SPECIFIC LAWS ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS

OTHER LEGAL INSTRUMENTS

NEW LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

AUSTRIA

Article 20 of the Austrian Constitution

The Auskunftspfichtsgesetz (BGB1 1987/285, 15.05.1987) further details the constitutional provisions on access to public information for the federal and regional levels. Following to the framework set by the Auskunftspfichtsgesetz the 9 Austrian Provinces have enacted laws on access to information (mostly technical details)

BELGIUM

Article 32 of the Belgian Constitution

Loi No. 94-1724 (11.04.1994) relative à la Publicité de l’Administration and Loi du 12 Novembre 1997 relative à la publicité de l’administration dans les provinces et communes (federal law); Ordonnance relative à la publicité de l’administration, 26.06.1997 and

Decreet Betreffende de Openbaarheid van Bestuur, 23.10.1991 (regional and community level)

DENMARK

Act No. 572 of 10.12.1985 on Access to Public Administration Files (Lov om offentlighed i forvaltningen). It has been amended by Law no 347 of 6 June 1991, Law No 504 of 30 June 1993; Law No 276 of 13 May 1998 and Law No 429 of 31 May 2000.

It is foreseen to modify the law with a new law based on EU Directive 95/46.

FINLAND

Chapter 2, Section 12 of the Finish Constitution

Act on Openness of Government Activities (01.12.1999)

FRANCE

Loi No. 2000-322 du 12 avril 2000 relative aux droits des citoyens dans leur relations avec les administration. It modifies Loi No 78-17 du 6 janvier 1978 relative à l’informatique, aux fichiers et aux libertés, and Loi No 78-753 du 17 juillet 1978 portant diverses mesures d’amelioration des relations entre l’administration et le public .

GERMANY

Freedom of Information Acts existing in three Länder: Brandenburg (Akteneinsichts- und Informationszugangsgesetz, 1998); Berlin (Informationsfreiheitsgesetz des Landes Berlin, 1999) and Schleswig Holstein (Gesetz über die Freiheit des Zugangs zu Informationen für das Land Schleswig Holstein, 2000)

No general access law at federal level. Sectoral laws offering access to specific types of information.

Draft Freedom of Information Act (Informationsfreiheitsgesetz)

GREECE

Article 5 of the Greek Code of Administrative Procedure Law (Law No. 2690/1999). It replaces Law 1599/1986..

IRELAND

Freedom of Information Act of 1997

ITALY

Act No. 241 of 07.08.1990 on Access to Administrative Documents (Nuove norme in materia di procedimento administrativo e diritto di acceso ai documenti administrativi)

Act No.142 of 08.06.1990 (autonomous local administrations)

LUXEMBOURG

No general access law. Some rules contained in the Act of 01.12.1978 on Administrative Procedures.

Project of a Charte des Usagers

THE NETHERLANDS

Act of 31.10.1991 on the Public Access to Government Information (Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur)

PORTUGAL

Articles 35, 37, 48, 268 of the Portuguese Constitution

Act No. 65/93 of 26 August 1993, partially modified by Act No. 8/95 of 29 March 1995

SPAIN

Section 105 b) of the Spanish Constitution.

Act No. 30/1992 on rules for public administration and administrative procedures (Ley 30/92, de 26 de noviembre de Régimen Jurídico de las Administraciones Públicas y del Procedimiento Administrativo Común)

SWEDEN

Chapter 2, Article 1 of the Constitution

Chapter 2 of the Freedom of Press Act (this Act is now part of the Constitution)

Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression

Official Secrets Act

UNITED KINGDOM

Freedom of Information Bill; December 2000