OFFICIAL INFORMATION IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STATE BORDER GUARD SERVICE OF UKRAINE: LEGAL NATURE, CLASSIFICATION CHALLENGES

Abstract

The article examines the legal nature of official information, determines its place within the system of restricted-
access information, and identifies the problems of classification and law enforcement in the activities of the State
Border Guard Service of Ukraine.
The study employs general scientific and special legal research methods, including analysis and synthesis, the
formal-legal method, the comparative legal method, as well as methods of generalizing scholarly approaches and
legislative enforcement practices in the field of access to information.
It has been established that official information constitutes a distinct category of public information with restricted
access, the legal regime of which is characterized by terminological inconsistency and the absence of a unified
classification approach. The study identifies shortcomings in the application of the three-part test and problems
related to the formation of departmental lists of official information, including excessive detail, duplication, and
the use of evaluative criteria. The specific nature of official information within the activities of the State Border
Guard Service of Ukraine, arising from the need to ensure border security, has been substantiated.
A functional risk-oriented approach to the classification of official information is proposed, based on determining
its functional purpose and assessing the potential harm that may result from its disclosure. Approaches to the
formation of departmental lists have been improved through their systematization and generalization.
The findings of the study may be used in law-making activities aimed at improving legal regulation, in the law
enforcement practice of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, and in the educational process while teaching
courses in the field of information law.

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