What text did Norway publish under its freedom of information act, and where can it be read in full?

1. What text was published: the statute’s title and scope

The published text is the national statute governing public access to official documents — formally “Act relating to the right of access to documents held by public authorities and public undertakings” — which sets the main rule of public access, enumerates statutory exceptions (Sections 13–26) and establishes procedural rights such as appeals and obligations for authorities ^{[1] [4] [5]}. The Act is anchored in Norway’s constitutional protections for free expression and the principle of full disclosure (Section 100 and Section 3 as interpreted), and functions as the primary legal safeguard for public access to administrative records across government bodies ^{[6] [3]}.

2. Where the full text can be read online — official repositories and translations

The Act’s full text is hosted on Lovdata, which provides an English-language, unofficial translation of the 2006 Act with the disclaimer that the Norwegian version published in Norsk Lovtidend has legal primacy (Lovdata page for the Act) ^[1]. An international legal database, ILO’s NATLEX, also lists the consolidated Act (Act No. 16 of 2006) and provides the statutory text in its collection of national legislation ^[2]. Government portals and law-focused reports—such as the Commission for Freedom of Expression materials and ministry summaries—add downloadable documentation and explanatory texts that reproduce the Act and related rules ^{[3] [7]}.

3. Practical access: how to obtain documents under the Act and where to look

Beyond the statute itself, Norway operates practical access tools referenced in the published material: the eInnsyn electronic access service lets users search and order documents held by administrative agencies (noted as Norwegian-language) and specific public bodies publish guidance on filing requests and the treatment of refusals under the Act (for example, the maritime complaints body and the County Governor’s guidance) ^{[4] [5]}. The National Archives confirms that records created by public administration bodies are subject to the Freedom of Information Act and describes release rules and exceptions—information that supplements reading the Act when seeking archival material ^[8].

4. Limits, legal authority and recommended reading order

Readers should note that Lovdata’s English text is explicitly labeled “unofficial” and that the Norwegian original in Norsk Lovtidend is the legally authentic version in case of discrepancy; this is stated on Lovdata’s page for the Act ^[1]. For authoritative legal citations or litigation purposes, the Norwegian-language version must be consulted first, while Lovdata, NATLEX and government summaries are suitable for research, journalism, and general public use ^{[1] [2] [3]}. The statute itself cross-references other laws (e.g., Public Administration Act confidentiality provisions and sectoral exceptions) which readers will need to consult to understand exemptions and operational practice ^{[4] [8]}.

5. Context and competing perspectives

Legal commentators and law firms point out Norway’s tradition of strong public access—rooted in constitutional guarantees and a culture of transparency—while also highlighting practical frictions such as broad interpretations of business confidentiality and sectoral exceptions that can limit access in practice; these analyses draw on the Act and case practice to explain how the written statute plays out in procurement, security, and privacy contexts ^{[6] [9]}. International resources underline Norway’s compliance work on environmental information and archival release timelines, signaling that the published Act is only one piece of a broader statutory and administrative system for information access ^{[7] [10]}.