Information request — CADA · France

Direct answer

Every EU country has an access-to-information law: you can ask any public body for documents, without giving a reason, and they must answer within a legal deadline (often 15–30 days) — either with the documents or with a reasoned refusal citing an exception (privacy, security, ongoing decisions). Send the request to the body; if refused or ignored, CADA — Commission d'accès aux documents administratifs (01 42 75 79 99) — the information commissioner or ombudsman for France — reviews it; Défenseur des droits (3928) handles the procedural complaint; Tribunal administratif (telerecours.fr) is the court. Documents about you are also a data-protection right (GDPR access), which has no exceptions for "internal" notes.

Call firstCADA — Commission d'accès aux documents administratifs

Report toDéfenseur des droits

If that failsTribunal administratif

🗣️ What to say

"Under [access-to-information law] I request copies of [documents: description, period, subject], including [emails, reports, contracts]. Please provide them in electronic form within the legal deadline. If you refuse any part, please state the exception and the reasoning, and tell me how to appeal."

🪜 Step by step

Describe, do not justifyWhat documents, which period, which department. No reason is needed; a clear description is.
Send it in writingEmail to the body's official address or the online portal. Note the date — the deadline runs from receipt.
Deadline passesA reminder citing the law; then a complaint to CADA — Commission d'accès aux documents administratifs for silence.
RefusedRead the exception. Partial disclosure with redactions is the norm; a blanket refusal is reviewable at CADA — Commission d'accès aux documents administratifs.
Documents about youUse both routes: access to information and GDPR access. The GDPR route reaches personal notes and assessments.

📇 All contacts

CADA — Commission d'accès aux documents administratifsAccess to administrative documents, mandatory opinion before courtWhen a body refuses a document📞 01 42 75 79 99 🔗 www.cada.fr

Défenseur des droitsComplaints about public services, discrimination, children's rightsWhen the administration does not answer or acts unfairly📞 3928 🔗 www.defenseurdesdroits.fr

Tribunal administratifAppeals against administrative decisionsWithin 2 months of the decision🔗 www.telerecours.fr

CNILComplaints against companies, investigations, finesWhen the company does not answer within a month, or misuses data📞 01 53 73 22 22 🔗 www.cnil.fr/fr/plaintes

❓ Frequently asked

Can they charge me?

Copying costs at most; many countries provide electronic copies free. Excessive fees are appealable.

They say the documents do not exist

Ask how they searched; CADA — Commission d'accès aux documents administratifs can check. Emails and messages are documents too.

Can I ask a private company?

Only if it performs a public task or is publicly owned; otherwise, GDPR access for your own data.

📎 Sources

Last checked: 2026-09-26

🔎 Common searches

Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.

“freedom of information request France”
“access to documents public body”
“foi request refused appeal”
“information commissioner France”
“request my file from authority”

🧭 Is this still correct?

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📂 How do I request documents or information from a public body?