North Rhine-Westphalia
GO NRW
Formally: Gemeindeordnung für das Land Nordrhein-Westfalen
GO NRW §§47–57 (GV. NRW. 1994 S. 666); i.d.F. vom 14.7.1994; zuletzt geändert 2021
Sunshine Score
| Advance Notice | 7 days, online posting required |
|---|---|
| Public Comment | Not required |
| Closed Sessions | 7 permitted categories |
| Minutes | Required, online posting required |
| Recording | Not required |
| Remote Participation | Allowed |
| Enforcement | Voidable, legislature exempt |
Agenda & Notice Requirements
Online posting: Required
Notice of at least 7 days before ordinary meetings (§48(1) GO NRW: 'mindestens sieben Tage'). Notice via municipal notice board and official gazette (Amtsblatt). Agenda must be publicly available. The Bürgermeister convenes the Rat (council).
Agenda changes at meeting: Allowed
Public Participation
No statutory right for members of the public to speak at Ratssitzungen under GO NRW. Some municipalities provide Einwohnerfragestunde by local Geschäftsordnung. NRW municipalities have broad authority to expand public participation by local rule.
Virtual Meetings
Remote participation permitted under §47a GO NRW (inserted 2020/2021). Verify section in current recht.nrw.de consolidated text.
Closed Sessions
Closed (executive) sessions: Allowed under specific circumstances
Permitted Categories
Meeting Minutes
Online posting: Required
Content requirements: Niederschrift of open sessions is public under §57 GO NRW. Published on municipality website.