begäran

Begäran is a Swedish noun meaning the act of asking for something, or a request. It is formed from the verb begära, which means to request or demand. In everyday language, begäran covers a range of uses, from informal inquiries to more formal requests or petitions. The term is distinct from, but often related to, a formal application (ansökan) in cases where a specific benefit or permit is sought.

In administrative and legal contexts, begäran denotes a statement or action directed at an authority or organization to obtain something or have a matter considered. The nuance is that a begäran can be simpler or less formal than an official petition or application, depending on tone, purpose, and required formality. For formal procedures, different terms may be used, but begäran remains common for requests for information, action, or facilitation.

Public sector use and information rights are a notable area for begäran. Sweden’s principle of public access to information (offentlighetsprincipen) enables individuals to submit a begäran om allmänna handlingar to authorities to request documents held by public bodies. This right is anchored in constitutional and statutory provisions within authorities such as the Tryckfrihetsförordningen and related laws.

In data protection contexts, individuals may also submit a begäran under applicable privacy laws to obtain or rectify personal data held by a controller. Under regulations like the GDPR, a begäran may involve access to personal data, correction, restriction, or erasure, with duties on the part of the controller to respond within set timeframes.

Overall, begäran is a versatile term for requests directed at others, ranging from everyday inquiries to formal administrative or legal actions.