Freedom of information act full#
Freedom of information act download#

If no alternative entity is identified (meaning that the document/information cannot be traced at any Public Authority) the applicant will be informed accordingly. If this is not the case, such Public Authority will seek to identify the proper entity to whom the request should be submitted and will transfer such application accordingly (informing the applicant in the process). The Public Authority will also verify whether the requested document/information is held at its end. The Public Authority will submit notification of whether the request will be accepted or not within 20 working days from its receipt however it can apply an extension of up to an additional of 40 working days. Prior to taking a decision in this regard, the Public Authority shall consider whether any of the exemptions listed in the FOI Act apply.

Freedom of information act full#

Once it establishes that a request is an FOI request and can be addressed from its end, the Public Authority will determine whether it can provide the applicant with the document/information requested (in full or in part) or whether it will refuse the request. Such timeframe may be extended by up to forty (40) working days in line with Article 11 of the Freedom of Information Act, in which case the applicant will be given notice of the extension and the reasons therefore.

The Public Authority undertakes to submit notification indicating whether a request would be met or not in terms of the Freedom of Information Act as soon as reasonably practicable, and in any case within twenty (20) working days. If there is a lapse of time from the date when the relevant decision/recommendation is taken and the date when the person learns about the decision/recommendation, the six months will apply as from the date when the person learns about the decision/recommendation.įOI requests will be duly acknowledged by the Public Authorities. In such cases, the request must be made within 6 months from the relevant decision or recommendation. As long as it is possible, access to a document has to be provided in accordance with the applicant’s preference.Īpplicants may seek information in relation to a decision or recommendation made by the Public Authority in respect of them. In the case of documents that are a recording of sounds and visual images, the Public Authority may make arrangements for the applicant to hear or view those sounds or visual images. One may ask for any document held by a public authority without giving reason or justify his request. The applicant will also need to indicate the format in which he wishes to receive such document and information. The applicant will need to give an indication of the documentation/information he wishes to obtain. These details are required, amongst other things, in order to facilitate contact with the Public Authority. When filling in the Request Form, the applicant will be required to provide his contact details, such as the number of the Identity Card or residence permit, the telephone number as well as his electronic address. Applicants can submit a request directly through the above-indicated portal either through e-ID or by filling the online form.

Freedom of information act download#

Request for Document/Information Forms are available for download from this website or from the Freedom of Information website at They can also be obtained from the various Public Authorities (either by calling on site or through their respective websites). Obtaining Request for Document/Information Forms Such person has to be also either a citizen of Malta or a citizen of any other Member State of the European Union or a citizen of any other state the citizens of which have a right, in virtue of any treaty between such state and the European Union, to be treated in Malta in the same manner as citizens of Member States of the European Union. In order to be eligible to submit FOI requests, a person has to be a resident in Malta and to have been so for a period of at least five years. The requests have to be in written format on the prescribed forms and have to be delivered to an office of the Public Authority, either electronically – by e-mail or through the website or manually or by post. Eligible persons may submit Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all Public Authorities, including those listed under the Office of the Prime Minister.