The Public Administration Act features general rules on impartiality, the duty of confidentiality and the duty to provide guidance, among other things. The Act also addresses the duty to investigate, the duty to provide reasons, the duty to give information and the right to appeal or have a decision overturned. In addition, the Act contains rules on how regulations and statutes must be drawn up.
Among other things, the Public Administration Act governs how a municipality or a public administrative body must make decisions. It also gives you as resident clear rights with regard to the public sphere:
- You have the right to be notified about an ongoing case.
- You have the right to seek advice from a lawyer or other trusted individual.
- You have the right (with some exceptions) to see the documents pertaining to your case.
- You have the right to be given reasons for a decision that has been made.
- You have the right to appeal an individual decision.
- In some cases, you may be entitled to a reimbursement of legal costs if the decision is overturned upon appeal.
- You shall be offered help with the appeal by the body that made the decision.
Only decisions that relate to an individual’s rights and obligations are considered “individual decisions”. The County Governor is the administrative appeals body for some types of individual decisions.
The Public Administration Act contains general rules on, among other things, legal competence, the duty of confidentiality and the duty to provide guidance. The Act also addresses the duty to provide explanation, the duty to provide reasons, the duty to provide information and the right to make an appeal/have a decision overturned. The Act also contains rules on the correct preparation of regulations and orders.
The Act determines, among other things, how a municipality or public body should make decisions. It also gives you, as a member of the general public, clear rights in relation to public bodies:
- you have a right to be notified about an ongoing matter.
- you have a right to seek advice from a lawyer or another person in whom you trust.
- you have a right (subject to some exceptions) to see documents relating to your case.
- you have a right to be supplied with reasons for a decision that has been made.
- you have a right to appeal specific decisions.
- in some cases you will be able to recover the costs of your appeal if it results in the decision being changed.
- you must be provided with help with your appeal by the person/body who made the decision.
Note that the term "individual decision" only covers decisions that affect the rights and duties of private individuals. The County Governor is the appellate body for some types of individual decisions.