Trade secrets

Business and trade secrets are protected - even if a freedom of information law creates information claims against an authority.

According to the freedom of information or transparency laws (in the fall of 2021 for the federal government and all states with the exception of Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Saxony), a request for access to information about an administration must be rejected if the transmission of the information would disclose a trade or business secret and thereby cause economic damage.

Unlike, for example, information that is generally accessible and the loss of which would not cause any damage or breach any conditions (e.g. brochures, leaflets, website), there are data and information whose disclosure is subject to restrictions.

The following pages describe examples.