Overview

• The Berlin Administrative Court ruled that SMS exchanges between former Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Porsche CEO Oliver Blume must be disclosed under the Environmental Information Act (UIG).
• The court determined the messages qualify as environmental information, as they reportedly involve discussions on E-Fuels and a combustion engine ban in July 2022.
• The decision emphasizes public interest in transparency, stating Lindner and Blume's roles as public and corporate figures outweigh their privacy interests.
• Abgeordnetenwatch, the organization that filed the lawsuit after a 2022 refusal by the Finance Ministry, hailed the ruling as a milestone for government transparency.
• The Federal Ministry of Finance retains the right to appeal the decision to the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg.