By Indicator detail

Please find below the lists of indicators that have been used to analyse each law. You can click on each of them and you will get the result for that indicator in each country.

Country	Description	Scoring instructions	Max score	Finding	Points	Article	Comments
Afghanistan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	12(1) To ensure the right of access to information, institutions shall identify and appoint Public Information Officers and other staff with clear terms of reference. (2) Public information officers mentioned in article 12 (1) shall make public the contact details (phone number, email, address, etc.) of Public Information Officer and other relevant staff. (3) Where needed for the proper discharge of his or her duties, the Public Information Officer may seek the assistance of other employees of the institution and all employees shall render all reasonable assistance.
Albania	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	10(1) To implement this Law, in order to coordinate the work for guaranteeing the right to information, the public authority shall appoint one of the officials as the Right to Information Coordinator.
Antigua and Barbuda	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	9(1) Every public authority shall designate one of its officers as an information officer and ensure that members of the public have easy access to the information officer, including his or her name, function and contact details.
Argentina	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	ARTÍCULO 30° — Responsables de acceso a la información pública. Cada uno de los sujetos obligados deberá nombrar a un responsable de acceso a la información pública que deberá tramitar las solicitudes de acceso a la información pública dentro de su jurisdicción.
Armenia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	12 As defined by the law, information holders are responsible to: (e) appoint an official responsible for information freedom. 13(1) Official person responsible for information freedom can be the head of the information holder or an official appointed by it. (2) Person responsible for the Freedom of information according to the law: (a) ensures that the responsibilities of the information holder in the field of FOI are exercised; (b) explains thoroughly the procedures, conditions and forms of providing information to the person seeking information; (c) elaborates the statistical and complete data of inquiries received.
Australia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	8 Information to be published—what information? (2) The agency must publish the following information: (i) contact details for an officer (or officers) who can be contacted about access to the agency’s information or documents under this Act 10A Who performs functions etc. given to agencies (1) A function or power given to an agency under this Part may be performed or exercised, on behalf of the agency, by: (a) the principal officer of the agency; or (b) an officer of the agency acting within the scope of his or her authority in accordance with arrangements approved by the principal officer of the agency. (...)	Ss. 8(2)(i) and 11(1)(b), by implication, necessitate an appointment process.
Azerbaijan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	10.2. For this purpose, the owner of the information appoints an official on information issues, or creates a structural unit, provides information services. 10.3. Failure to appoint an information official or establish a structural unit shall not be grounds for refusal to provide information services. 11.3. If the owner of the information has not appointed an official on information issues or created a structural unit, the responsibility for the execution of the information request shall be borne by the person determined by the owner of the information to perform this function. 11.4. The responsibility for the disclosure of information in the manner prescribed by this Law shall be borne by the head of the owner of the information, unless the performance of this function is officially delegated to another person.
Bahamas	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Section 46. Information manager. (1) Every public authority shall appoint an information manager who, in addition to any duties specifically provided for under this Act, shall, under the general and specific supervision of the head of the authority concerned— (a) promote in the public authority best practices in relation to record maintenance, archiving and disposal; and (b) receive requests for records, assist individuals seeking access to records, paying special attention to people with relevant disabilities, and receive complaints regarding the performance of the public authority relating to information disclosure.
Bangladesh	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	10: "Designated Officer. (1) Within 60 (sixty) days after commencement of this Act, all authorities existing prior to such commencement shall appoint a designated officer for each of the units for providing information according to the provisions of this Act. (2) Any authority established after the commencement of this Act shall, within 60 (sixty) days after such establishment, appoint a designated officer for each of the units for providing information according to the provisions of this Act. (3) If any authority establish any office after the commencement of this Act, it shall, within 60(sixty) days of such establishment, appoint a designated officer for each of the units for providing information according to the provisions of this Act. (4) All authorities shall inform the information Commission the names, designation, address and, in case where applicable, fax number and e-mail addresses of the designated officers appointed under sub-section (1), (2) and (3) within 15(fifteen) working days from the date of such appointment. (5) A designated officer discharging his duty under this Act may seek assistance from any other officer and the officer whose assistance is sought shall be bound to extend necessary help to the officer-in-charge. (6) If a designted officer seeks support from other officer under sub-section (5) and any provision of this Act is contravened due to failure of giving such assistance, then such other officer shall also be deemed to be the officer-in- charge for determining the liability under this Act."
Bolivia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	6. The Maximum Executive Authorities must ensure access to information to all people without distinction of any nature, establishing the structure and internal procedures of public entities under their dependence, which allow providing complete, adequate, timely and accurate information. 9. People can access public information directly through electronic pages, publications or any other dissemination format; and indirectly, through the Information Unit that the Maximum Executive Authorities will enable in each of the entities under their charge or through the existing Unit to which said Authority expressly delegates this function. 20(I) Every public entity must adopt administrative measures that guarantee and promote transparency and access to information. In this regard, adequate infrastructure, organization, systematization and publication of the information must be foreseen, within ninety (90) days following the date of publication of this Supreme Decree.	Seem to have to appoint information officers but not that clear.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 19. Information Officer "A public authority is obliged to appoint an Information Officer who shall process requests made under this Act. Upon the appointment of the Information Officer, his or her name and contact information shall be submitted to the Ombudsman."
