News Articles from 2011
Rendition information not released by European nations
New Europe Online | 29/12/2011
English – Two human rights organisations, London based Reprieve and the Spanish Access Info Europe, have complained that the majority of 28 nations, mostly European, have refused to release flight traffic information on CIA rendition flights. The data could help track the routes that the planes took. Read more…
¿Cuánto cuestan los viajes del presidente del Tribunal Constitucional?
El País | 28/12/2011
Spanish – España carece, junto a Malta, Chipre o Luxemburgo –con secreto bancario-, de una Ley de transparencia, la norma que obliga a las administraciones a desnudar sus cuentas. “Aquí todo depende de la voluntad de las instituciones, que deciden si proporcionan la información al ciudadano”, explica Helen Darbishire, directora de Access Info Europe, un lobby que aboga por la transparencia informativa. Read more…
USA more open on CIA-flights than its allies
Wobbing | 20/12/2011
English – US-authorities prove to be much more open about the controversial rendition flights run by the CIA than their European counterparts. Sweden which helped CIA to imprison and torture two Egyptian citizens in 2001 sticks out as a non-informative country. Read more…
Reprieve y Access Info critican a España por no responder a su petición de información sobre los vuelos
elEconomista.es | 19/12/2011
Spanish – Critican que sea el único país que ha evaluado que carece de una ley de acceso a la información y espera que Rajoy la apruebe. Read more…
Rights groups accuse Europe of CIA flights coverup
The Guardian | 19/12/2011
English – London-based Reprieve and Madrid-based Access Info Europe accused European nations of covering up their complicity in the so-called “extraordinary rendition” program by failing to release flight-traffic data that could show the paths of the planes. Read more…
Albania Stays Silent on Role in US Renditions
Balkan Insight | 19/12/2011
English – Access Info Europe and the law charity Reprive filed freedom of information requests in 28 countries about specific rendition flights carried out between 2002 and 2006. While six European countries and the US released the requested data, 16 others, including Albania and Romania, have refused or failed to answer questions about their complicity in the CIA’s illegal detention operations. Read more…
Reprieve y Access Info critican a España por no responder a su petición de información sobre los vuelos
Terra Noticias | 19/12/2011
Spanish – Las organizaciones Reprieve y Access Info Europe han criticado la actitud del Gobierno español por haber recurrido al silencio administrativo para no responder a la solicitud de datos sobre vuelos de la CIA que le remitieron. En su informe ‘Rendition on Record’, las dos organizaciones exponen la respuesta que han aportado gobiernos europeos y extranjeros a su solicitud de información sobre las rutas realizadas por los vuelos de la CIA ya reconocidos por Estados Unidos y en los que se trasladaban a detenidos acusados de terrorismo. Read more…
Europe Complicity In CIA Renditions Questioned
Huffington Post | 19/12/2011
English – A majority of 28 mostly European countries have failed to comply with freedom of information requests about their involvement in secret CIA flights carrying suspected terrorists, two human rights groups said Monday. Read more…
Europe Accused of CIA Flights Cover-up
Iran Daily | 19/12/2011
English – London-based Reprieve and Madrid-based Access Info Europe accused European nations of covering up their complicity in the so-called “extraordinary rendition” program by failing to release flight-traffic data that could show the paths of the planes, AP reported. Read more…
El ‘caso Urdangarin’ menoscaba la imagen y el prestigio de la Corona
Público | 05/12/2011
Spanish – El Gobierno de José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero no ha llegado a aprobar su Ley de Transparencia, cuyo anteproyecto se presentó el pasado 29 de julio, cuando se anunció el anticipo electoral. Victoria Anderica, de Access Info, una de las ONG que más ha peleado por una Administración de cristal, defiende que la monarquía también ha de quedar afectada en una futura Ley de Transparencia, si bien “entiende” que la cláusula europea permite restricciones. Read more…
