Improving oversight of Access to Information
Learning from different approaches across Europe
The right to access information requires high quality oversight. Studies of effectiveness of Access to Information (ATI) legislation tells a clear story: the benefits of greater transparency and access to information can only be realised when this system is actively enforced. To be effective, the whole system of ATI review and appeal has to be designed as a system of cultural change. The system has to use limited resources in a strategic way to reform cultures of unnecessary secrecy in government that protect corruption and inefficiency in public life.
Building on a comprehensive picture of appeal systems and processes across Europe, this report argues for the value of specialised oversight bodies (Information Commissioners), who have independence from government and the power to compel compliance from authorities. In countries that use a system of internal review, better monitoring and interventions are necessary to ensure this system enhances rather than detracts from access to information.
Contents
- Summary
- Introduction
- Access to Information in Europe
- Oversight is vital to successful Access to Information
- Different forms of oversight and appeal
- Common features of ATI oversight systems
- Common processes
- The case for stronger Information Commissioners
- Administrative review can be made more focused and effective
- Trade-offs between general and specific oversight bodies
- Effective ATI oversight needs sufficient budget to deliver on its goals
- Better statistics help make oversight bodies more effective
- Prospects for reform
- About mySociety
- Copyright and licencing
Related Items:
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Mapping the online Access To Information network in Europe
June 2023
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Public FOI
July 2019
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Cite this
Parsons, A. (2022). Improving oversight of Access to Information. [online] mySociety Research. Available at: https://research.mysociety.org/publications/improving-oversight [Accessed 29 Mar 2024].