Government transparency is a common principle within democratic legal systems. In recent decades, it has emerged as a fundamental principle of democratic governance, essential in promoting the rule of law, enabling public engagement, fighting corruption and improving development outcomes. Still, transparency is a complex and dynamic concept; it constantly evolves following political, social and technological developments and it can be reflected in a variety of rules, procedures and implementing instruments. In this framework, public access to government-held information has attained primary importance; it has emerged in international and national practice as a key indicator for transparency and as a human right in and of itself, essential for individuals to hold governments accountable and to give effect to other rights. The seminar has outlined the evolution of the right of access to government-held information in international human rights practice, with a view to pinpointing evolving dynamics and emerging issues. In so doing, special attention has been devoted to the European context, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Union. In light of this analysis, the seminar has then investigated the Italian normative framework, in order to assess achievements and limits of existing regulations and to examine if and to what extent it guarantees a right of access to information held by public authorities which is in line with international standards. To this end, recent developments have been analysed, focusing on Legislative Decree No. 97/2016, the so-called "Italian Freedom of Information Act.
Tema del Seminario è stato l'accesso alle informazioni di interesse pubblico (government held information/public interest information) che è emerso e si è affermato nella prassi internazionale non solo come uno strumento/indicatore di governance democratica (SDGs) ma come un diritto umano in sè e per sè. L'evoluzione del diritto di accesso alle informazioni di interesse pubblico nella prassi internazionale è stato delineato, partendo dalla prassi degli organi per la tutela dei diritti umani dele Nazioni Unite e dedicando, poi, una particolare attenzione al contesto europeo, con riferimento alla Convenzione Europea dei Diritti dell'Uomo e all'ordinameto dell' UE. Infine, è stato analizzato l'ordinamento italiano, al fine di evidenziare sviluppirecenti (cd. FOIA italiano) e indagare se e in che misura esso prevede un diritto di accesso che è in linea con gli standard internazionali.
Il diritto di accesso alle informazioni governative: l'evoluzione degli standard internazionali e la loro attuazione nell'ordinamento italiano
Valentina Rossi
2020
Abstract
Government transparency is a common principle within democratic legal systems. In recent decades, it has emerged as a fundamental principle of democratic governance, essential in promoting the rule of law, enabling public engagement, fighting corruption and improving development outcomes. Still, transparency is a complex and dynamic concept; it constantly evolves following political, social and technological developments and it can be reflected in a variety of rules, procedures and implementing instruments. In this framework, public access to government-held information has attained primary importance; it has emerged in international and national practice as a key indicator for transparency and as a human right in and of itself, essential for individuals to hold governments accountable and to give effect to other rights. The seminar has outlined the evolution of the right of access to government-held information in international human rights practice, with a view to pinpointing evolving dynamics and emerging issues. In so doing, special attention has been devoted to the European context, in particular the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Union. In light of this analysis, the seminar has then investigated the Italian normative framework, in order to assess achievements and limits of existing regulations and to examine if and to what extent it guarantees a right of access to information held by public authorities which is in line with international standards. To this end, recent developments have been analysed, focusing on Legislative Decree No. 97/2016, the so-called "Italian Freedom of Information Act.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.