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Declassification is the process of ceasing a protectiveclassification, often under the principle offreedom of information. Procedures for declassification vary by country. Papers may be withheld without being classified as secret, and eventually made available.
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Classified information has been governed by various Official Secrets Acts, the latest being theOfficial Secrets Act 1989. Until 1989 requested information was routinely kept secret invoking the public interest defence; this was largely removed by the 1989 Act. TheFreedom of Information Act 2000 largely requires information to be disclosed unless there are good reasons for secrecy.
Confidential government papers such as the yearly cabinet papers used routinely to be withheld formally, although not necessarily classified as secret, for 30 years under thethirty year rule, and released usually on aNew Year's Day; freedom of information legislation has relaxed this rigid approach.
Executive Order 13526 establishes the mechanisms for most declassifications, within the laws passed by Congress.[1] The originating agency assigns a declassification date, by default 25 years. After 25 years, declassification review is automatic with nine narrow exceptions that allow information to remain as classified. At 50 years, there are two exceptions, and classifications beyond 75 years require special permission.[2] Because of changes in policy and circumstances, agencies are expected to actively review documents that have been classified for fewer than 25 years. They must also respond to Mandatory Declassification Review andFreedom of Information Act requests. TheNational Archives and Records Administration houses the National Declassification Center to coordinate reviews andInformation Security Oversight Office to promulgate rules and enforce quality measures across all agencies. NARA reviews documents on behalf of defunct agencies and permanently stores declassified documents for public inspection. TheInteragency Security Classification Appeals Panel has representatives from several agencies.
