Vienna has published a review of its first year under the freedom of information act (IFG). The city reports that implementation has so far required 30,279 working hours and about 2.2 million euros. It also says the data.gv.at information register shows Vienna with the most published documents of any administration, which gives other administrations a reference point for what moving from official secrecy to transparency involves in practice.
What the first year showed
According to the review, administrative practice has shifted. Official secrecy used to be highly valued, while transparency is now more central. Besides answering individual requests, the law requires the proactive publication of information. Counting open government data, Vienna had the most published documents among administrations in the data.gv.at register when the review was drawn up. City director Dietmar Griebler said that transparency “makes our administration readable” and builds trust.
Limits and resources
The city notes that freedom of information has limits and that each case still needs careful review. Security interests, third-party rights, data protection, business and trade secrets, or the protection of decision preparation can stand in the way of publication.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Working hours | 30,279 |
| Costs | about 2.2 million euros |
| Designated IFG officers | around 250 |
The roughly 250 officers work in the city’s departments, so the law is implemented in a decentralised way. Requests are generally handled where the information is held. Staff are supported with legal explanations, FAQs, current case law, model decisions and standardised procedures.
Plans for the second year
The city wants to expand proactive publication in the second year. The principle is that information already public and easy to find does not need to be requested separately. Erwin Streimelweger, head of the IFG unit, said the city wants to strengthen the exchange of experience. He added that further court rulings will shape how the law is applied. The review concludes that freedom of information is not a finished project but increasingly part of daily administrative work. The stated aim is to make administrative action easier to follow and information easier to access while protecting legitimate interests.