Information request — Instanța de contencios administrativ

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, Instanța de contencios administrativ / Avocatul Poporului (Legea 544/2001) (0800 800 940) — the information commissioner or ombudsman for Romania — reviews it; Avocatul Poporului (0800 800 940) handles the procedural complaint; Tribunalul — secția de contencios administrativ (portal.just.ro) is the court. Documents about you are also a data-protection right (GDPR access), which has no exceptions for "internal" notes.

Call firstInstanța de contencios administrativ / Avocatul Poporului (Legea 544/2001)

Report toAvocatul Poporului

If that failsTribunalul — secția de contencios administrativ

🗣️ 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 Instanța de contencios administrativ / Avocatul Poporului (Legea 544/2001) for silence.
RefusedRead the exception. Partial disclosure with redactions is the norm; a blanket refusal is reviewable at Instanța de contencios administrativ / Avocatul Poporului (Legea 544/2001).
Documents about youUse both routes: access to information and GDPR access. The GDPR route reaches personal notes and assessments.

📇 All contacts

Instanța de contencios administrativ / Avocatul Poporului (Legea 544/2001)Access to public information, administrative complaintWhen a body refuses information📞 0800 800 940 🔗 avp.ro

Avocatul PoporuluiComplaints about public administration, freeWhen the administration does not answer or acts unfairly📞 0800 800 940 🔗 avp.ro

Tribunalul — secția de contencios administrativAdministrative court actionWithin 6 months of the reply to the prior complaint🔗 portal.just.ro

ANSPDCP — Autoritatea Națională de Supraveghere a Prelucrării DatelorComplaints against companies, investigations, finesWhen the company does not answer within a month or misuses data📞 031 805 9211 🔗 www.dataprotection.ro/?page=plangeri_pagina_principala

❓ 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; Instanța de contencios administrativ / Avocatul Poporului (Legea 544/2001) 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 Romania”
“access to documents public body”
“foi request refused appeal”
“information commissioner Romania”
“request my file from authority”

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