Executive Order 13526

Issuance

EO 13526 was introduced as part of the Obama Administration's initiative to improve transparency and open-access to the Federal Government and the information it produces. It was formally introduced upon President Obama taking office in late January 2009.{{cite news | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090925091823/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/01/_in_a_move_that.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = September 25, 2009

One factor prompting its issuance was the large backlog of documents scheduled to be automatically declassified on December 31, 2009, and how to deal with that reality.{{cite news | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090531131346/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/28/obama-orders-review-secret-classification/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = May 31, 2009

These latest regulations, at the time, went into full effect on June 25, 2010, except for sections 1.7, 3.3, and 3.7, which were effective immediately on December 29, 2009.

Significant changes

EO 13526 restated the authorized list of designees who can originate classification, in effect rescinding any previous designations made by officials or agency heads to subordinates.

A significant provision of EO 13526 is the creation of the National Declassification Center. The major focus is the idea that information should become declassified systematically as soon as practicable. Specific time limits are mentioned for different kinds of information, but there is also the provision that information that still needs to be classified can stay classified. Mechanisms are outlined for periodic reevaluation of the need to classify information, even if the result of the evaluation is to keep the information classified

References

References

1. [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2009/12/28/promoting-openness-and-accountability-making-classification-a-two-way-street ''Promoting Openness and Accountability by Making Classification a Two-Way Street''], by William H. Leary, Special Adviser to the National Security Advisor and Senior Director for Records and Access Management, National Security Staff, 29 December 2009
2. Part 1, Sec. 1.3(a)(1) & 1.3(c)(2), [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=708&dbname=2010_register Executive Order 13526 of December 29, 2009, ''Classified National Security Information''], Federal Register - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Vol. 75, No. 2, 5 January 2010, p.708.
3. [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=735&dbname=2010_register Order of December 29, 2009, ''Original Classification Authority''], Federal Register - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Vol. 75, No. 2, 5 January 2010, p.735.
4. Part 6, Sec. 6.2(g) & 6.3, [https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/2009-obama.html#13526 Executive Order 13526 of December 29, 2009, ''Classified National Security Information''], U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, 5 January 2010