Managing Access to Public Information Conflicts: is Mediation a Solution? Lessons from the Catalan Experience

Abstract

Access to public information often creates conflicts particularly when Public Administration rejects information requests. This research article examines the application of mediation to conflicts related to the right of access to documentation and public information in five selected different countries and regions from Europe and North America. It develops a study of the first autonomic regulation in Spain, Catalan Act 19/2014, of December 29, which has provided an alternative mechanism to solve conflicts in this area. This compared analysis aims to shed light on the use of mediation in conflict resolution concerning access to public information to identify its benefits, but also its limitations.