Conclusion and Final Remarks

Transparency can only be effective when the receptors are able to process and digest the provided information. Therefore the question arises how one can find the balance between extensive, detailed, and inclusive ways for citizens to be actively informed, and invited to participate on the one hand, and avoiding an overload of information while opting for a more targeted approach on the other. Key to increasing transparency and participation is the surpassing of the transparency illusion. This could be achieved by having particular regard for the practical hurdles initiatives may face, and the consequences they will have for the population’s knowledge, participation and trust. This challenge does not only affect political but also legal transparency. The difficulty lies in providing understandable information without threatening its quality. Following the proposed model at the legal level could constitute a first step in tackling subsequent hurdles in reaching transparency at the administrative and political level. The authors of this volume, therefore, advocate the integration of plain language in legal instruments and political communication (chapters four and five)