On November 9, FOICA participated in the eighth meeting of the Aarhus Convention Task Force on Access to Information and International Workshop on Access to Product Information organized in Palais des Nations, Geneva. 

During the first day of sessions, Mane Madoyan, Program Coordinator of the Freedom of Information Center of Armenia presented the results of the “Private Sector in the Beneficial Ownership Transparency Reform of Armenia” research. 

During her speech Mane Madoyan presented the BOT reform and the problems identified by FOICA, and the steps taken to solve the mapped problems regarding access to BO data. Mane Madoyan also identified the main obstacles that prevent organizations and experts working in the field of environmental protection, as well as journalists covering the field, to effectively use the data in the register in the scope of research conducted in the field of environmental protection.

On the second day Mane Madoyan presented the ATI Self-Assessment Toolkit developed by the FOICA and the possibilities of its implementation in the context of the activities of state bodies managing environmental information in Armenia.

The ATI Self-Assessment Toolkit outlines essential standards and questions that ATI officials can utilize to evaluate the status of Freedom of Information. The toolkit serves as a guideline to help assess compliance and effectiveness in ensuring access to information.

The Toolkit was developed within the “Advanced Access to Information and Beneficial Ownership Transparency in Armenia” project supported by the Eastern Partnership: Open Door Grants, Sub-grants provided under the EU for Integrity Programme.