Denmark is currently debating a reform of its opennesslaw. It’s on time, one part of the journalism community says, as the current law dates back to the 1980ies and hence faces difficulties when it comes to modern administration and numerous other necessary updates. Others criticize the draft for being too rigid.

A Danish Human Rights Expert and critical member of the government commission that drafted the law says, several parts of the draft law may be in breach with the new Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents.

The Convention is still far from coming into force, as 10 ratifications are necessary, and so far only three of the 14 signatories have ratified, Sweden, Norway and Hungary.

Denmark has not yet signed the convention yet, though the Ministry of Justice had arepresentative in the Council of Europe Expert Group, that prepared the Convention.

If the current Danish reform bill is passed as it is drafted, Denmark may have to make reservations or declarations on them, according to the Danish legal expert, Eva Ersbøll.
Read details about the problems in the draft Danish law on Åbenhedstinget (in Danish / via Google Translate).

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