Brazil	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 9. The access to public information will also be ensured by means of: I - creation of a citizen's information service, within public organs and entities, in a location which meets the appropriate conditions to: a) serve and orient the public on the access to information; b) provide information on document proceedings in its respective units; c) file documents and requests concerning the access to information; and II - conduct public consultations or hearings, incentives to public participation or other ways of disclosure. Article 67. The highest authority of each body or entity shall appoint an authority directly subordinated to him/her to perform the following attributions: I – to efficiently ensure the compliance of the regulations related to the access to information, according to the purposes of Law No. 12,527, of 2011. II – to assess and monitor the implementation of the provisions set forth in this Decree and submit periodic reports on their compliance to the highest authority of each body or entity, forwarding the said reports to the Office of the Comptroller General; III – to recommend measures for improvement of the regulations and proceedings necessary for the implementation of the provisions set forth in this Decree; IV – to guide the respective units on the compliance with this Decree; and V – to decide on complaint filed against omission of the competent authority, pursuant to the provisions established in article 22.	9(1) and Reg 67.
Bulgaria	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	15.a Information under Art. 15 shall be published on the Internet sites of the administrative structures within the system of the executive power.
Canada	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Interim Directive: 3.4 The administration of the Act is the responsibility of the heads of government institutions. Heads (or their delegates) process requests for access to information in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Access to Information Regulations (Regulations), which include the duty to assist applicants. The Act and the Regulations also spell out parameters relating to the transfer of access requests, the extension of time limits, the charging of fees, the grounds for exemptions and exclusions, the process for giving notice to third parties, and the language, format and method of access. This directive is intended to support heads (and their delegates) in the administration of the Act by providing specific direction for responding to requests under the Act and by establishing principles for assisting applicants.
Chile	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	N/A	According to our expert, in practice all public entities have such units.
China	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	4. All levels of people's government, as well as departments of people's governments at the county level or above, shall establish and complete systems for open government information efforts in that administrative organ, and designate bodies (hereinafter "open government information work bodies") responsible for routine open government information work. The specific functions of open government information work bodies are: (1) To handle that administrative organ's open government information matters; (2) Preserving and updating the government information disclosed by that administrative organ; (3) Organizing the drafting of that administrative organ's open government information handbook, catalog of open government information, and annual report on open government information efforts; (4) Organizing implementation of reviews of government information to be disclosed; (5) Other functions related to open government information that that administrative organ provides.	Open government work bodies appear to have broad responsibility for implementation; its not clear they process requests but this is still enough for full points.
Costa Rica	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	12. Oficial de Acceso a la Información. Cada jerarca institucional deberá designar en su dependencia a un Oficial de Acceso a la Información, en adelante OAI. Dicha designación recaerá sobre la Contraloría de Servicios de la institución, o en su defecto, sobre otro funcionario de la institución. El Oficial de Acceso a la Información tendrá la competencia para atender las quejas relacionadas con la falta de atención de las solicitudes de información pública presentadas ante instancias internas de la institución, regulado del 3 al 11 de este Decreto. El Oficial de Acceso a la Información deberá incluir en su informe anual de labores los datos estadísticos y acciones en torno al derecho de acceso a la información pública y deberá poner en conocimiento del Oficial de Simplificación de Trámite dicha información. Además el OAI deberá coordinar los procesos de acceso a la información pública y transparencia proactiva con los departamentos y/o direcciones de Tecnologías de Información, Planificación Institucional y Comunicación. 14. El Oficial de Acceso a la Información y al Oficial de Simplificación de Trámites. Ambos oficiales tendrán, específicamente, las siguientes funciones con respecto del derecho de acceso a la información: a- Recibir las sugerencias planteadas de forma oral, física o electrónica referentes a conductas administrativas que obstaculizan o afecten el ejercicio del derecho de acceso a la información pública. b- Proponer al jerarca institucional todo tipo de recomendaciones de mejora en materia de la gestión institucional de cumplimiento efectivo del derecho de acceso a la información pública. d- Liderar el cumplimiento de la disposición contemplada en el artículo 15 de este Decreto. e- Recomendar a la autoridad jerárquica competente la apertura de investigación de funcionarios institucionales debido al incumplimiento de lo establecido en el presente Decreto. f- Coordinar capacitaciones para la correcta implementación de este decreto en su respectiva institución.
Croatia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Art.13.1.: In order to ensure the access to information, the public authority is obliged to bring a decision by which it shall designate a special official person competent to resolve the issues of realization of the right on access to information (hereinafter: information officer).
East Timor	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 13 Responsible Each entity referred to in Article 1 shall designate someone responsible for monitoring and evaluating compliance with the regime established in this law.
El Salvador	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	ARTICLE 48 Los entes obligados del sector público tendrán unidades de acceso a la información pública, las cuales serán creadas y organizadas según las características de cada entidad e institución para manejar las solicitudes de información. Se podrán establecer unidades auxiliares en razón de la estructura organizacional, bases presupuestarias, clases y volumen de operaciones. El Oficial de Información será nombrado por el titular de la entidad respectiva para dirigir la unidad. El Instituto, mediante resolución motivada, podrá sugerir la creación de Unidades de Acceso a la Información Pública adicionales con el fin de garantizar el ejercicio efectivo del derecho de acceso a la información pública, tomando en consideración los criterios mencionados en el inciso primero de este artículo. Las municipalidades con un presupuesto anual ordinario menor a dos millones de dólares, podrán tener Unidades de Acceso a la Información unipersonales integradas por el Oficial de Información, cuya designación podrá recaer en el Secretario Municipal o en cualquiera de los miembros del Concejo Municipal.
Estonia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	10. Organization of access to information by holders of information "(...) (2) A holder of information may, using an operations procedure or other documents, designate the structural units and officials or employees responsible for complying with requests for information and disclosing information, and the procedure for the internal processing of requests for information or of information subject to disclosure. (...)"
Fiji	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 36(1) A public agency must, within 20 days from the application of this Act to that public agency, designate an employee of that public agency to be the information officer of that public agency to facilitate and process requests for access to information and correction and deletion of information.
Finland	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	[Principles of Openness] Article 14(2) Access to the contents of a document shall be granted by an official or employee who has been so designated by the authority or to whom the task otherwise belongs by virtue of his/her office or duties.
