In implementation of the Parliamentary initiative 16.432 Graf-Litscher (“Fee regulation. Publicity principle in the federal administration”) the National Council’s State Policy Committee (SPK-NR) has already adopted on February 14, 2020 a for the attention of the consultationThe Federal Supreme Court of Austria (BGÖ) has issued a resolution to the effect that, in principle, no fee should be charged for access to official documents under the BGÖ:
According to the majority of the SPK‑N, Art. 17 paras. 1 and 2 of the Federal Law Gazette shall be reworded as follows:
1 No fees are charged in procedures for access to official documents.
2 Exceptionally, fees may be charged if an access request involves a particularly complex machining required by the authority. The fee may thereby maximum 2000 francs amount. The Federal Council shall determine the details and the fee tariff on a time and material basis.
The Commission minority wants to waive a cap on fees.
Paragraph 3 shall now read as follows:
3 In conciliation proceedings (Art. 13) and proceedings for the issuance of an order (Art. 15), no fees shall be charged under any circumstances.
This is despite the fact that today, in almost 98% of cases, the charging of a fee is waived.