A/HRC/7/21 page 17 Commission, thus leading to a significant increase in requests for access. Possible amendments to the regulation were under consideration in 2007, also to reflect adoption of a regulation applying the Aarhus Convention to the European Union institutions. B. Implementation and monitoring mechanisms for the realization of the right to information 62. The Special Rapporteur notes that, although the list of standards mentioned above is not exhaustive, it provides for several examples of legal norms and standards that do exist on the right to information both at the international and regional levels. There are several projects that monitor access to information held by national authorities and international or supranational organizations, such as the Access to Information Monitoring Tool of the Open Society Justice Initiative.18 63. The Special Rapporteur would like to appeal to States to implement the right to information by establishing specific legislation conforming to international norms and standards. Ensuring effective implementation of the right to information requires proper training in their responsibilities for persons involved in implementing the law in how to deal with requests for information and how to interpret the law. 64. The Special Rapporteur also encourages Governments to be proactive in promoting the right to information and to educate the public on how to claim it. He would like to remind States that right to information laws should not only require public authorities to provide information upon request but also impose a duty on public bodies to actively disclose, disseminate and publish information. One such example of facilitating proactive disclosure of information would include the creation of systems informing the public on right to information laws. The implementation of right to information laws would also entail the setting up of systematic records management, including managing, recording and archiving. 65. States should also set up information commissions as general oversight bodies to regulate the implementation and oversight of right to information laws, or ensure that such functions, together with the necessary capacity and resources, are entrusted to national human rights institutions. The Special Rapporteur notes that, although many models of information commissions already exist in different regions, they usually have similar functions, acting as external independent authorities with a clear mandate to supervise the implementation of the right to information. V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 66. The Special Rapporteur would like to stress that the right to participation in public life is linked very closely with the right to information (and to education). The right to popular participation in decision-making is enshrined in article 21 of the Universal 18 www.justiceinitiative.org/activities/foifoe/foi/foi_aimt.