Within the framework of the webinar Inter-American Model Law 2.0 on Access to Public Information for the Parliaments of the Americas and the Caribbean, held on May 6th and jointly organized by the parliaments of the Americas and the Caribbean (ParlAmericas), the Transparency and Access to Information Network (RTA), the European Union cooperation program EUROsociAL+ and the Organization of American States (OAS), the Department of International Law (DIL) presented the Inter-American Model Law 2.0 on Access to Public Information, approved in 2020 by the OAS General Assembly.

During his presentation, the Director of the DIL, Dr. Dante Negro, referred to the legal nature of this instrument and stressed that it included the legislative branch as a subject entity, with obligations regarding active transparency and management of requests for public information, as detailed in the Model Law 2.0 itself, as well as a comprehensive exceptions regime and other topics, resulting from extensive consultations that the DIL carried out as part of the process that led to the approval of this Model Law.

The presentation highlighted the importance of the Inter-American Model Law on Documentary Management and its Implementation Guide, both annexes to Model Law 2.0, as additional resources to strengthen the capacities of OAS Member States to classify, store, safeguard, locate and deliver information generated by subject entities.

The event also included a panel to reflect on national experiences, moderated by Maria José Méndez, an expert consultant for EUROsociAL+ with panelists Caroline Maynard, Canada’s Information Commissioner; Ms. Gloria de la Fuente, President of the Chile’s Council for Transparency; and the Hon. Senator Ranard Henfield of The Bahamas. The panel fostered the exchange of good legislative practices for transparency and access to information, both of which are part of the Legislative Transparency Toolbox, developed by ParlAmericas, EUROsociAL+, and the RTA.

Likewise, in the context of the extensive cooperation between the DIL and the Spanish Agency for the Protection of Personal Data, the Director of the DIL made a presentation on May 11, on the general content of said Model Law 2.0 and the legal scope of access to public information as it relates to the protection of personal data. This was the second presentation on Model Law 2.0 that the DIL has given in an event organized by the Spanish Agency and coincides with the recent approval by the Inter-American Juridical Committee (CJI) of the Updated Principles on Privacy and the Protection of Personal Data.

» To view the Inter-American Model Law 2.0 on Access to Public Information website, click here.

» To view the webinar Inter-American Model Law 2.0 on Access to Public Information for the Parliaments of the Americas and the Caribbean, click here.

» To view the Updated Principles on Privacy and Protection of Personal Data, click here.