy and oversight in the European Union: The law and practice of classified information

This thesis examines the law and practice of official secrets in order to appraise whether and how they restrict democratic oversight and fundamental rights in the European Union. It provides a systematic and in-depth analysis of what the rules of official secrets are, who establishes them and how they work in practice. It critically evaluates whether the EU primary law commitment to openness is safeguarded and examines the constitutional changes and democratic implications arising from secrecy. The research provides a legal inquiry based on forty original interviews as well as an analysis of theoretical works on secrecy and democracy. It seeks to highlight the adaptation of constitutional structures to an administrative practice that has legally thrived outside EU primary law.