offentlighet

Offentlighet refers to a fundamental principle in public administration that government activities, documents, and proceedings should be accessible to the public. It is closely linked to transparency and accountability, enabling citizens to scrutinize decision-making and hold authorities to account. The term is widely used in Nordic contexts and is often discussed together with the related concept offentlighetsprinsippet.

In practice, offentlighet means that records held by public authorities are generally open for inspection by the public. The general rule is that documents and processes from public institutions, including authorities at national, regional, and local levels, are accessible. The right to access, known as innsyn, supports democratic participation and informed debate. However, access is not absolute. Exceptions exist to protect privacy, personal data, security, commercial secrets, and confidential deliberations or other sensitive information. Balancing openness with these protections is a core aspect of how the rule is applied.

Access rights are exercised through formal requests to the relevant authority, which must respond within a stated time frame and provide the information or a lawful justification for refusal. Refusals can be reviewed or appealed in accordance with applicable administrative or judicial procedures. The principle of offentlighet is anchored in constitutional and statutory law in many Nordic countries and is regarded as a cornerstone of the rule of law, contributing to trust in public institutions.

Overall, offentlighet promotes transparency, accountability, and informed citizen participation, while balancing the public interest with privacy and security considerations.