Past Conferences
The first ICIC was held in Berlin, Germany, in 2003. At the end of that conference, participants entered into a declaration of cooperation:
“Participation in the knowledge of public entities is a legal right of the information society. Without discrimination any person must be allowed access to the documents of public agencies. The transparent public administration open to citizen participation in its decisions is a prerequisite of a modern democratic society. The information commissioners and ombudsmen who secure freedom of information in their home countries are obliged to preserve and respect these basic principles. In order to foster a broader worldwide public awareness of freedom of information, to further analyse and define its vital elements and to benefit from exchange of experience, the undersigned agree to continuous co-operation in the international conference of information commissioners.”
Subsequently the conferences were held in South Africa (2004) , Mexico (2005) , England (2006), New Zealand (2007), Norway (2009), Canada (2011), Germany (2013), Chile (2015), and England (2017).
The conference was held every year for the first five years and started being held every second year from 2007 onwards.
Themes
Regulation on access to information and freedom of expression, its implementation
and exercise of the right of access to information.
Documents
Declaration of Cooperation that constitutes the International Conference
of Information Commissioners.
Themes
Regulation on access to information and freedom of expression, its implementation
and exercise of the right of access to information.
Documents
Declaration of Cooperation that constitutes the International Conference
of Information Commissioners.
Themes
The value of transparency and accountability as a commitment to democracy.
Documents
Declaration of Cancún, subscribed by the civil society organizations that
attended the ICIC. The declaration highlights the following:
- It demands governments to advance in the application of the right of access
to information in line with the highest standards. - It urges the incorporation of transparency and access to information into
the agenda and practice of intergovernmental organizations, including
financial institutions. - It proposes that non-governmental organizations and private companies
voluntarily adopt transparency standards.
Themes
Global perspective of access to information and regimes for its guarantee.
Documents
Manchester Declaration on Access to Information
- The declaration calls on governments to respect the right of access to
information in line with international law and best practices. - It recognizes the crucial role played by Information Commissioners and
similar independent oversight bodies. - It urges all countries to sign and ratify the United Nations Convention
against Corruption, which requires States Parties to adopt measures that
guarantee access to information.
Themes
- Technological development and its consequences for citizens’ right to
openness and transparency. - Access to environmental information.
- Instruments for the effective application of access to information.
- The financial crisis and transparency — the role of freedom of information.
Themes
- The construction of access to information regimes.
- Beyond access: convergence between freedom of information, proactive
transparency and open government. - The impact of technologies on access to information.
Documents
Resolution: “More Transparency Is an International Task”
- The resolution enshrines the right of access to information and supports
its dissemination. - It supports the Open Government Declaration of 2011.
Themes
- Transparency and government action.
- Transparency and limits of the private sector.
- Transparency and privacy: two sides of the same coin.
- Media and the right to know.
- Freedom of expression on the Internet.
- Open data and open government: freedom of information 2.0.
Documents
Resolution: “Transparency: The Fuel of Democracy”
- It advocates for effective provision of information that benefits from
the options offered by information technologies. - It encourages the recognition of the right of access to information and
proactive transparency of government actions. - It reaffirms the demand made in Ottawa in 2011 that all States should join
and actively support the Open Government Partnership. - It requests that States ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Access
to Official Documents, also known as the Tromsø Convention.
Themes
- Collaboration and exchange of experiences in the management and
implementation of access to information laws. - The use of mediation or other alternative mechanisms.
- Identification of measurement mechanisms in the implementation of public
policies on transparency and the right of access to public information. - Comparative jurisprudence.
Documents
Resolution of the IX International Conference of Information Commissioners
In the resolution, Information Commissioners urge cooperation to address
the challenges currently facing the right of access to information.
Themes
- Trust, transparency and progressive information rights.
- Defending the open society.
- The future of transparency and access to information.
- What are progressive information rights?
- Global models for access to information: how well do they work?
- Journalists, access to information and open data.
- Showcase: access to information approaches.
Organisers
Elizabeth Denham, the UK Information Commissioner, and Rosemary Agnew,
the Scottish Information Commissioner.
The 2019 ICIC provided a platform for diverse voices to address current issues
that affect access to information, including transparency and accountability,
competing interests, the rights of vulnerable societies and the divisive role
of technology.
The Conference offered an opportunity for local, regional and international
Information Commissioners, non-governmental organizations and promoters of
access to information to share experiences and insights on how to strengthen
public access to information through international cooperation.
Theme
Access to Information for a Changing World
Statement
Proactive Publication of Information Relating to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Webinars
- Transparency and Trust in Pandemic Times.
- Blurred Boundaries in Access to Information: Home Office and Public Records Management.
- Privacy and Transparency in Health Issues.
- Access to Information and Freedom of the Press.
- Challenges of Transparency in Digital Government and the Use of Artificial Intelligence.
- State Secrecy.
- The Interplay Between Data Protection and Access to Information.
- Environmental Information and P10.
Workshops
- Transparency by Design and Document Management as Means of Good Governance.
- Access to Information and Public Service Delivery.
- Transparency, Gender and Groups in Situations of Vulnerability.
Theme
Access to Information for a Changing World
Statement
Access to Information, Participation and Inclusion in the Digital Era
The diversity of professionals and authorities gathered in Puebla contributed
to a common objective: envisioning better frameworks for participation,
inclusion and governance in a digital world that is as changing as it is unequal.
The agenda adopted a holistic approach, reflecting the complex network of
themes shaping the digital era, including balancing innovation and technological
development with the protection of fundamental rights, restoring social trust
and strengthening contemporary democracies through transparency and the right
to information.
Theme
Bridging Information Across Nations: Concretizing the Global Role of
Access to Information for Democratic Preservation, Inclusivity and Development
Statement
Concretizing the Global Role of Access to Information for Democratic
Preservation, Inclusivity and Development
Theme
Empowering Individuals Through Access to Information: Ensuring Transparency
and Inclusivity in an Interconnected World
Statement
Transparency and the Digital Age: The Information Commissioner’s Role
and Citizen Empowerment
Conference Report
The XV edition of the International Conference of Information Commissioners
held in Tirana, Albania, united public officials, leaders, experts and academics
in the field of access to public information.
The 2024 edition emphasized transparency, accountability, international
cooperation and citizen participation as the foundations of just and
democratic societies.
Theme
Access to Environmental Information in a Digital Era
Statement
Securing the Right to Environmental Information in a Digital World
Report
The XVI ICIC Conference in Berlin marked a significant milestone for the
international community of Information Commissioners. The Conference was
convened under the theme “Access to Environmental Information in a Digital Era.”
Regulators, experts and civil society stakeholders from around the world
examined how to ensure meaningful and equitable access to environmental
information during rapid digital transformation.
Theme
Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age
Statement
Report
The 17th edition of the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC) was held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from September 28 to 30, 2026, alongside the International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI).
The Freetown conference reaffirmed the ICIC’s commitment to international cooperation, stronger transparency frameworks, and the effective exercise of the right of access to information worldwide.
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