Recommendation 2024 (2013) Final version

National security and access to information

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Assembly debate on 2 October 2013 (32nd Sitting) (see Doc. 13293, report of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Mr Díaz Tejera; and Doc. 13315, opinion of the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media, rapporteur: Mr Franken). Text adopted by the Assembly on 2 October 2013 (32nd Sitting).

1. The Assembly refers to its Resolution 1954 (2013) on national security and access to information and invites the Committee of Ministers to:

1.1. examine ways and means to promote the entry into force and speedy implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (CETS No. 205);

1.2. to review the Council of Europe’s own policies regarding access to information and classification and declassification of documents in light of the Assembly’s resolution;

1.3. encourage member States of the Council of Europe to take into account the “Global Principles on National Security and the Right to Information”, adopted on 12 June 2013 by an assembly of experts from international organisations, civil society, academia and national security practitioners, in particular concerning the points highlighted in the above-mentioned resolution, in modernising their legislation and practice.