France	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 42, decret 2005-1755.
Gambia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	9(1) The head of every public body shall, in consultation with the Minister responsible for that public body, designate a suitable officer of that body as Information Officer for the purposes of this Act. 10(1) To enable an information holder to comply with the requirements of this Act, head of the body may designate a person as deputy Information Officer. (2) A deputy Information Officer has all the powers, duties and functions of the Information Officer. (3) Each person designated as a deputy Information Officer of an information holder is subject to the supervision of the Information Officer of that information holder in the performance of the powers, duties and functions of that office under this Act.
Georgia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 36. A public agency shall designate a public servant responsible for ensuring availability of public information and proactive publication of information.
Ghana	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	3(3) A public institution shall (b) establish an information unit headed by an information officer who shall facilitate access to information. 73 For the purposes of this Act, an information officer of a public institution or an officer designated as an information officer shall perform the functions assigned to an information officer under this Act.
Guatemala	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Toda persona tiene derecho a tener acceso a la información pública en posesión de los sujetos obligados, cuando lo solicite de conformidad con lo previsto en esta ley.
Guinea	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	42. Les organismes soumis aux dispositions de la présente loi, peuvent organiser les activités relatives à l'accès à l'information dans le cadre d'un service interne créé à cet effet, présidé par le chargé d'accès à l'information et rattaché directement au chef de l'organisme. Les modalités d'organisation et de fonctionnement de cet organisme interne, sont fixées par arrêté du ministre de tutelle, ou du responsable de l'organisme concerné.	Anti-corruption law has whistleblower protection provisions but limited to corruption: http://www.itie-guinee.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Loi-anti-corruption.pdf
Honduras	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	ARTÍCULO 5. SOPORTE HUMANO Y TECNICO. Para el cumplimiento de su deber de transparencia, las Instituciones Obligadas deberán mantener subsistemas con suficiente soporte humano y técnico, que permitan la sistematización de la información, la prestación de un servicio de consulta y el acceso por los ciudadanos, asi como su publicación cuando sea procedente a través de los medios electrónicos o escritos disponibles. Para ese efecto, cada institución designara un Oficial de Información Publica responsable de dicho subsistema y suministre la información solicitada, siempre y cuando no este declarada como reservada de conformidad con el Articulo 17 de la presente Ley. Cada Institución creara una partida presupuestaria suficiente para asegurar su funcionamiento.
India	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	N/A	Not mentioned.
Indonesia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	13(1) To materialize fast, prompt and simple service, every Public Agency: (a) appoints an Information Management and Documentation Officer; and (b) sets up and develops an information service supply system that is fast, easy and reasonable, in accordance with the standard technical directives of public information prevailing nation-wide.
Ireland	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 20(1) A head may delegate in writing to a member of the staff of the FOI body concerned any of the functions of the head under this Act (other than this section and section 34).
Israel	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	3. The head of a public authority shall appoint an employee of the authority to be responsible for providing information to the public, for handling requests for information, and for applying the instructions of this law.
Italy	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 43(1) Within all the administrations, the responsible for the prevention of corruption provided by article 1 paragraph 7 of Law 6 November 2012 n. 190, exercises also the functions of the responsible for the transparency, hereinafter "Responsible", and his name is indicated in the Triennial Plan for the prevention of Corruption. The Responsible controls the fulfillment by the administration of the obligations of publication provided by the legislation in force, assuring completeness, clarity, and adjournment of the published information, and he reports about the cases of non-fulfillment or delayed fulfillment of the obligations of publication to Independent Body of Evaluation (OIV), National Anti-Corruption Authority and, in serious cases to the disciplinary office.
Ivory Coast	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	10. Les organismes publics sont tenus de désigner en leur sein un responsable de l’information. La personne ayant la plus haute autorité au sein d’un organisme public exerce les fonctions que la présente loi confère à la personne responsable de l’accès aux documents. Toutefois, cette personne peut désigner comme responsable un membre de l’organisme public ou un membre de son personnel de direction et lui déléguer tout ou partie de ses attributions. Cette délégation est faite par écrit, et son auteur en transmet copie à la Commission d’accès à l’information prévue par la présente loi.
Jamaica	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	N/A	This is in the ATI Regulations.
Kenya	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 7(1) A chief executive officer of a public entity shall be an information access officer for purposes of this Act. (2) A chief executive officer of a public entity may delegate the performance of his or her duties as an information access officer under this Act to any officer of the public entity.
Kosovo	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	13(1) All public institutions shall appoint a unit or responsible person for access to public documents.
Kuwait	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	3. They (public authorities) shall also appoint one or more competent employee(s) to examine the applications for access to information, enjoying sufficient expertise and know-how in their operations and grant them the necessary powers to search for and access the required information and provide it to the applicant.
Kyrgyzstan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	18.1. Each request for information shall be registered by the information holder on the day of receipt, indicating the date of its receipt, the applicant's contact details with a brief statement of the subject of the request, and shall be handed over to the person responsible for ensuring access to information. 38.1. The organization of access to information in the structure of a public sector entity shall be entrusted to a service or subdivision existing in the structure of a public sector entity, or to a specific official.
Lebanon	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 15: The information employee: In each administration, an employee shall be appointed to examine the requests to obtain information. He shall have the necessary powers to find and access the information requested and deliver it to citizens.
Liberia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	3.6: "Designation of at least one personnel / staff: Every public authority and private entity to which this Act applies shall appoint, maintain and duly support at least one designated personnel/staff whose overall responsibility shall be to receive requests for information held by the authority or entity and coordinate the response(s) of the authority or entity to all such requests. The designated personnel / staff shall serve as the primary contact of the authority or agency with the public relative to request for and provision of information, and his responsibilities shall include promoting best practices in record maintenance, storage, and management, and assisting members of the public, especially illiterate and other physically challenged persons, to file requests for information."