David vs Goliath, or the battle for more transparency in the EU decision-making process
Europe’s World | 01/12/2011
English – Without transparency, democracy is impossible, writes Diana Wallis. Democracy requires that the decisions are open to public scrutiny and that the public has a right to access such information. Access Info Europe, a tiny NGO based in Madrid, has single-handedly taken on the European Council in a case which may seem to be small fry, but which could very well have a huge impact on the future of transparency in the European law-making process. Read more…
Resultati dvaju usporednih istraZivanja nacionalnih zakonodavstava i prakse na podrucju pristupa informacijama
Pravo i Porezi | -/12/2011
Croatian – Uovome se clanku ukratko analizariraju netom objavljeni rezultati dvaju medunarodnih istrazivanja provedenih na globalnoj razini: usporednog vrednovanja nacionalnih regulacija prava na informaciju te prakticne provjere ostvarivanja tog prava podnosenjem zahtjeva za pristop odredenim proracunskim informacijama. Read more…
Una web para la transparencia
El País | 19/11/2011
Spanish – España, junto a Malta y Chipre, pertenece a la liga de campeones de Europa sin ley de transparencia, aunque es una promesa de la mayoría de partidos políticos que colea en los programas electorales desde 2004. Tuderechoasaber.es (http://www.goteo.org/project/tuderechoasaber.es/home) quiere poner fin a esta situación. Cualquier persona podrá registrarse en la página web y, de forma sencilla y gratuita, enviar una petición a un organismo público español. Read more…
Antinomije u hrvatskom zakonodavstvu na području informacijskoga upravnog prava
Public Law Centre | November 2011
Bosnian – Područje (ne)dostupnosti informacija povezano je s realizacijom različitih socijalnih interesa. Ako se zadržimo u sferi legitimnih interesa, dostupnost informacija nužna je prije svega za upućeno odlučivanje1, za očuvanje i širenje prostora slobode te za nadzor javne vlasti. S druge strane, pojedine informacije moraju ostati nedostupnim, radi zaštite kako privatnih interesa
(primjerice, zaštite privatnosti, zaštite poslovnog odlučivanja – kao elementa poduzetničke slobode), tako i javnog interesa (npr. suzbijanja kriminaliteta, obrambene spremnosti, makroekonomske stabilnosti, ravnopravne tržišne utakmice), odnosno „kombiniranih” interesa (npr. osiguranje pravičnoga sudskog i upravnog postupka u interesu je stranaka, kao i u javnom interesu). Read more…
¿Es la transparencia una prioridad para la política española?
El Mundo | 11/11/2011
Spanish – Opinión por Victoria Anderica Caffarena de Access Info Europe. De ser interpelados los políticos, la respuesta a esta pregunta sería sin duda un sí rotundo. La verdad sin embargo se refleja en sus promesas electorales y durante los debates que esta semana hemos podido ver, donde los candidatos de los dos partidos mayoritarios no encontraron en los 90 minutos que duró su debate un momento para hablar de la necesidad de mejorar la transparencia o del problema de la corrupción en España. Read more…
Punto de Vista: Ley de transparencia, ya
El País | 09/11/2011
Spanish – España es el único país de Europa con más de un millón de habitantes que no tiene una ley de transparencia y acceso a la información pública. Le acompañan en este furgón de cola Luxemburgo, Malta y Chipre. El Consejo de Ministros de 29 de julio aprobó un anteproyecto que nunca llegó al Congreso porque ese mismo día Zapatero anunció el adelanto de las elecciones. Un mes antes el PP había registrado su propia proposición de ley. Uno de los efectos indeseados del acortamiento de la legislatura es que en la próxima habrá que partir de cero. Read more…
Websites Proliferate to Generate FOI Requests
FreedomInfo.org | 04/11/2011
English – AsktheEU, Fragen de Stat, InformataZyrtare.org, spinfo, Acceso Inteligente, and Queremos Saber. These names reflect six new websites that allow requesters to draft and file freedom of information requests online. AsktheEU was unveiled on Sept. 28 by the pro-transparency human rights group Access Info Europe. (See previous FreedomInfo.org report.) Early reports suggest is it working well. Read more…
