Transparency in the Future

Transparency and public access to information work as a check on the exercise of power and the existence of corruption. In Sweden the constitutional right of access to documents is justified precisely by its contribution to democracy, the rule of law and efficiency in the public administration. The wide access to information in today’s world also makes possible the publication of personal information about individuals’ private life in an unprecedented way. Does this mean that the relative importance of the protection of privacy has to be strengthened at the cost of access to information? What will be the impact of the developing information and communication technology on access to information? The right of access to documents has traditionally been discussed on the level of domestic administration but when public administration is internationalised the issue of access to documents makes itself felt also with respect to international institutions. Will the right of access to