How to use Freedom of Information internationally

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How to use Freedom of Information internationally

• GIJC Lillehammer 2008
• Brigitte Alfter
• Freelande Copenhagen - Brussels
• brig_at_mail.dk

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Wobbing

• Wob Freedom of Information Act
• Ethymology Wet Openbarheid naar Bestuur, the
  abbreviation Wob is a slang expresseion used by
  Dutch/Flemish journalists
• wobbing using a freedom of information act to
  get documents
• Have you been wobbing today?

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Wobs in Europe pioneering and tradition

• Transparency-legislation since
• Sweden 1766, constitutional status
• US - 1966
• Denmark - 1985
• EU December 2001
• Britain January 2005
• Germany January 2006
• Most European countries have some legislationn,
  however the practices vary immensely from country
  to country.

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go north

• General picture similar legal structure
  varying levels of exemptions in EU and member
  states

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No is not necessarily an answerwww.Farmsubsidy.o
rg
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The Farmsubsidy network

• 2002 first application in Denmark
• 2004 data out in Denmark
• 2004 first application EU Commission turned
  down (case finished by Ombudsman 2007
  Maladministration)
• 2005 data out in Britain, the Netherlands and
  Sweden
• 2006 - 2008 data out in Belgium, Poland,
  Portugal, Hungary, Finland, Germany..
• 2008-2009 EU change of legislation, so data in
  part have to be disclosed on a regular basis

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Differences can be used creatively
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Obstacles are similar

• Lack of tradition of transparency
• Lack of appropriate wob-legislation
• Definition of documents
• databases
• Privacy
• Business secrets
• Work load for administration

www.wobbing.eu
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Wobbing Europe
Meetingplace for journalists and others, who wish
to use freedom of informations laws in Europe