Accesso agli atti, impariamo dall’Unione
APOGE Online | 04/11/2011
Italian – Si sente parlare sempre più spesso di dialogo con la pubblica amministrazione, di open data e di accesso agli atti amministrativi. Spesso però i cittadini non sanno quali siano i propri diritti in questo campo, né come farli valere. Access Info, una organizzazione non governativa internazionale, ha deciso di lavorare su questi temi sensibilizzando i cittadini di tutta Europa con il progetto Ask The EU. Read more…
Victoria Anderica: “España ya va muy retrasada en el derecho a la Información Pública”
miniLeaks | 14/10/2011
Spanish – Los corresponsales de The New York Times y The Guardian, Ralph Minder y Gilles Tremlett, criticaban recientemente en una charla la ausencia en España de una Ley de Transparencia” como la que prometió Zapatero”, según publicaba El Mundo. Victoria Anderica exige lo que consideran el derecho fundamental de que la Administración facilite información pública y conteste a los ciudadanos en un tiempo razonable. Read more…
AskTheEU: Spreading The Word On Freedom of Information
TechPresident.com | 12/10/2011
English – Today about 89 countries in the world have laws allowing for freedom of information. But in many of them, even Western countries, citizens are often entitled to know more than they think they do about the public administration’s impact on everyday life. To create more awareness in Europe, Access Info recently launched an initiative called Ask The Eu, aimed at spreading the word on the right to ask EU institutions for information and helping citizens in the process. Read more…
European Council decision making lacks transparency
Public Service Europe | 11/10/2011
English – A number of member states, including the UK, are standing in the way of open and accountable governance at the EU level. The UK’s involvement in this case is an example of the phenomenon of transparency hypocrisy. On a more positive note, the European Parliament has committed to joining Access Info Europe in the case – exercising for the first time its right to intervene in a case before the European Court of Justice. Read more…
Państwo ukrywa za dużo informacji
GazetaPrawna.pl | 10/10/2011
Polish – Urzędy i samorządy niechętnie dzielą się informacją publiczną, czyli tym, co robią, jak robią i za ile. Najbardziej chronione są dane o liczbie zatrudnionych, premiach i nagrodach, faktury, opinie prawne, różne dane statystyczne i informacje o przetargach. Read more…
Still room to improve on FOI laws, says survey
Sydney Morning Herald | 10/10/2011
English – Australia’s freedom of information law has been ranked 39th among 89 countries in the first study comparing the adequacy of different laws designed to open up the workings of government. Read more…
“Ask the EU” – Bürgeranfragen leicht gemacht
politik-digital.de | 07/10/2011
German – Vergangenen Donnerstag wurde das Informationsportal “Ask the EU” mit einer Live-Anfrage im Europäischen Parlament offiziell gestartet. Die Bürger Europas sollen auf diesem Weg leichter von ihrem Recht auf Informationsfreiheit Gebrauch machen können – die Institutionen der EU sind ihnen rechtlich zur Antwort verpflichtet. Read more…
Studie: Deutschland und Österreich weit hinten bei der Informationsfreiheit
Heise Online | 07/10/2011
German – In einer Vergleichsstudie von Gesetzen zur Akteneinsicht in 89 Ländern, die am Donnerstag auf der Internationalen Konferenz der Informationsfreiheitsbeauftragten in Ottawa vorgestellt wurde, schneiden Deutschland und Österreich denkbar schlecht ab. Die Bundesrepublik belegt in der Untersuchung mit 54 von 150 Punkten den fünftletzten Platz, Österreich bildet mit 39 Zählern das Schlusslicht. Die ersten drei Plätze belegen Serbien, Slowenien und Indien. Durchgeführt haben die Analyse die beiden Bürgerrechtsorganisationen Access Info Europe aus Spanien und das in Kanada beheimatete Centre for Law and Democracy. Read more…
Right to information: How does your country rate?
