Services FoIA
Entry into force of the revised Data Protection Act on September 1, 2023: Significant changes for the Freedom of Information Act
Special reservations under Art. 4 FoIA
The Freedom of Information Act needs to be coordinated with the provisions of special federal laws that establish special provisions for access to official documents. According to Article 4 FoIA, special provisions contained in other Federal Acts are reserved where they declare certain information secret(letter a) or declare the access to certain information to be subject to requirements derogating from those set out in the FoIA (letter b), thereby rendering the provisions of the FoIA inapplicable to access to such information.
FAQ about the FoIA (in German)
Evaluations of the FoIA (in German)
How to assess applications: guidelines for the authorities
The Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) sets out in law a general right of access to official documents at federal level. It also incorporates measures to protect justified confidentiality interests. If access to a specific document is requested, the entities responsible for processing the application must consider a series of points.
Sample letters