FIFTH MEETING OF THE BODY FOR CONSULTATION OF THE PARTIES TO THE TROMSØ CONVENTION AT THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The Convention of the Council of Europe on access to official documents (Tromsø Convention) is the first binding international legal instrument that recognizes the right of access to official documents held by public authorities of any legal or natural person, without discrimination and regardless of the status or motives of the requester in their request for access to public information.

According to Article 12 of the Convention, one member from the countries that have already ratified the Convention participates in the body for consultation of the parties to the Tromsø Convention at the Council of Europe.

This year, for the first time since the Convention’s ratification, the Agency for the Protection of the Right to Free Access to Public Information was granted the right to nominate a member-expert to the Consultation of the Parties.

This advisory body has the role of giving proposals and opinions to the Group of Specialists on Free Access to Information of the Tromsø Convention at the Council of Europe, making recommendations to the countries that have ratified the Convention and reviewing the reports submitted by them, making proposals for amendments to the Convention from Article 19 and electing the members of the Group of Specialists on Access to Information of the Tromsø Convention at the Council of Europe.

The Secretary General of the Agency, Tanya Kovachev, as a member of the Consultation of the Parties, attended the 5th meeting, held from October 1 to 2, 2025, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France.

At this meeting, 12 members of the Group of Specialists on Access to Information were elected, and conclusions and recommendations regarding Albania, Armenia, and Slovenia were adopted.