Junar | 07/10/2011
English – Two international human rights organizations have recently published a report ranking the world’s right to information laws. Access Info Europe and the Centre for Law and Democracy are dedicated to ensuring citizens have open access to data and information from public authorities. In their surprise research findings, it is the member states of the European Union that fall way behind other countries in enabling citizens to easily access public data and government information. Read more…
Liever geen pottenkijkers
De Groene Amsterdammer | 06.10.11
Dutch – Nederland bungelt ergens tussen Zuid-Korea en Niger als het gaat om het recht op informatie voor burgers. ‘Zet gewoon die bonnetjes op internet. Dan is er geen spektakel, geen gedoe.’ Read more…
Pirc Musarjeva: Svetovna raziskava razkrila kršitve pravice do informacij
Dnevnik.si | 05/10/2011
Slovenian – “raziskava o uresničevanju pravice do informacij javnega značaja v praksi (in ne le na zakonodajni ravni) Slovenijo ponovno uvrstila med najbolj transparentne države na svetu, a v praksi se slovenski organi še vedno ne odzivajo tako, kot jim nalaga zakon in s tem kršijo temeljno človekovo pravicom” je zapisala informacijska pooblaščenka Nataša Pirc Musar.. Read more…
Slovenia Ranks High in Info Transparency, Practice Left Wanting
Slovenska tiskovna agencija | 05/10/2011
English – Slovenia ranks second in a recently released international rating which looked at the legal framework on freedom of information, but the Information Commissioner has pointed out than in practice the Slovenian authorities are still not acting in accordance with the law. Read more…
Canada’s information laws outdated, lacking – report
Daily Gleaner | 04/10/2011
English – Canada has ample room for improvement in terms of its access to information law, according to a recent global ranking that places this country in the middle of the pack of 89 countries with information access programs. The Global Right to Information Ranking, released by the Halifax-based Centre for Law and Democracy and Access Info Europe, gave Canada a score of 85 out of a possible 150, placing it at the bottom of the list for North American countries. Read more…
El fundamental derecho a saber
El Imparcial | 04/10/2011
Spanish – La información es poder. Tradicionalmente se habla de los medios de comunicación social como el cuarto poder, junto con los tres poderes clásicos: legislativo, ejecutivo y judicial. Hoy, la democracia española tiene que continuar luchando por lograr un eficaz y muy necesario derecho a la información, a conocer, a saber, para poder realmente elegir en libertad. El Día internacional del Derecho a saber, tuve el honor de participar en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid en un debate sobre la materia con otras fuerzas políticas de ámbito nacional, organizado por la Coalición Pro Acceso y la más internacional Access Info Europe. Read more…
Australia’s FOI act 39th best in world ranking
Open and Shut | 04/10/2011
English – In an international survey based on 61 credible indicators, the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act, as amended through the 2009/2010 reform process, scored 86 out of a possible 150 and has been ranked 39 in a comparative table of the laws of 89 countries.The study was conducted by Access Info Europe (Spain) and the Centre for Law and Democracy (Canada). Read more…
Canada’s information laws outdated, lacking: Report
The Vancouver Sun | 03/10/2011
English – Canada has ample room for improvement in terms of its access to information law, according to a recent global ranking that places this country in the middle of the pack of 89 countries with information access programs. The Global Right to Information Ranking, released by the Halifax-based Centre for Law and Democracy and Access Info Europe, gave Canada a score of 85 out of a possible 150, placing it at the bottom of the list for North American countries. Read more…
Österreich globales Schlusslicht bei Informationsfreiheit
krone.at | 03/10/2011
German – Österreich ist bei der bislang umfangreichsten Studie zur Informationsfreiheit Klassenletzter von insgesamt 89 Ländern geworden. Die jüngst veröffentlichte Studie zum Recht auf Information zeigt: Wenn heimische Bürger von den Behörden etwas erfahren wollen, müssen sie die größten Hürden überwinden – selbst in Russland und China haben die Menschen formal mehr Rechte. Read more…
Österreich Schlusslicht bei Informationsfreiheit
futurezone.at | 03/10/2011
German – Die jetzt veröffentlichte Studie zum „RTI Rating” befasst sich mit Informationsfreiheitsgesetzen in 89 Ländern. Durchgeführt wurde sie von den Menschenrechtsorganisationen Access Info Europe in Spanien und dem Centre for Law and Democracy in Kanada. Sie prüften die einschlägigen Regularien nach 61 Kriterien. Dafür sprachen sie mit Experten in den jeweiligen Ländern und ließen die Bewertung von einschlägig bewanderten Juristen überprüfen. Read more…
AsktheEU.org: New one-stop portal makes requests for EU documents easy
Open Knowledge Foundation Blog | 30/09/2011
English – On 28 September 2011, the 9th International Right to Know Day, pro-transparency human rights group Access Info Europe unveiled the AsktheEU.org web portal by which the public can ask for information from EU bodies. Read more…
