Court says participation and expenses paid by companies must be disclosed; citizen can request data through LAI
O (Federal Audit Court) decided this Wednesday (11.Mar.2026) that information on the participation of public authorities in events promoted or financed by private companies must be disclosed. The standard was defined in response to a consultation sent by the Financial Inspection and Control Committee of the Chamber of Deputies.
The question was presented by the deputy (Novo-SP) and dealt with the application of (Access to Information Law) in cases where authorities participate in events organized by private entities, including when transportation, accommodation or food is covered. Read the of the TCU decision (PDF – 430 B).
In the decision, reported by the minister the Court of Auditors stated that this type of information is of public interest and must be made available to society. According to the TCU, transparency is necessary because the participation of public agents in events paid for by companies causes a risk of conflict between private interests and government decisions.
According to the court’s understanding, the authorities’ public agendas must record information such as the date, location and private institutions responsible for organizing or sponsoring the events.
Justification for participation is only mandatory when the trip is funded, in whole or in part, by private entities. The Court also stated that information on expenses paid by companies, such as transportation, accommodation and food, must be disclosed, including the estimated value of these expenses.
If this information is not available on the official websites, any citizen can request it based on the LAI.
The TCU stated that restricting access to this data can only occur in exceptional situations, such as when disclosure poses a risk to the security of the authority or the State. Even in these cases, the decision must be specifically justified.
The Court also noted that the rules analyzed derive mainly from the and standards applicable to the federal Executive Branch. The TCU stated that the National Congress could evaluate the creation of legislation that establishes uniform rules for the disclosure of agendas and events for authorities of all Powers.
