27 August 2025 – Access Info Europe has released a study comparing access to information (ATI) frameworks in 15 European countries, all of which operate public request platforms. The analysis measures how well national laws align with the Council of Europe’s Tromsø Convention and other international standards.

About the study

The research was carried out under the Access to Information Network Project, a three-year initiative led by Access Info Europe, mySociety, and the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany. The project aims to build a strong, collaborative European community advocating for better access to information.

As part of this work, Access Info conducted a detailed legal assessment of ATI frameworks of the 15 countries in Europe that have a public request platform, such as AskTheEU.org, which enable citizens to file ATI requests directly with public authorities. To strengthen transparency, all requests, responses and released documents are published online.

The evaluation was based on the first ten articles of the Tromsø Convention, using a scoring system of up to 300 points. This benchmark highlights both strengths and weaknesses in national legislation and provides a roadmap for reforms in line with international standards.

Rank Country Year of law Points out of 300 Tromsø signed Tromsø ratified
1. Ukraine 2011 (amended 2025) 227 Yes Yes
2. Croatia 2013 (amended 2022) 215 No No
3. Moldova 2023 211 Yes Yes
3. Netherlands 2022 211 No No
5. Hungary 2011 209 Yes Yes
6. Georgia 1999 182 Yes No
7. UK 2000 172 No No
8. Austria 2024 165 No No
9. Sweden 2009 164 Yes Yes
10. Romania 2001 149 No No
11. France 1978 (amended 2016) 144 No No
12. Czech Republic 1999 (amended 2016) 142 No No
12. Greece 1999 (amended 2024) 142 No No
14. Germany 2005 (amended 2013) 114 No No
15. Belgium 1994 (amended 2024) 98 Yes No

Key findings

  • Reform matters: More recent laws (2010s–2020s) tend to be stronger than older laws.
  • Tromsø Convention helps: Ratification often correlates with better frameworks, but is not sufficient alone.
  • Regional Patterns: Eastern & Central Europe (Ukraine, Moldova, Croatia, Hungary, Georgia) generally have stronger frameworks.
  • Implementation gap risk: High legal scores do not always guarantee practice, but they provide a necessary benchmark for advocacy.

How We Used These Findings

Access Info transformed the results of this legal analysis into practical reform recommendations for four countries on how national ATI laws can be aligned with the Tromsø Convention and international standards:

To put these recommendations into action, Access Info partnered with local organisations and launched advocacy campaigns aimed at strengthening access to information. Together, we used the findings to push for legal reforms, raise public awareness, and build stronger coalitions for transparency.

France

  • Partner organisation: Open Knowledge France
  • Public request platform: madada.fr

Open Knowledge France sent the legal reform recommendations to the French Government and called for the ratification of the Tromsø Convention, a step strongly recommended by GRECO in its Fifth Evaluation Report on France.

One of the biggest challenges in France is low public awareness and use of the access to documents law. Empowering journalists and citizens with the knowledge and tools to exercise this right is crucial to push for government accountability and transparency. Open Knowledge France held two training workshops for French journalists on how to use their right to access documents, and developed a practical guide for the public on submitting requests.

Due to the training and awareness efforts of Open Knowledge France, there has already been a notable increase in information requests submitted through the MaDada platform, covering topics from animal protection to public spending.

Greece

  • Partner organisation: Vouliwatch
  • Public request platform: arthro5a.gr

Vouliwatch used the legal reform recommendations during the consultation on amending Article 5 of the national law, which previously required individuals to prove “legal interest” to request information.

Vouliwatch launched a public campaign to raise awareness about the right to information, and hosted a workshop to train local journalists and civil society on leveraging access to information to drive real impact. Through this workshop, Vouliwatch formed the «Alliance of Civil Society Organizations and Journalists,» which sent a joint letter to the Greek executive and legislative authorities, requesting a meeting to further discuss necessary reforms.

These efforts proved successful: the amendment to Article 5 now ensures that individuals no longer need to prove «legal interest» to submit a request. Additionally, the recommendations and the joint letter were covered by media outlets such as efsyn, iMEdD and MediaTVNews, highlighting the widespread support and growing momentum for transparency reform.

Moldova

  • Partner organisation: Lawyers for Human Rights
  • Public request platform: vreauinfo.md

The legal reform recommendations on bringing the Moldovan law into line with international standards were welcomed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which suggested forming a working group for further analysis.

The recommendations were picked up and reported on by the online platform Anticoruptie.md, which reports on cases of corruption and related crimes in the Republic of Moldova. In parallel, Lawyers for Human Rights continues to pursue strategic litigation as a tool for systemic change. A recent legal victory against the Tax Office underscores their effectiveness in challenging the misapplication of access to information laws and setting important legal precedents for future cases.

Netherlands

  • Partner organisation: Spoon
  • Public request platform: woo-knop.nl

In the Netherlands, growing momentum around the ratification of the Tromsø Convention has created a unique window of opportunity for advancing transparency and access to information. In collaboration with Spoon, Access Info developed a set of targeted legal reform recommendations designed to align Dutch legislation more closely with the Convention’s standards. These proposals are well-timed to influence the forthcoming five-year review of the national access to information law.

To further promote best practices, Spoon hosted a high-level webinar engaging local government representatives, showcasing the practical benefits of implementing the public request platform, Woo-Knop. Access Info contributed strategic insights and shared cross-border success stories, providing participants with a broader European perspective and concrete examples of how digital transparency tools can strengthen democratic accountability.

How you can start your own campaign

Are you unsatisfied with the state of access to information in your own country? Why not start your own campaign?

You can replicate our campaigns through using the tools below: