Wobbing.eu is a reference on freedom of information and access to official documents in Europe. It gathers plain-language guides, country-by-country notes on national access laws, and an archive of reporting on transparency and access-to-documents cases across the European Union and its member states.
The word "wobbing" is journalist shorthand — borrowed from the Dutch abbreviation for freedom-of-information law — for the craft of obtaining documents from public authorities and putting them to use. The site is organised around that craft: how the laws work, where they apply, and how reporters and citizens have tested them.
The domain previously hosted the Wobbing Europe freedom-of-information project; it now serves as a neutral, non-commercial reference on access to official documents in Europe.
What the site covers
- How to use European freedom of information laws — the Council of Europe and EU frameworks, Regulation 1049/2001, confirmatory applications and appeals.
- Country notes on national access-to-documents laws across Europe.
- An archive of reporting on EU transparency, court rulings and access-to-documents debates.
- Notes on the request platforms and networks that support access to information.
Editorial approach
Entries are written in the third person and aim to describe events, laws and institutions factually, with sources drawn from the public record. The focus is the mechanics and history of access to documents in Europe rather than commentary.
Frequently asked questions
What does "wobbing" mean?
It is informal journalist shorthand for using freedom-of-information legislation to obtain documents from public authorities — the term derives from the Dutch abbreviation for such laws.
Which laws does the site cover?
Both the European frameworks — the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents and the EU's Regulation 1049/2001 — and the national freedom-of-information laws of individual European countries. See the guide to European FOI laws.
Who is the site for?
Journalists, researchers, and members of the public who want to understand how to request official documents in Europe and how those rights have developed.