To mark International Day for Universal Access to Information on Sunday 28 September, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has published a thematic report on the right of access to information.
It points out that an effective system of access to official documents is essential in the fight against corruption and “to enable citizens to participate in public life in an informed manner”.
The report provides a country-by-country analysis in three areas: the regulatory framework, the institutional framework, and compliance with national law.
It also highlights the key role played by journalists in uncovering corruption scandals involving public authorities, while warning that the judicial and political pressure to which they may be exposed may restrict both their work and the public’s right to information.
Both best practice and shortcomings are identified in the report, which recommends the adoption of legislation on access to information, the introduction of guarantees on the principle of proactive transparency, the creation of independent control mechanisms and the limitation of restrictions and exemptions to “what is strictly necessary”.
GRECO invites its Member States that have not yet done so to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (Tromsø Convention) and announces that it will continue its monitoring in a forthcoming evaluation cycle devoted to the prevention of corruption and the promotion of integrity at sub-national level.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/imq (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)