Were trust between these parties to deteriorate, the basis for today’s system would be significantly weakened. The consequences could be stronger detailed control and a regulatory regime characterised by more inspections and checks.
Trust does not emerge of itself. It is built up gradually through dialogue and collaboration between all the parties.
Why is openness so important?
Openness is a major factor in creating trust. Norway has a long tradition here, particularly in public administration. Its Freedom of Information Act specifies that all correspondence, administrative procedures and the like must be open to public scrutiny unless specific conditions dictate otherwise.
Havtil receives several thousand requests for access to documents every year. Only a small proportion of these – about three per cent on average – are wholly or partially denied with reference to exemptions in the Act.
However, the companies need to be confident that sensitive information will not fall into the wrong hands. So Havtil subjects every request for access to a careful assessment when deciding if a document can be made public.