openbaarheidregels

Openbaarheidregels refers to the rules governing access to information held by public bodies, designed to promote transparency, accountability and democratic control. These rules determine what information must be made public, what can be requested, and under what conditions access is refused or restricted.

In the Netherlands, the core law is the Wet openbaarheid van bestuur (Wob). More recently, the Wet open overheid (Woo) modernizes openness by strengthening proactive publication and digital access, and by expanding the scope of information that must be available. Public bodies include ministries, municipalities, and other state agencies, and information is generally accessible to any member of the public, including journalists and researchers.

Most information can be requested by submitting a Wob/Woo request. Authorities typically answer within a set period and may redact sensitive parts. Proactive publication obligations require public bodies to publish policy documents, budgets, annual reports, and data openly, often via official portals. Exemptions exist to protect privacy (personal data), business secrets, ongoing investigations, national security, and other protected interests. In such cases information may be partially disclosed or refused.

If a request is refused or too limited, the requester can appeal by filing a complaint or objection with the authority and, if necessary, bring the case to an administrative court. Together, these rules aim to balance openness with legitimate privacy and security concerns, and they are subject to ongoing reform to improve accessibility and digital government.