Translations and/or briefing documents on Germany’s Hydrogen Import Strategy: EIR release

Information requested

Please provide any translations and/or briefing documents prepared by the Scottish Government on Germany’s Hydrogen Import Strategy, published in July 2024.

Response

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

Response to your request

I enclose a copy of the information you have requested.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exception under the regulations 10(5)(a) (International relations, defence, national security, or public safety) of the EIRs apply to several pieces of information. The reasons why the exceptions have been applied are explained in Annex A to this letter.

ANNEX A
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION

An exception applies

An exception under regulation 10(5)(a) (International relations, defence, national security, or public safety) of the EIRs applies to some of the information you have requested. Regulation 10(5)(a) applies as the information exempt relates to current international relationships and reflects sensitive conversations made in confidence concerning international governments.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because of the importance of energy policy to Scotland. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in the ongoing development of strong relationships relating to the energy sector.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

EIR 202400424931 - Information Released - Annex

File type

13 page PDF

File size

325.1 kB