FOWG-OGP On Access to Budget Information & Fiscal Transparency Portals Asia Pacfic Workshop - September 2015 Juan Pablo Guerrero #FiscalTransparency

David Banisar, March 2013; IFAI, January 2014 I. Overview of RTI in the world – 101 Regulations Orange: Countries with RTI law in force Green: Countries with legal decrees and regulations on access to information Yellow: Countries with RTI law passed -not in force - 2 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

I. Overview of RTI in the world – 101 RTI Laws 3 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

Information Commissions with binding resolutions David Banisar, marzo 2013; IFAI, 2014 Mexico Federal Institute for Access to Information and Data Protection, 2003 Mexico Federal Institute for Access to Information and Data Protection, 2003 Honduras Institute for Access to Public Information, 2008 Honduras Institute for Access to Public Information, 2008 United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office, 1984 United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office, 1984 Germany Office of the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, 2006 Germany Office of the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, 2006 Slovenia: Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia, 2006 Slovenia: Information Commissioner of the Republic of Slovenia, 2006 Canada Office of the Information Commissioner, 1983 Canada Office of the Information Commissioner, 1983 Hungary Data Protection and Freedom of Information Commissioner, 1993 Hungary Data Protection and Freedom of Information Commissioner, 1993 Bangladesh The Information Commission, 2009 Bangladesh The Information Commission, 2009 Chile Council for Transparency, 2008 Chile Council for Transparency, 2008 India Central Information Commission, 2005 India Central Information Commission, 2005 Antigua and Barbuda Information Commissioner, 2004 Antigua and Barbuda Information Commissioner, 2004 Australia Information Commissioner, 2010 Australia Information Commissioner, 2010 El Salvador Institute for Access to Public Information, 2010 El Salvador Institute for Access to Public Information, 2010 Estonia Data Protection Inspectorate, 2001 Estonia Data Protection Inspectorate, 2001 Indonesia Public Information Commission, 2010 Indonesia Public Information Commission, 2010 Ireland Information Commissioner, 1998 Ireland Information Commissioner, 1998 Liberia Information Commissioner, 2010 Liberia Information Commissioner, 2010 Serbia Information Commissioner, 2004 Serbia Information Commissioner, 2004 Nepal National Information Commission, 2007 Nepal National Information Commission, 2007 I. Overview of RTI in the world Orange: Countries with RTI law in force Green: Countries with legal decrees and regulations on access to information Yellow: Countries with RTI law passed -not in force - 4 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

RTI: a powerful global trend (1) Since the 90’s, linked to governance issues (institutional capacity, citizen empowerment, etc) Greater demand for government accountability / enhanced checks & balances Follow the money: reduce misallocations, budget capture by interest groups, unsustainable entitlements, dangerous levels of debt & financial risk 5 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

RTI: a powerful global trend (2) Civil Society: key stakeholder for trust, rule of law, government efficiency & participative / inclusive development State incapacity & corruption issues: governments need “a hand” from citizens Growing importance of ICT, internet, mobile phones, social networks, open data, communications revolution 6 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

Maximum disclosure Exemptions clearly established & frequently require harm test RTI applies to all branches of Federal Government (no exclusions)Private life and personal data are protectedRTI is free of charge Expeditious procedures: time framework for response & complaints is clearly established Independent Oversight Body (IOB) with binding powers Complaints can challenge administrative silence and other ways of not providing information IOB: Legal mandate to promote the exercise of the RTIProactive disclosure of relevant government information Access to Information Law Principles (Basic elements of Access to Government Information Regulations) 7 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

Exemptions for disclosure of budget information: “Follow the money” & “publish what you spend’ principles: the general rule is that all information about public resources should be disclosed or proactively published Information sections can be classified as confidential when they include private data (personal data, banking, commercial, industrial secrets, etc.) Information sections can be classified for a period of time in order to protect the public interest, i.e. values that are protected by law (national interest, international relations, security issues, harm the security of people, cause prejudice to legal, administrative, enforcement or judicial processes, deliberative processes, police/criminal investigations, etc.) Besides private data, ALL information should be eventually disclosed Government should always try to disclose a version of an official document that omits the classified sections but reveals the substance of the document/file 8 Fiscal Transparency & Access to Information

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