October 2026 · Written on 13 November 2026. The month refers to the stated decision or effective date.
On 29 October 2026, the Federal Administrative Court dismissed claims concerning particular public-relations activities of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service. In cases 10 A 5.25 and 10 A 6.25, specific public protective interests prevailed in the court's assessment. The cases concern particular intelligence matters and are not a general rejection of press access to official information.
Practical implications
Practical assessment depends on precise questions, the applicable legal basis and the specific competing interests. Third-party protection may also matter. An authority cannot rely on identical blanket reasons for every case, while public interest in information does not remove all statutory or constitutional limits.
Four practical examples
Illustrative scenarios, not accounts of client matters. The appropriate response depends on the documents, applicable law and procedural position.
An overly broad request
An editorial team specifies the period and subject so that the authority can identify the requested information and competing interests.
Business secrets are involved
A company examines which information actually requires protection and how to substantiate that position to the authority.
A blanket refusal
The claim and refusal grounds are assessed individually. A more precise request may narrow the disagreement.
Time-sensitive reporting
Additional interim relief is considered where urgency is particular and demonstrable. The need for current reporting must be explained concretely.
Documents and next steps
The information request, authority response, subject and period concerned, publication timetable and any substantiated confidentiality interests.
Keep the relevant contract or decision, correspondence and all service and event dates. Identify the outcome you want and any running deadline. For urgent matters, please also call the office.
Source: Official source and further reading. Editorial legal position: 13 November 2026.
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