A new report backed by the European Union has revealed that only one-third of Moroccan institutions responded to freedom of information (FOI) requests, highlighting persistent barriers to transparency six years after the country enacted its access to information law.
The report, issued by Moroccan civil society organizations SimSim – Participation Citoyenne and Rowad Attanmia, found that just 33.3% of public institutions and agencies replied to FOI requests submitted as part of a transparency advocacy project. The remaining 66.7% failed to respond within the 20-day legal timeframe required by Law No. 31.13.
Researchers submitted 102 requests to 60 public bodies between December 14, 2023, and February 27, 2025. Only 34 responses were received, and just 11 of those were deemed “complete and of high quality.”
Local Governments Most Responsive
According to the report, local governments were the most responsive to information requests, followed by central government departments and public institutions and enterprises. This same ranking applied to the quality of responses provided.
Despite progress in the legal framework, the findings underscore how poorly the right to information is being implemented in practice. The report notes that many institutions fail to meet legal response deadlines set under Article 16 of the law.
Only 20 out of the 34 responses were sent within the legal time limit. On average, institutions took more than 50 working days to respond—far exceeding the 20-day requirement.
Transparency Still Faces Major Hurdles
The report cites several ongoing challenges: low response rates, poor quality of information provided, and limited proactive disclosure of public data.
“These obstacles continue to hinder the full and effective implementation of the right to information in Morocco, despite ongoing efforts,” the authors wrote.
The findings are part of a broader project titled “Access to Information as a Tool for Advocacy, Transparency, and Good Governance.”
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