The Berlin Administrative Court (Verwaltungsgericht) ruled in favor of information access under the German Freedom of Information Act (Informationsfreiheitsgesetz, IFG) in a case related to the German passenger car toll system (Pkw-Maut). The case revolved around claims from plaintiffs – the prospective toll operators – for specific documents from the Federal Ministry of Transport (Bundesverkehrsministerium). The Ministry had claimed various grounds to withhold the information, including potential adverse effects on ongoing arbitral proceedings. However, the court rejected these arguments and asserted the primacy of the Information Freedom Act (IFG) over the procedural rules of arbitral proceedings. This decision sets an important precedent concerning the interplay between information access and arbitration procedures. Read More
Berlin Administrative Court Allows Freedom of Information Act Access in Support of Arbitral Proceedings
