unknown journalist – Court Ruling (Austria, 2021)

The complaining journalist requested information from the Federal Ministry of Finance Austria on the names and sums of all companies that received financial aid in the form of tax deferrals, grants or loan guarantees during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authority rejected the complainants request, arguing that it cannot provide the requested information due to a statutory duty of confidentiality coming from data protection ([https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/i/1999/165/A1P1/NOR40139563 § 1 DSG]) and related tax laws ([https://www.jusline.at/gesetz/bao/paragraf/48a § 48a BAO]). Accordingly, the disclosure of the names of all companies including the concrete amounts of their respective COVID-19 support services would reveal too concrete and detailed information on the businesses earnings situation, profitability and competitiveness. The BVwG held that the authority has to grant the journalist with access to information on the issued financial aid for corporate entities but not on those for individual entrepreneurs. The court argued, that the complainant’s work as a journalist fulfils the social role of a "public watchdog" to prevent financial abuse during the exceptional COVID-19 pandemic. In line with European principles, publications of financial beneficiaries are of great social interest and strengthen both the control and contribution of the public to the appropriate use of funds by the administration. Moreover, the journalist is itself bound by the legal framework of his employment and respective obligations to protect companies affected by the reporting. The court therefore held that the authority has to provide the journalist with access to the information on financial aid issued on corporate companies. On the other hand, as far as individual entrepreneurs are concerned, the court finds a more serious interference with the fundamental rights of the individual. Accordingly, in situations where the information issued refers to an individual entrepreneur, the bala