The Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (CETS No. 205), also known as the Tromsø Convention, enters into force on 1 December 2020, in respect of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Montenegro, Norway, the Republic of Moldova, Sweden and Ukraine.
On this occasion Mr Christos Giakoumopoulos, Director General of Human Rights and the Rule of Law said: “in the challenging times we are living where abundance of information and disinformation are commonplace, access to official documents becomes ever more important. The Tromsø Convention is a key legally binding instrument promoting transparency and openness of public authorities, thus contributing to the empowerment of people in the exercise of their fundamental rights and freedoms. By promoting a culture of openness, the Convention strengthens the public’s confidence in public authorities, the relationship of trust between them and citizens and helps address risks of corruption. We look forward to other member States of the Council of Europe signing and ratifying the Tromsø Convention as soon as possible.”
