Exemptions
Article 3
This Decision shall not cover the following meetings: (a) spontaneous meetings, meetings of a purely private or social character and meetings taking place in the context of an administrative procedure established by the TEU or TFEU or legal acts of the Union; (b) meetings held with: (i) social partners acting as participants in social dialogue pursuant to Article 154 of the TFEU; (ii) natural persons acting in a strictly personal capacity and not in association with others; (iii) public authorities of Member States, including their permanent representations and embassies, at national and subnational level; (iv) associations and networks of public authorities at Union, national or subnational level, on condition that they act exclusively on behalf of the relevant public authorities; (v) intergovernmental organisations, including agencies and bodies emanating from them; (vi) public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, except where such authorities are represented by legal entities, offices or networks without diplomatic status or are represented by an intermediary, as defined in point (e) of Article 2 of the Interinstitutional Agreement; (vii) political parties, with the exception of any organisations created by or affiliated with political parties; (viii) churches and religious associations or communities as well as philosophical and non-confessional organisations referred to in Article 17 of the TFEU, with the exception of offices, legal entities, or networks created to represent churches, religious communities or philosophical and non-confessional organisations in their relations with the Union institutions, as well as their associations; (c) meetings held in the framework of the provision of legal and other professional advice, where: (i) it consists of representing clients in the context of a conciliation or mediation procedure aimed at preventing a dispute from being brought before a judicial or administrative body; (ii) the advice is given to clients to help them ensure that their activities comply with the existing legal framework; (iii) it consists of representing clients and safeguarding their fundamental or procedural rights, such as the right to be heard, the right to a fair trial, and the right of defence in administrative proceedings, and includes activities carried out by lawyers or by any other professionals involved in representing clients and safeguarding their fundamental or procedural rights; (d) meetings organised for the purposes of making submissions: (i) as a party or a third party in the framework of a legal or administrative procedure established by Union law or by international law applicable to the Union; (ii) based on a contractual relationship with the Commission or based on a grant agreement financed by Union funds; (iii) in response to direct and specific requests from the Commission, its representatives or staff, for factual information, data or expertise.