Access to information
This Directive is aimed at extending the accessibility and re-use of documents held and produced by public authorities in the member states by setting minimum rules in the area. The term “re-use” covers a subsequent use by a person who obtained the document from the authority and explicitly covers both non-commercial and commercial use. Even if the intended re-use is commercial, the authority may not charge fees higher than the actual costs for provision of the document. The authorities are also encouraged to produce and make electronic versions available without need to use specific software, thereby reducing costs and time necessary.
Existing rules of Member States on freedom of information and determination of accessible documents are not affected. The member states are obliged to announce if they are withdrawing a document from public access or are no-longer updating it.
Documents may be released without a licence or a standard licence agreement may be concluded, covering proper use, non-alteration, liability or acknowledgement of source. A licence offer shall be produced within 20 days of the application, in case of complex requests an extension of further 20 days is possible. Public authorities may only enter in exclusive agreements regarding the dissemination of documents covered by the directive where this is “necessary for the provision of a service in the public interest”, e.g. when it would not be otherwise feasible for a publisher to publish the document. Any such exclusive agreements should be reviewed at regular intervals. Even existing exclusive agreements shall be reviewed and, if non-compliant, terminated before 2008.
This directive entered into force on 31 December 2003 and Member States shall comply with it by 1 July 2005.
Other articles
30th Advent Concert for the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havlová Foundation
The Advent Concert of Good Will, organised since 1995 by the law firm Kocián Šolc Balaštík for the benefit of the Committee of Good Will – Olga Havlová Foundation, will this year take place on Sunday, 7 December, from 7:00 p.m., traditionally in the concert hall of the Church of Sts. Simon and Jude in the Old Town of Prague. The concert is held under the auspices of the First Lady of the Czech Republic, Mrs Eva Pavlová.
Kyberbezpečnost nově: tisíce firem čekají nové povinnosti. Iniciativa je plně na podnikateli.
Od 1. listopadu 2025 čeká tisíce firem v České republice napříč různými odvětvími zásadní změna v oblasti kybernetické regulace. Nový zákon o kybernetické bezpečnosti spolu s řadou doprovodných právních předpisů totiž výrazně rozšiřuje okruh subjektů, na které bude dopadat. Cílem regulace je zvýšit odolnost technické infrastruktury vůči kybernetickým hrozbám. Místo úzkého okruhu pouze klíčových institucí se nová pravidla budou vztahovat na široké spektrum firem a organizací, které poskytují tzv. regulované služby. Jde o služby zásadní pro fungování společnosti a státu, jejichž narušení či výpadek by mohly mít negativní dopady na bezpečnost státu, ekonomickou stabilitu a každodenní chod společnosti.
KŠB assisted with the financing of the MOSAIQ Beroun project
KŠB provided legal advice to Avisum Beroun, a member of the Go4Home Group, in connection with the financing of the construction of the residential project MOSAIQ Beroun, secured by Trinity Bank.
