In this section you can find the English language texts of access to information laws from across Europe.
For each country, we also provide you with a link to the country-pages of the RTI Rating website, where you can find detailed analyses of all the world’s access to information laws, against 61 indicators developed by an international panel of access to information experts.
Albania
Law: On the right to information over the official documents 1999 (Për të drejtën e informimit mbi dokumentet zyrtare)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Andorra
No law protecting access to information.
Armenia
Law: Law of the Republic of Armenia on Freedom of Information 2003 (Հանրապետության օրենքը, Հայաստանի Տեղեկատվության ազատության մասին); Law of RA on the Human Rights Defender 2003.
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Austria
Law: Duty to Grant Information Act 1987, last amended in 1998 (Auskunftspflichtgesetz)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Azerbaijan
Law: Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the right to Obtain Information 2005 (İnformasiya əldə etmək haqqında Qanun)
Analysis: RTI-rating analysis
Belgium
Law: Loi relative à la publicité de l’administration 1994, last amended in 2000
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Law: Freedom of Access to Information Act 2000 (Slobodi pristupa informacijama u Bosni i Hercegovini)
Analysis: RTI-rating analysis
Bulgaria
Law: Access to Public Information Act 2000, last amended in 2008 (Достъп до обществена информация)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Croatia
Law: Act on the Right of Access to Information 2003, last amended in 2013 (Zakon o pravu na pristup informacijama)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Cyprus
No current law protecting access to information.
Draft Bill on Access to Information 2013 (in Greek)
Czech Republic
Law: The Freedom of Information Act 1999, last amended in 2011 (Zákon o svobodném přístupu k informacím)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Denmark
Law: The Danish Access to Public Administrative Documents Act 1985 , last amended in 2013 (Offentlighedsloven)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Estonia
Law: Public Information Act 2000 , last amended in 2003 (Avaliku teabe seaduse)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Finland
Law:Act on the Openness of Government Activities 1951 , last amended in 2002 (Laki viranomaisten toiminnan julkisuudesta)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
France
Law: De la liberté d’accès aux documents administratifs et de la réutilisationdes informations publiques 1978 , last amended in 2010
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Georgia
Law: The General Administrative Code of Georgia 1998, (ზოგადი ადმინისტრაციული კოდექსის)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Germany
Law: Freedom of Information Act 2005 (Informationsfreiheitsgesetz)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Greece
Law: Administrative Procedural Code 1999, Law 2690/1999 (Κώδικας Διοικητικής Διαδικασίας)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Hungary
Law: Act CXII of 2011 on Informational Self-determination and Freedom of Information
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Iceland
Law: The Information Act 1996, with subsequent amendments in 2007 (Freedom laga Upplýsingar)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Ireland
Law: Freedom of Information Act 1997, last amended in 2003
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Italy
Law: Rules for the Dicipline of the Mode of Operation Law 1990 (Regolamento per la Disciplina delle Modalità di Esercizio Legge)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Latvia
Law: Freedom of Information Law 1998, last amended in 2005 (Informācijas atklātības likums)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Leichtenstein
Law: Law on Public Information 1999 (Informationsgesetz)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Lithuania
Law: Law on the Provision of Information to the Public 1996, last amended in 2011 (Įstatymas dėl informacijos teikimo visuomenei),
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Luxembourg
No law protecting access to information.
Macedonia
Law: Law on Free Access to Information of Public Character 2006 (Законот за слободен пристап до информации од јавен карактер)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Malta
Law: Freedom of Information Act 2008 (Libertà ta ‘Informazzjoni)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Moldova
Law: The Law on Access to Information 2000
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Monaco
No law protecting access to information.
Montenegro
Law: The Law on Free Access to Information 2005
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Netherlands
Law: Government Information (Public Access) Act (WOB), 1991 (Wet Openbaarheid van Bestuur)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Norway
Law: Freedom of Information Act 2006
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Poland
Law: Act on Access to Public Information 2001 , last amended in 2004 (Ustawa o dostępie do informacji publicznej)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Portugal
Law: Law on the Regulation of, and Access to, Administrative Documents 2007, (Regula o Acesso aos Documentos Administrativos)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Romania
Law: Law on Free Access to Public Information 2001 (Legea privind liberul acces la informațiile publice)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Russia
Law: Federal Law on Providing Access to Information on the Activities of Government Bodies and Bodies of Local Self-Government 2009
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
San Marino
No law protecting access to information.
Serbia
Law: Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance 2003 (Закон о слободном приступу информацијама од јавног значаја)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Slovakia
Law: Act No. 211/2000 Coll. on Free Access to Information and on amendments of certain acts (The Freedom of Information Act) (Zákon o slobodnom prístupe k informáciám ao zmene niektorých zákonov)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Slovenia
Law: Access to Public Information Act 2003, last amended in 2005 (Zakon o dostopu do informacij javnega značaja)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Spain
No law protecting access to information.
Sweden
Law: The Freedom of the Press Act 1766, last amended in 1976
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Switzerland
Law: Freedom of Information Act 2004
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Turkey
Law: Law on the Right to Information 2003 (Bilgi Edinme Hakkı Kanunu)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
Ukraine
Law: Law on Access to Public Information 2011 (Закон про доступ до публічної інформації)
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis
United Kingdom
Law: Freedom of Information Act 2000
Analysis: RTI-rating quality analysis