46 | Annual Report 2019
that the information revealed parts of the content of
documents of the case which were exempt from access under the provision in section 10(1) of the 1985
Access to Public Administration Files Act.
In the Ombudsman’s opinion access to some of the
information concerned could not be denied under the
provision in section 13(1) paragraph (6) of the Act on
the grounds given by the Ministry.
On that basis, the Ombudsman recommended that
the Ministry reopen the case and make a new decision
on access.
2019-20. Ministry of Finance entitled to
deny access to environmental information
in correspondence about solar cells
In a decision on a request from a journalist, the Ministry of Finance denied access to various information
under the provision in section 13(1) paragraph (6) of
the 1985 Access to Public Administration Files Act,
cf. the Environmental Information Act. The information
concerned correspondence of the Ministry of Finance
with other ministries about solar cells.
In connection with a previous investigation (Case No.
2019-8) of a complaint in the same case, the Ombudsman had stated that access to certain information could not be denied under the provision on the
grounds given by the Ministry.
In a new decision, the Ministry still denied access
to some of this information under the provision in
section 13(1) paragraph (6) of the 1985 Access to
Public Administration Files Act. The grounds given in
this decision were that the information would reveal
the content of assessments of a political nature, negotiating mandate, strategies, summaries of political
statements, the interpretation of political ties, etc.
On that basis, the Ombudsman had no grounds for
criticising the decision of the Ministry of Finance.
2019-22. Coordination of and responsibility
for guidance on digital self-service solutions on
www.borger.dk
On 3 April 2019, the Ombudsman submitted a report
on the administration of Haderslev Municipality’s
digital self-service solution for applications under
sections 112, 113 and 116 of the Social Services
Act for technical aids, consumer durables and layout
and interior design work for persons with permanent
functional impairment (Case No. 2019-11). The Ombudsman’s report also addressed the situation where
persons wished to submit applications on behalf of
others.
The case occasioned the Ombudsman to consider
some more general aspects in relation to the need for
clear information about which authority is responsible for the individual pages on www.borger.dk1 and
the need for overall coordination of information and
guidance across the relevant pages on www.borger.dk,
including guidance on whether it is compulsory or
optional to use the individual self-service solution and
guidance on how to submit an application on behalf of
another person.
The Ombudsman subsequently opened a general
investigation with the Agency for Digitisation about
the overall coordination of and the responsibility for
information and guidance concerning digital selfservice solutions on www.borger.dk.
The Agency for Digitisation stated to the Ombudsman
that it would take measures aimed to improve
www.borger.dk so that, among other things, relevant
information which citizens need before using a selfservice solution was displayed. Examples were information about whether it is compulsory or optional to
1) A common public-sector portal providing a single point of access to the authorities’
digital self-service solutions and information about public authorities and services
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