Luxembourg	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	A8: Chaque organisme visé à l’article 1er, paragraphe 1er, désigne un agent chargé de la communication des documents.
Malawi	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	12.(1) Every information holder shall, within twelve months from the commencement of this Act,- (a) designate or appoint one or more of its officers as information officers.
Maldives	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	36 (a) The highest ranking official of every State Institute must designate Information Officer(s) in their respective State Institutes having the responsibility to provide information to the public requesting for the information under this Act. And the names, designations and contact details of the Information Officers, must be disseminated as widely as possible and must be publicly accessible. 72. In this Act, unless stated otherwise: (b) “Information Officer” refers to the employee or employees designated by the highest officer of the State Institute, from among the employees at the State Institute who are not among the high-ranking officials, appointed to undertake the responsibilities at State Institute level, mentioned in section 36 of this Act;
Malta	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Section 1.0 of the Code of Practice.
Mexico	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 43. Each regulated entity will put together a collegiate Transparency Committee comprising an odd number of members....The Transparency Committee members will have access to information in order to determine its classification, according to the standards previously set by regulated entities to guard or safeguard information. Article 44. Each Transparency Committee shall have the following functions: (I). Establish, coordinate and supervise, in terms of the applicable provisions, the actions and procedures to ensure greater efficiency in the management of applications on access to information; (II). Confirm, amend or revoke the determinations concerning extension of the deadline to respond, information classification and declaration of absence or incompetence made by the heads of the Areas of the regulated entities; (III). Order, where appropriate, the relevant Areas to generate the information that derived from its powers, functions and duties must be in their possession or subject to proof of the impossibility of its generation, expose, duly grounded, the reasons for which, in the particular case, they not exercised these powers, duties or functions; (IV). Establish policies to facilitate obtaining the information and exercising the right of access to information; (V). Promote training and updating of Public Servants or members appointed to Transparency Units; (VI). Establish training programs on transparency, access to information, data access and protection for all Public Servants or members of the regulated entity; (VII). Collect and send to the Guarantor Agency, in accordance with the guidelines they issue, the data necessary for preparing the annual report (VIII). Request and authorize the extension of the period of confidentiality of information that Article 101 of this Act refers to, and (IX). Any other resulting from other applicable regulations. Article 45. Regulated entities shall appoint the head of the Transparency Unit, who shall have the following functions: (I). Collect and disseminate the information referred to in Chapters II, III, IV and V of Title V of this Act and the corresponding Federal Act and of the States and promote that the Areas periodically update it, as per the applicable regulations; (II). Receive and process applications for access to information (III). Assist individuals in making requests for access to information and, if necessary, direct them to the relevant regulated entities in accordance with applicable regulations; (IV). Perform the internal procedures necessary for serving the requests for access to information; (V). Notify applicants; (VI). Propose the Transparency Committee the internal procedures that ensure greater efficiency in the management of requests for access to information, in accordance with applicable regulations; (VII). Propose the qualified personnel that is necessary to receive and process requests for access to information; (VIII). Keep a record of requests for access to information, answers, results, reproduction and mailing costs; (IX). Promote and implement proactive transparency policies ensuring their accessibility; (X). Promote transparency and accessibility within the regulated entity; (XI). Inform the competent authority of the probable liability for breach of the obligations under this Act and other applicable provisions; and (XII). Any other resulting from other applicable regulations. The regulated entities will promote agreements with specialized public institutions that could assist them to deliver the answers to requests for information, in the indigenous language, braille or any appropriate accessible format, more efficiently.
Moldova	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	11 Obligations of information providers (2) In order to guarantee free access to official information, the information provider ...b) will appoint and train officers who will be in charge of providing official information 15 Responding to requests regarding access to information (2) The requests will be examined and carried out by the corresponding public officers.
Montenegro	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 5: "Any government agency shall be in obligation to compose and to publish, in appropriate manner, a list of the types of the information filed with it, including also public registers and records; data on the procedure for access to the information; names of the persons authorized to act upon any request for access to the information; and other data of importance for exercising the right of access to the information (Guide for Access to Information)."
Morocco	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	12. Tout institution ou organisme concerné doit désigner une ou plusieurs personnes qui seront chargées de la mission de recevoir les demandes d'accéder à l'information, de les étudier et de fournir les informations demandées, ainsi que d'apporter l'assistance nécessaire, le cas échéant, au demandeur de l'information dans l'établissement de sa demande. La personne ou les personnes en charge sont dispensées de l'obligation du secret professionnel prévu par la législation en vigueur dans la limite des missions qui lui ou leur sont confiées en vertu de la présente loi, sous réserve des dispositions de l'article 7 ci-dessus. L'institution ou l'organisme concerné doit mettre à la disposition de toute personne en charge une base de données qu'il détient afin de lui permettre d'accomplir ses missions conformément à la présente loi. 13. Tout institution ou organisme concerné est tenu de fixer par des circulaires internes les modalités d'exercice de la personne ou des personnes en charge de leurs fonctions, ainsi que les instructions à respecter afin de se conformer aux dispositions de la présente foi aux fins de faciliter l'accès à l'information aux demandeurs.
Namibia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	22. (1) The head of every public or private entity must designate a competent and suitable staff member as information officer to exercise and perform the powers and functions of an information officer conferred and imposed by or under this Act. (2) If the head of a public or private entity fails to designate a staff member as information officer, the head of the public or private entity must serve as information officer for the purposes of this Act.
Nepal	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	6. Provision of Information Officer: (1) A Public Body shall arrange for an Information Officer for the purpose of disseminating information held in its office. (2) For the purpose of disseminating information in accordance with Sub- Section (1), the Chief has to regularly provide information held in the office to the Information Officer. (3) Public Body shall set up an Information Section for the purpose of disseminating information as per necessity.
