Access to information in the Nordic countries

Free access to public records is crucial to democratic control and participation. Rules of law and legal practice concerning access and secrecy are of far-reaching significance to all sectors of society and to the relationship between citizens and the state. Access to Information in the Nordic Countries demonstrates that, in the five Nordic countries, right-of-access rules are very different and show no consistent pattern. A country with the best conditions in some areas may have poor conditions in others.