Between June 23 and 25, 2025, the 16th International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC 2025) was held in Berlin, Germany, under the theme “Access to Environmental Information in a Digital Era”.
The International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) is a worldwide annual forum that connects Information Commissioners, Ombudspersons and other bodies in charge of overseeing the implementation of Access to Public Information legislation. Its objective is to foster the protection and the promotion of access to public information as a fundamental pillar to social, economic and democratic governance.
The conference serves as a platform for discussing current challenges, innovative solutions, and best practices from various countries aimed at improving access to environmental information.
Main topics
- Adapting access to environmental information to changing circumstances such as technological progress, shifting political situations and social developments.
- Comparative analyses of international and national legal frameworks on access to environmental information.
- Proactive accessibility of environmental data.
- Digital technologies to improve environmental transparency.
- Strengthening the active participation of citizens, especially marginalized groups.
- Highlighting the important role of civil society and media in environmental policy.
The prestigious event also featured the participation of the Executive Director of the Access to Information Programme Alexander Kashumov, who emphasized that “measures must be taken against the growing attacks on civil society and democracy, which are taking the form of foreign agents laws, lobbying, and other threats to citizens’ fundamental rights.”
On June 25, the final day of the conference, civil society organizations — including AIP — held a parallel event for the first time in celebration of the Day of Non-Governmental Organizations. During this event, they adopted the Berlin Civil Society Organizations Declaration on the Right to Information and Environmental Justice, outlining the core commitments of civil society along with calls to action for states, information commissioners, and all stakeholders.
Through the declaration, civil society activists committed to:
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Working collectively to promote the right to information and access to environmental information.
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Continuing advocacy efforts to address issues such as underfunding of various stakeholders in the right-to-information sector.
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Fostering stronger cooperation and the exchange of best practices.
The Berlin Declaration calls on states to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (the Tromsø Convention) and to ensure that their right-to-information laws provide for strong, independent, and adequately resourced oversight bodies (information commissioners/commissions).