-42press” as essential components of the exercise of democracy. Moreover, Article 6 of the Charter states that “[i]t is the right and responsibility of all citizens to participate in decisions relating to their own development. This is also a necessary condition for the full and effective exercise of democracy”; therefore, it invites the States Parties to “[p]romot[e] and foster[...] diverse forms of [citizen] participation.” 80. In the Nueva León Declaration, adopted in 2004, the Heads of State of the Americas undertook, among other matters, “to provid[e] the legal and regulatory framework and the structures and conditions required to guarantee the right of access to information to our citizens,” recognizing that “[a]ccess to information held by the State, subject to constitutional and legal norms, including those on privacy and confidentiality, is an indispensable condition for citizen participation […].”78 81. The provisions on access to information established in the United Nations Convention against Corruption79 and in the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development should also be noted.80 In addition, within the Council of Europe, as far back as 1970, the Parliamentary Assembly made recommendations to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the “right of freedom of information,”81 and also issued a Declaration establishing that, together with respect for the right of freedom of expression, there should be “a corresponding duty for the public authorities to make available information on matters of public interest within reasonable limits […].”82 In addition, recommendations and directives have been adopted83 and, in 1982, the Committee of Ministers adopted a “Declaration on freedom of expression and information,” in which it expressed the goal of the pursuit of an open information policy in the public sector.84 In 1998, the “Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters” was adopted during the Fourth Ministerial Conference “Environment for Europe,” held in Aarhus, Denmark. In addition, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe issued 78 Cf. Declaration of Nueva León, adopted on January 13, 2004, by the Heads of State and Government of the Americas, during the Special Summit of the Americas, held in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Cf. Articles 10 and 13 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, adopted by Resolution 58/4 of the General Assembly of the United Nations of October 31, 2003. 79 80 Cf. Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development adopted at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held from June 3 to 14, 1992. 81 Cf. Recommendation No. 582 adopted by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on January 23, 1970. It recommended instructing the Committee of Experts on Human Rights Experts to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the extension of the right of freedom of information provided for in Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, by the conclusion of a protocol or otherwise, so as to include freedom to seek information (which is included in Article 19(2) of the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights); there should be a corresponding duty on public authorities to make information available on matters of public interest, subject to appropriate limitations; 82 Cf. Resolution No. 428 adopted by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on January 23, 1970. Cf. Resolution No. 854 adopted by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on February 1, 1979, which recommended the Committee of Ministers "to invite member states which have not yet done so to introduce a system of freedom of information,” which included the right to seek and receive information from government agencies and departments; and Directive 2003/4/EC of the European Parliament and Council of January 28, 2003, on public access to environmental information. 83 Declaration on the Freedom of Expression and Information adopted by the Committee of Ministers of April 29, 1982. 84