Nicaragua	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Artículo 5.- Son órganos de Aplicación de la Presente Ley: a. Las Oficinas de Acceso a la Información Pública de cada entidad; b. Las Oficinas de Coordinación del Acceso a la Información Pública de cada poder del Estado, Gobiernos Regionales Autónomas y Gobiernos Municipales; y c. La Comisión Nacional de Acceso a la Información Pública.	Art 6 - though the list in article 5 leaves it unclear as to whether this responsibility is incumbent upon all public authorities, or just those enumerated in Art 5.
Nigeria	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	2(3) A public institution shall cause to be published in accordance with subsection (4) of this Section, the following information - (f) the title and address of the appropriate officer of the institution to whom an application for information under this Act shall be sent, provided that the failure of any public institution to publish any information under this subsection shall not prejudicially affect the public's right of access to information in the custody of such public institution.	Section 2(3)(f). The Act requires every public institution to proactively publish the title and address of the appropriate officer of the institution to whom an application for information should be sent.
North Macedonia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Art. 8 "(1) Every information holder shall designate one or more officials for information mediation for the purpose of exercising the right to free access to information. (2) The information holder shall be obliged to inform the public on the official in charge of information mediation."
Pakistan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	9 Each public body shall, within thirty days of the commencement of this Act, notify one or more designated officials, not below the rank of BPS-I9 or equivalent: Provided that where no designated official has been notified or he is absent or not available, principal officer of the public body shall be the designated official: Provided further that in case of non-governmental organization, it may designate a senior officer as per its organizational structure. 10(1) (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the designated official shall be responsible for ensuring that requests are dealt with promoting full compliance by the public body of its obligations under this Act.
Panama	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Artículo 7: La Autoridad coordinará con todas las instituciones del Estado la implementación de la unidad de enlace, cuyo titular se denominará oficial de información, y le corresponderá a cada institución la designación de este.	Article 7 of Law 33 of 2013 requires each unit to have a liason officer.
Paraguay	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 6. competent organ. Public sources should enable an Office of Access to Public Information, in which applications will be accepted, as well as guide and assist the applicant in simple and understandable way.
Peru	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	3 Principio de publicidad: Todas las actividades y disposiciones de las entidades comprendidas en la presente Ley están sometidas al principio de publicidad. Los funcionarios responsables de brindar la información correspondiente al área de su competencia deberán prever una adecuada infraestructura, así como la organización, sistematización y publicación de la información a la que se refiere esta Ley. En consecuencia: 1. Toda información que posea el Estado se presume pública, salvo las excepciones expresamente previstas por el Artículo 15º de la presente Ley. 2. El Estado adopta medidas básicas que garanticen y promuevan la transparencia en la actuación de las entidades de la Administración Pública. 3. El Estado tiene la obligación de entregar la información que demanden las personas en aplicación del principio de publicidad. La entidad pública designará al funcionario responsable de entregar la información solicitada.	Article 3 requires entities to designate an official responsible for releasing the requested information. However, the law does not require that a new information officer be appointed.
Portugal	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Art 9: Every ministry, regional secretariat, local authority, public institute, public association, public foundation, public company, regional company, inter-municipal company, and municipal company shall designate a person to be responsible for compliance with the provisions of the present Law.
Romania	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 3. "Public authorities and organizations shall grant ex officio or by request access to the public information. The request shall be addressed to the compartment of public relations or to the designated person." Article 4. Section 1: "In order that each individual should have access to public information, public authorities and organizations shall establish specialized compartments for public relations and information or shall designate a person with tasks in this field." Article 16: "In order to ensure access of the mass-media to public information, the public authorities and organizations shall designate a spokesman, generally from the information and public relations compartments."
Russia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 9(2): (Organizing Access to Information on the Activities of Government Bodies and Bodies of Local Self-Government): Government bodies and bodies of local self-government, for the purpose of organization of access to information on their activities, determine corresponding structural divisions or authorized officials. The rights and duties of the above-specified divisions and officials are defined by regulations of government bodies and (or) other normative legal acts, and by regulations of bodies of local self-government and (or) other municipal legal acts, governing the activities of corresponding government bodies and bodies of local self-government.
Rwanda	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 8: A public organ shall appoint or designate an information officer for that organ and its branch, if there is any, to enable it to provide information to persons requesting for it in accordance with this Law. If the officer in charge of information is absent, the organ or its branch shall designate someone a substitute.
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	17
Saudi Arabia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	7.4(2) The public entity shall establish an organizational unit linked to the data management offices that have been established across public entities under the Royal Decree No. 59766 dated 20/11/1439 AH, and shall assign them the responsibility to develop, document and monitor the implementation of policies and procedures approved by the top management across these entities and related to the right to access public information. The functions and responsibilities of that unit shall include development of appropriate standards to determine levels of data classification in case of their absence – according to the Data Classification Interim Regulations – and using them as a main reference while processing requests for access to public information.
Serbia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 38. Paragraph 1: "A public authority shall appoint one or more official persons (hereinafter: authorized person) to respond to request for free access to information of public importance. [â€¦]"
Seychelles	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	7. (1) The head of every public body shall, in consultation with the Minister responsible for that public body designate a suitable officer of that body as Information Officer for the purposes of this Act. (2) The designation of the Information Officers under subsection (1) shall be published in the Gazette.
Sierra Leone	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	28. (1) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), a public authority shall appoint as many public information officers in all offices or units as they have at the local, district, provincial and national levels as is necessary to enable it to provide information to persons requesting information under this Act. (2) Where for any reason, a public authority has not appointed a public information officer, the head of the public authority shall for purposes of this Act, be deemed to be the public information officer of that public authority.
