Neil O'Brien 
[FOI #1865 email] 
 
August 26th, 2008 
 
 
Dear Mr O’Brien 
 
RFI20080904 - Freedom of Information request 
 
Thank you for your email of August 20th requesting details of information held in the European 
Union Stories Database maintained by BBC News. 
 
The reference number for your request is RFI20080904. 
 
The information you requested is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the 
Act”).   
 
Your request falls outside the scope of the Act because the BBC and the other public service 
broadcasters are covered by the Act only in respect of information held for purposes “other than 
those of journalism, art or literature” (see Schedule I, Part VI of the Act). We are not therefore 
obliged to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC’s output or information 
that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities. Information which is not 
subject to disclosure under the Act because of Schedule I might otherwise be exempt from 
disclosure because of the application of other provisions of the Act.  
 
For more information about how the Act applies to the BBC please see www.bbc.co.uk/foi  Please 
note that this guidance is not intended to be a comprehensive legal interpretation of how the Act 
applies to the BBC. 
 
The BBC does not offer an internal review when the information requested is not covered by the 
Act. If you disagree with our decision you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. Contact 
details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, 
SK9 5AF telephone 01625 545 700. http://www.ico.gov.uk 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Stephanie Harris 
Head of Editorial Compliance, BBC News 
 

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