Austria - September 2025

On 1 September, Austria’s new Freedom of Information Act entered into force, abolishing the constitutional principle of official secrecy. Under the law, all public authorities must now make all ‘information of general interest’ publicly and electronically available, including via the federal portal of the national information register. Where information is not immediately publicly available, authorities will be required to respond to all requests for information within four to eight weeks. Though agencies were previously required to provide specific information upon request, the new law significantly expands the scope of information that must be disclosed, narrows the grounds for secrecy, shortens response deadlines and extends transparency obligations to companies that are more than 50 per cent publicly owned. While the Bundesrat passed the law on 15 February 2024, it was set to enter into force on 1 September 2025 to allow time to prepare the necessary infrastructure. 

Sources: Der Standard, Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (1), Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (2), Austrian Federal Office for Consumer Health