Slovenia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Art 9. "(1)Each body shall appoint one or more officials competent for the transmission of public information."
South Africa	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	17. (1) For the purposes of this Act, each public body must, subject to legislation governing the employment of personnel of the public body concerned, designate such number of persons as deputy information officers as are necessary to render the public body as accessible as reasonably possible for requesters of its records. (2) The information officer of a public body has direction and control over every deputy information officer of that body. See also the definition of "information officer" in s. 1.
South Korea	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	6(2) Public institutions shall organize the information management system for proper preservation and expeditious search of information, have a department or human resources in charge of duties related to information disclosure, and endeavor to establish the information disclosure system by using the information and communications network. PD 11-2: The head of a central administrative agency, the Special Metropolitan City Mayor, the Metropolitan City Mayor, the Metropolitan Autonomous City Mayor, Do Governor, the Special Self-Governing Province Governor, the head of a Si/Gun/Gu (referring to the head of an autonomous Gu; hereinafter the same shall apply), and a superintendent of an office of education of a Special Metropolitan City, Metropolitan City, Metropolitan Autonomous City, Do, and Special Self-Governing Province may appoint a chief officer of information disclosure, from among the public officials under his/her jurisdiction, to perform duties of the following subparagraphs relating to information disclosure: 1. Operation of the Information Disclosure Council; 2. Guidance on and support for duties pertaining to information disclosure for an affiliated agency; 3. Education and training for the development of business processing capabilities of information disclosure of a public official in charge of information disclosure; 4. Support for an applicant for information disclosure for his/her request of information disclosure.
South Sudan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	16(1)
Spain	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Artículo 21 (Unidades de Información): 1. Las Administraciones Públicas incluidas en el ámbito de aplicación de este Título establecerán sistemas para integrar la gestión de solicitudes de información de los ciudadanos en el funcionamiento de su organización interna. 2. En el ámbito de la Administración General del Estado, existirán unidades especializadas que tendrán las siguientes funciones: a) Recabar y difundir la información a la que se refiere el Capítulo I del Título I de esta Ley. b) Recibir y dar tramitación a las solicitudes de acceso a la información. c) Realizar los trámites internos necesarios para dar acceso a la información solicitada. d) Realizar el seguimiento y control de la correcta tramitación de las solicitudes de acceso a la información. e) Llevar un registro de las solicitudes de acceso a la información. f) Asegurar la disponibilidad en la respectiva página web o sede electrónica de la información cuyo acceso se solicita con más frecuencia. g) Mantener actualizado un mapa de contenidos en el que queden identificados los distintos tipos de información que obre en poder del órgano. h) Todas aquellas que sean necesarias para asegurar una correcta aplicación de las disposiciones de esta Ley. 3. El resto de las entidades incluidas en el ámbito de aplicación de este Título identificarán claramente el órgano competente para conocer de las solicitudes de acceso.
Sri Lanka	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Section 23. (1) (a) Every public authority shall for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Act, appoint, within three months of the date of coming into operation of this Act, one or more officers as information officers of such public authority and a designated officer to hear appeals. (b) Until such time that an information officer is appointed under paragraph (a) the Head or Chief Executive Officer of the public authority shall be deemed to be the information officer of such public authority, for the purposes of this Act.
Sudan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	9(2) Each public institution must appoint an employee specializing in information to be called “information officer” and to be in responsible for the following: (a) The necessary powers for searching for and accessing the requested information, (b) Examining the requests for access to information, (c) Maintain and preserve of information, (d) Publish the procedures, forms and the required fees with the approval of the Commissioner to facilitate access to them.
Switzerland	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	ORDINANCE ON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION IN THE ADMINISTRATION. Section 7. Advisor for the Implementation of the Principle of Freedom of Information. Article 20: "The Federal Office and the departments shall designate at least one advisor for the implementation of the principle of freedom of information. The advisor shall have the following duties: a. advising the administrative units, persons and organisations outside the Federal Administration, subject to the Freedom of Information Act; b. disseminating information and training staff; c. participating in the implementation of legislation on the principle of freedom of information."	The Federal Office and the departments shall designate at least one advisor for the realisation of the principle of freedom of information.
Tanzania	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	7(1) Every information holder shall appoint one or more officers as information officers. (2) An information officer shall deal with requests for information and render assistance to a person seeking such information. (3) Where an information holder failes to appoint an information officer, the head of such institution shall be the information officer for the purpose of this Act. Regulation 4.(1) The publication scheme shall, at a minimum, contain the following:- (a) the full name, designation, functions and contact details of an information officer appointed and maintained by an information holder in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the Act; (b) clear statement that- (i) describes the nature, organization, functions and powers of the information holder concerned;
Togo	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 7 : (1) Les organismes publics nomment en leur sein une personne responsable de l'accès aux informations et aux documents publics. (2) Un texte réglementaire précise les conditions de nomination et les attributions de cette personne.
