Global Markets Strategy (FOI)

Request

A

Can you please provide a copy of the initial Global Markets Strategy report from 2017.

B

Can you please provide a copy of the 2019 Global Markets Strategy report.

C

If available, can you please share the updated version of this report, separately described as the 'Global Relations Strategy 2022' or the 'Global Directorate Strategy'. If this is not yet available, can you please advise when it is likely to be published?

Each of these documents are referenced on the following webpage under the Global Relations subheading: 

Global Relations and International Trade (gov.je)

Response

A

The 2017 Global Markets Strategy Report is exempt from publication. Article 41(2)(a) of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

B

The 2019 Global Markets Strategy is publicly available on www.gov.je. Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied. Please see the following link: 

Global Relations and International Trade (gov.je)

C

The 2023 Global Relations Strategy is exempt from publication. Article 36(1) of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied. It is intended to publish the 2023 Global Relations Strategy in February 2023 by the Ministry of External Relations on www.gov.je and once published it will be available in the following link: 

Global Relations and International Trade (gov.je)

Articles applied 

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.

Article 36 - Information intended for future publication

(1) Information is qualified exempt information if, at the time when the request for the information is made, the information is being held by a public authority with a view to its being published within 12 weeks of the date of the request.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground

must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant –

(a) of the date when the information will be published;

(b) of the manner in which it will be published; and

(c) by whom it will be published.

(3) In this Article, “published” means published –

(a) by a public authority; or

(b) by any other person.

Public Interest Test

Article 36 is a qualified exemption, which means that a public interest test has to be undertaken to examine the circumstances of the case and decide whether, on balance, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.  

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure  

• disclosure of the information would support transparency and promote accountability to the general public.

Public interest considerations favouring withholding the information  

• it is intended to publish the report within 12 weeks of the receipt of this request on www.gov.je. In it is reasonable for government to publish reports in an orderly manner, following completion of appropriate internal processes, and publishing in advance, and in such close proximity to expected publication date, would potentially undermine the orderly publication and conduct of government work (when the public benefit of earlier publication under the Law would derive limited benefit). 

Article 41 - International relations

(1) Information is qualified exempt information if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between Jersey and –

(a) the United Kingdom;

(b) a State other than Jersey;

(c) an international organization; or

(d) an international court.

(2) Information is qualified exempt information if its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice –

(a) any Jersey interests abroad; or

(b) the promotion or protection by Jersey of any such interest.

(3) Information is also qualified exempt information if it is confidential information obtained from –

(a) a State other than Jersey;

(b) an international organization; or

(c) an international court.

(4) In this Article, information obtained from a State, organization or court is confidential while –

(a) the terms on which it was obtained require it to be held in confidence; or

(b) the circumstances in which it was obtained make it reasonable for the State, organization or court to expect that it will be so held.

(5) In this Article –

“international court” means an international court that is not an international organization and that was established –

(a) by a resolution of an international organization of which the United Kingdom is a member; or

(b) by an international agreement to which the United Kingdom was a party;

“international organization” means an international organization whose members include any two or more States, or any organ of such an organization;

“State” includes the government of a State and any organ of its government, and references to a State other than Jersey include references to a territory for whose external relations the United Kingdom is formally responsible.

Public Interest Test

The public interest in respect of Article 41 is weighted in favour of maintaining the exemption unless equally strong countervailing public interest arguments favour the disclosure of the information. It is recognised that there is a public interest in providing transparency about the island’s Global Markets Strategy. However, having considered the public interest, the Scheduled Public Authority concluded that the public interest in disclosing this information at this time is outweighed by the public interest considerations in withholding the information, in support of the Island's interests and to avoid any potential prejudice to the Island's relationship with other jurisdictions.