Verkhovna Rada committee endorses presidential bill on Tromsø Convention ratification

The Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine endorsed the draft law "On Ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (Tromsø Convention)" tabled by President Zelensky.

 “The Committee endorsed the presidential draft law on the ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (Tromsø Convention) (No. 0032),” deputy chairperson of the committee, deputy chairperson of the Servant of the People faction Yevhenia Kravchuk posted on Facebook upon the results of the committee meeting on April 8.

She recalled that the Convention was opened for signature on 18 June 2009 and would enter into force after ten member states of the Council of Europe ratified it. To date, nine countries have already ratified the Tromsø Convention, so Ukraine has a chance to leave a mark in history by launching this important international document.

According to Kravchuk, this is the first international document by which the countries not only recognize the right of access to information but also agree to secure this right, cooperate in the sphere of access, and set up international monitoring bodies.

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