Tunisia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Art. 32 - Tout organisme assujetti aux dispositions de la présente loi, doit désigner un chargé d’accès à l’information et son suppléant par décision prise à cet effet, comportant les principales données permettant d’identifier leurs identités, leurs grades et leurs emplois fonctionnels. L’instance d’accès à l’information mentionnée à l’article 37 de la présente loi, doit en être avisée dans un délai de quinze (15) jours à compter de la date de sa signature et cette décision doit être publiée sur le site web de l’organisme concerné. Art. 34 - Le chargé d’accès à l’information est tenu notamment de : 1. Réceptionner les demandes d’accès à l’information, les traiter et en répondre. 2. Assurer la coordination entre l’organisme concerné auquel il est rattaché et l’instance d’accès à l’information mentionnée à l’article 37 de la présente loi. 3. Préparer un plan d’action pour la consécration du droit d’accès à l’information en coordination avec les premiers responsables de l’organisme concerné, comportant des objectifs clairs et un calendrier à cet effet, fixant les étapes, les délais et le rôle de chaque intervenant, et ce, sous la tutelle du chef de l’organisme concerné. Les premiers responsables de l’organisme concerné, doivent faciliter la tâche du chargé d’accès à l’information, coordonner avec lui et lui fournir les données nécessaires pour l’élaboration du plan d’action. Le chargé d’accès prépare à cet effet, un rapport trimestriel qu’il transmet dans les quinze (15) jours suivants chaque trimestre, au chef de l’organisme concerné. 4. Préparer un rapport d’activité annuel relatif à l’accès à l’information dans le premier mois de l’année suivant l’année de l’exercice et le transmettre après sa validation par le chef de l’organisme, à l’instance d’accès à l’information. Ce rapport comporte les suggestions, les recommandations nécessaires pour renforcer la consécration du droit d’accès à l’information ainsi que des données statistiques sur le nombre des demandes d’accès déposées, les demandes objet de réponse, les refus, les demandes de recours gracieux, les réponses et délais y afférents, en plus des mesures prises en matière d’accès à l’information sur initiative de l’organisme concerné, la gestion des documents et la formation des agents. 5. Suivre la mise en œuvre du plan d’action et l’actualiser, sous la tutelle du chef de l’organisme concerné.
Ukraine	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	3.1. The right of access to public information shall be guaranteed by: 1) duty of information administrators to provide and publish information, except for instances envisaged by the law; 2) designation by the information administrator of special structural units or officials, who organize access to public information in its possession according to the established procedure; 14. 1 Information administrators shall be obliged to: 1) publish information provided by this and other laws; 2) systematically carry out recording of documents which are in their possession; 3) keep records of information requests; 4) allocate special places for requesters to work with documents or their copies, as well as allow requesters to make extracts from them, photograph, copy, scan them, record on any information medium, etc.; 5) have special structural units or appoint responsible persons for ensuring access of requesters to information and publishing information; 6) provide and publish accurate, exact and complete information and, if needed, verify the correctness and objectiveness of information provided and update the published information.
United States	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	7(j)
Uruguay	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	N/A	Regs Art 55, 56 and 57.
Vanuatu	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	10. Appointment of Right to Information Officer for each Government agency The Public Service Commission must, within 6 months of being specified by an Order of the Minister under paragraphs 2(4)(a) and (b), appoint a person in writing to be a Right to Information Officer for each Government agency. 11. Right to Information Officer for relevant private entities and private entities (1) A relevant private entity or a private entity must appoint a person or persons to be its Right to Information Officer. (2) If a relevant private entity or a private entity fails to appoint a Right to Information Officer, the Principal Administrative Officer of that entity is to be the Right to Information Officer for the purposes of this Act.	-
Vietnam	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	Article 33. Measures to ensure the right to access to information of citizens: (4) Assigning units, persons to act as a focal point to provide information. Reg. 8: Responsibilities of units in charge of information Provision: (1)To assign persons in charge of information provision to provide information in accordance with the Law on Access to Information.
Yemen	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	8: "Each party ought to designate an information specialist who would head a unit of information that is part of the components of the national system of information and is linked administratively and functionally to the pertaining party, and he shall: A. Control the necessary powers to search and access to the information required. B. Consider all requests for access of information. C. Maintain and preserve the information. D. Disseminate procedures and forms in ways that would allow the beneficiaries to look at them easily." 46: "There shall be established within a unit of information on each side an appropriate administrative level that is specialized in the supervision and control over the application of the security standards related to the information provided in all parties."	Article 8 - information specialists responsible for maintaining, preserving, and disseminating the information. Article 46 requires that specialized units be established to supervise and control the information.
Zambia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	YES	2	9
Angola	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	14 In each public authority, institution and statutory society there is an entity responsible for the implementation of the provisions of this law.	Art 14 somewhat covers this - but doesn't specify that the official be an information officer (just that someone must be responsible)
Ethiopia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	2(18) "Public Relation Officer" means a public relation officer or any other officer designated by the public body for the purpose of caring out the tasks of a public relation officer under this Proclamation.	2(18) implies this - but does not explicitly state it, and the vagueness of the position means they get 1 point rather than 2.
Liechtenstein	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	Articles 20 and 22 (law).	Legal entities are supposed to appoint information.
Mongolia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	14.2. An organization specified in the article 3.1 of this Law shall establish facility to meet citizens, and a timetable to receive request and publicly inform of it.	Must organise "facility to meet citizens" but not clear what this comprises.
Philippines	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	N/A	The regulations seem to require the appointment of a \"decisionmaker\" to receive requests, but whether this is mandatory is a bit unclear.
Qatar	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	المادة 1 في تطبيق أحكام هذا القانون، تكون للكلمتين والعبارات التالية، المعاني الموضحة قرين كل منها، ما لم يقتضِ السياق معنى آخر ... الإدارة المختصة: الوحدة الإدارية المعنية بتلقي طلبات الحصول على المعلومات والرد على تلك الطلبات، في الجهة المعنية. 1. In applying the provisions of this law, the following words and expressions will have the meanings indicated next to each of them, unless the context requires another meaning: … Competent Department: The administrative unit concerned with receiving requests for information and responding to those requests, in the concerned entity.	There is no real obligation to appoint one of these but there is at least some reference to the idea so some benefit of the doubt given.
