Swissmedic Annual Report 2018

78 Stakeholder management
Transparency
The Federal Act on Freedom of Information in the Administration
(FoIA), which, together with the related Ordinance,
entered into force on 1 July 2006, grants every individual
the general right to access public documents. These include
documents which relate to public mandates and which
Swissmedic drew up or received after 1 July 2006. Applications
to consult such documents do not need to be substantiated.
The right of access to official documents can be
restricted or refused in order to protect overriding public or
private interests.
Activities
• There was a significant year-on-year increase – from 11
to 24 – in the number of requests made under the FoIA.
Appeals procedure regarding access
to official documents
Appeals against decisions in connection with access to official
documents may be lodged with the Federal Administrative
Court within 30 days. That Court’s judgement may in
turn be contested before the Federal Supreme Court.
Activities
• No appeals were lodged against official decisions issued
under Freedom of Information legislation.
• As at the end of 2018, there were no pending appeals
before the Federal Administrative Court or the Federal
Supreme Court arising from Freedom of Information
requests.
Appeals procedure regarding access
to official documents
2018
2017
2016
2
9
24
2
2
11
7
6
19
2
3
8
0
3
4
0
1
5
Requests made under the FoIA
Full access granted
Access completely refused
Access partially restricted, postponed or refused
Pending
Requests withdrawn