Walter Keim
Am Berg 22
D-73553 Alfdorf-Haselbach, 25.4.2002
E-mail: walter.keim@gmail.com


To the
Secretariat of the Committee on Petitions
European Parliament
Schumann Building
L-2929 LUXEMBOURG


Petition 80/2002: Freedom of Information (FOI) in member state Germany

Sir,

petition 80/2002 is about freedom of information for Germany.

Please find the decision to vote against freedom of information of the parliament of the Land of Baden-Württemberg enclosed:
http://wkeim.bplaced.net/petition_bw.htm#antwort

I have commented the decision against freedom of information here: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/020424bw.htm

One of the reasons of the decision is that freedom of information would cost too much for the state. Another reason is, that there are few complaints 
about the lack of freedom of information at the moment. (Does this make sense? How should costs be high, if people at the moment do not complain about the lack). 
But how should Germans get to know about freedom of information, if the Land Baden-Württemberg refuses to translate recommendations of the Council of 
Europe? The main reason these recommendations are not translated is again costs.

Germany spends about 270 000 million € (EURO) per year for it's health system. According to the World Health Report 2000 Germany has the most expensive health system in the EU, 
but is on rank 25 among industrial states looking at the quality of services.
 

Freedom of information is a human right according to UN: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/petition_un.htm 

The lack of freedom of information shows that the acknowledgment of human rights is just on paper: Article 1 (2) of the constitution http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/gm00000_.html#A001_ not real.

Therefore I am preparing a constitutional complaint: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/v-klage_en.htm

I have asked the President of the EU Commission to consider to activate plans from 1993 to give EU citizens freedom of information in member
states: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/020418eu.htm 

On of the poorest countries in Europe is Moldavia. Article 34 of the constitution guaranties freedom of information, in Article 4 human rights are made part 
of the legal system (if there is a conflict with domestic law, human rights are higher) and in Article 23, the state has the duty to publish these 
rights: http://www.ifes.md/constitution/ 


Sincerely,

Walter Keim
Am Berg 22
D-73553 Alfdorf-Haselbach
E-mail: walter.keim@gmail.com
Support Freedom of Information: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/foil.htm#e-mail
Support Patients' Rights: http://wkeim.bplaced.net/patients.htm#e-mail

Copy: President of the EU Commission, EU Council, UNHCR-Special Rapporteur

Support Freedom of Information by E-Mail to the European Commission and Council with a copy to the European Parliament.

Freedom of information came 1766 to Sweden, 1951 to Finland,  1966 to den USA and 1970 to Norway. In 1981 the Council of Europe gave "Recommendation No. R (81) 19" on the access to information held by public authorities. Since then both EU and nearly all countries in the EU and Europe adopted such laws. However citizen rights in member states vary and there are no minimum standards. In order to keep up with the international development freedom of information should be strengthened in EU member states.

Support Freedom of Information, by the following E-Mail to the European Commission (click here):
I support the call to the European Commission and Council for democratic and accountable Freedom of Information laws on access to public documents in EU and member states.
(You may change the text according to your needs).

Thanks to all who have given comments and contributed to improve this petition. Please do not hesitate to mail me if you have comments.

Please feel free to link this site!

Visitor No. since 25.4.2002

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