San Marino	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	Regulation of 2 December 2015, No. 16, 7. 1. Officials with managerial qualifications are, as a rule and unless delegated to employees with qualifications/PDR of head of operational units, the persons responsible for transparency in relation to the obligations of publication and dissemination existing in the offices, services, internal organizational units of companies and autonomous public bodies of the State directed by themselves. 2. Officials with managerial status are also responsible for transparency in relation to the obligations imposed on the State bodies referred to in Article 2, paragraph 1, letter b), number 1) which relate to the administrative sector for which they are responsible.	Not specified in the 5 October 2011 Law on Administrative Procedures and Access to Administrative Documents. Only specified in the 2015 regulation governing proactive publication.
Trinidad and Tobago	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	7. (1) a PUBLIC AUTHORITY SHALL, WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE minister - (a) cause to be published in the Gazette and in a daily newspaper circulating in Trinidad and Tobago as soon as practicable after the commencement of this Act -(...) (VI) a statement specifying the officer responsible within each public authority for the initial receipt of, and action upon, notices under section 10, requests for access to documents under section 13 and applications under section 36;(...)	7(1)(a)(vi) requires that the responsibility be delegated to someone, but this isn't necessarily a dedicated officer.
Uzbekistan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	2014 Law on Activities of State Bodies, 10. The information service of public authorities and administration (hereinafter referred to as the information service) is a structural subdivision of public authorities and administration that performs the functions of preparing and disseminating information about their activities, as well as providing interaction with the media and the public, or a person who is entrusted with the implementation these functions. The information service takes measures to cover the activities of public authorities and administration in the media by organizing public events, distributing information messages (press releases, bulletins, etc.), as well as posting and updating on the official website of public authorities and management information about their activities. The information service may also use other methods of dissemination of information about the activities of public authorities and administration that do not contradict the law. The procedure for organizing the activities of the information service is determined by the state authorities and administration.	There is an information service but its role is far more linked to working with the media to provide briefings and information than to the right to information. Responding to requests is never mentioned as one of its roles.
Zimbabwe	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	Partially	1	2 “responsible person” means the principal officer or one of several officers of— (a) a public entity; (b) a public commercial entity; whose duty it is to create, keep, organise and maintain information on behalf of the entity;	Defines "responsible person" and refers frequently to "information officer" but no direct obligation on public entities to appoint one
Andorra	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	No mention in the law
Austria	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	Explanatory Note, Re § 3, The body that is to be responsible for the provision of information is to be determined. Who should act for or within the responsible body is determined by the respective organizational law.	Responsibility determined by other legislation.
Belgium	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Belize	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	No - generally this responsibility goes to the ministers.
Benin	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned
Burkina Faso	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	Article 43 : La plus haute autorité au sein d'un organisme de service public exerce les fonctions que la présente loi confère à la personne responsable de l'accès aux informations publiques et aux documents administratifs.
Cape Verde	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Colombia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Cook Islands	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	14. Decisions on requests – (...) (5) Where a request in accordance with section 11 of this Act is made or transferred to a Ministry, the decision on that request shall be made by the permanent head of that Ministry or an officer or employee of that Ministry authorized by that permanent head unless that request is transferred in accordance with section 13 of this Act to another Ministry or to a Minister of the Crown or to an organisation (...)	Art 14(5) allows for the possibility of designated officials, but does not mandate their appointment.
Cyprus	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned
Czech Republic	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Obligated bodies are not required to appoint neither dedicated officials nor units.
Denmark	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Dominican Republic	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Ecuador	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	No - requests go to the agency head.
Germany	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Greece	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Guyana	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Hungary	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Iceland	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Iran	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	Article 11. The highest position in the institution bears the responsibilities and duties in application of this law and [its] executive regulation. Note - The highest position in the institution can delegate, within the framework of legal authorities, the whole or portion of the responsibility in presentation and publication of information to other subordinate individuals.
Japan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Jordan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	No - the responsibility is with the head of the department. They have the option of delegating this, but are under no obligation to do so.
Kazakhstan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Latvia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Lithuania	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Monaco	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned
Mozambique	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned
Netherlands	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0		Not mentioned.
New Zealand	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned
Niger	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0		Not mentioned.
Norway	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0		Not mentioned.
Palau	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	Not mentioned
Poland	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	12(1) Public information made available in such a way, defined in Article 10 and 11, is marked with data defining the entity, which makes the information available, with the data defining the identity of a person, who produced the information or is responsible for its contents, data defining the identity of a person, who made this information available as well as the data being made available. (2) The entity making the information available is obliged to ensure the possibility of: 1) copying of public information or its printout or 2) sending the public information or transferring it to the appropriate, commonly used information carrier.	The quoted Article only describes the obligation to disclose the list on people that influence the refusal (such as the authority's lawyer) but does not impose the obligation to appoint any dedicated official.
Republic of Belarus	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	Article 29. Measures for protection of information State bodies and legal entities that process information dissemination and (or) provision of which is restricted shall identify relevant units or designated persons responsible for protection of information.	Officals/units are dedicated to the protection of information, rather than disclosure obligations
Slovakia	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Sweden	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0		Not specifically mentioned.
Taiwan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned
Tajikistan	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A
Thailand	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Turkey	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned.
Uganda	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	4. Interpretation. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires – (…) "information officer" means the Chief executive of a public body 10. Information officers For the purposes of this Act, the Chief Executive of each public body shall be responsible for ensuring that records of the public body are accessible under this Act.	The Act assigns this responsibility to the Chief Executive of each public body, not to an official with a dedicated responsibility for information provision.
United Kingdom	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not specifically mentioned.
Venezuela	Public authorities are required to appoint officials (information officers) or units with dedicated responsibilities for ensuring that they comply with their information disclosure obligations.	Score Y/N, Y=2 points	2	NO	0	N/A	Not mentioned

Home
Country Data
Subnational Entities and International Institutions

Methodology & Rating
- Methodology
- Rating
Historical
News & Reports
COVID-19 Tracker

Contact