Slovenija ima kakovostno zakonodajo s področja dostopa do informacij javnega značaja
Slovenska tiskovna agencija | 29/09/2011
Slovenian – Slovenija se je v mednarodni raziskavi o kakovosti zakonodaje s področja dostopa do informacij javnega značaja uvrstila na zavidljivo drugo mesto, je danes sporočila informacijska pooblaščenka Nataša Pirc Musar. Po njenih besedah pa se je treba zavedati, da dobra zakonodaja ni garancija transparentnosti, če se ne izvaja tudi v praksi. Read more…
Prawo do informacji na świecie
Kravietz | 29/09/2011
Polish – Dwie organizacje pozarządowe Access Info Europe (Hiszpania) i Centre for Law and Democracy (Kanada) przygotowały ranking krajów pod kątem dostępu obywateli do informacji publicznej (Right to information). Ranking, metodologia i szczegółowe dane objętych badaniem krajów są dostępne na stronie www.rti-rating.org. Read more…
Canada mediocre in access to information rankings
The Star.com | 29/09/2011
English – In a ranking of all 89 countries that have access to information laws, Canada placed 40th. The modest ranking is largely due to Canada’s aged legislation: the Access to Information Act hasn’t changed much since 1983. Canada has gone from being one of the world leaders in this area to a middling country,” said Michael Karanicolas of the Centre for Law and Democracy, a Halifax NGO that created the rankings with Madrid group Access Info Europe. “As other countries modernize, our ranking is going to slip further. Read more…
Encuentros Digitales
El Mundo | 29/09/2011
Spanish – El Día Internacional del Derecho a Saber incide en el derecho de acceso de los ciudadanos a la información. Access Info Europe está haciendo una campaña por una ley de acceso a la información en España. Victoria Anderica, coordinadora de la misma, da a conocer la propuesta y despeja dudas. Read more…
Bilme hakkı gününde çağrı: “Bilgi edinme hakkı tam uygulansın”
Kibris Postasi | 28/09/2011
Turkish – İki toplumlu bir proje kapsamında oluşturulan Şeffaf Kıbrıs Koalisyonu’ndan yapılan açıklamada, Bilme Hakkı Günü’nün amacı, “kamu kurum ve kuruluşları tarafından tutulan bilgilere her bireyin erişim hakkı olduğu üzerinde farkındalık yaratmak” diye ifade edildi. Read more…
International Right to Know Day
ENNA | 28/09/2011
English – The Ombudsman invited interest parties representing the US, Scandinavia and the EU level to a meeting which would be a sharing of best practices. After different presentations there was a question round in which ENNA secretary general raised a question to the US representative regarding the open government initiative. The final speaker of the day was Helen Darbishire from Access info Europe. She spoke about the keys to making the EU transparent, accountable and participatory. She presented four areas which could be further developed. In light of this, she presented the new website which will make it easier for the citizens to ask for access to EU documents, namely the website www.asktheeu.org . Read more…
Got a question for the EU? Ask them….
Famagusta Gazette | 28/09/2011
English – The 9th International Right to Know Day, pro-transparency human rights group Access Info Europe will be unveiling the AsktheEU.org web portal today by which the public can ask for information from EU bodies. Read more…
EU ‘should appoint transparency officers’
Public Service Europe | 28/09/2011
English – European Union institutions and offices are too “reactive” and “defensive” in their approach to public access to documents and information officers should be appointed to uphold citizens’ rights. Executive director Helen Darbishire said: “The AsktheEU.org portal will redress the democratic deficit in Europe whereby decisions are made far from citizens and yet only a small clique of lobbyists, academics and NGOs can master the current decentralised and complex system for filing requests.” Read more…
Right to Know Day honoured around the world
International Freedom of Expression Exchange | 28/09/2011
English – Right to information (RTI) advocates around the world have much to celebrate on today’s Right To Know Day (28 September) with the launch of AsktheEU.org as well as other initiatives and reports that will make it more difficult for governments and public institutions to avoid their duty to promote information sharing and openness. Read more…
EU Governments battle for the right to block out citizens
Wobbing.eu | 28/09/2011
English – Member states of the EU have asked the Court in Luxembourg for help to hide their positions from the citizens, even after the positions have been leaked and known. The European Parliament has decided to intervene on the other side – in support of Access Info – to secure the right to know. Read more….
España no tiene “transparencia”
El Mundo | 26/09/2011
Spanish – El pasado 27 de julio, el ministro de la Presidencia, Ramón Jáuregui, envió una carta a la organización Access Info Europe y a la Coalición Pro Acceso donde daba cuenta de que «en la mañana de hoy, el Consejo de Ministros ha aprobado el Anteproyecto de Ley de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información Pública». Y, a continuación, asumía que «la tramitación parlamentaria de este proyecto de ley no será posible en esta legislatura». Read more…
Legal Battle to Define the Limits of EU Transparency
European Public Sector Information (EPSI) Platform | 28/08/2011
English – The EU’s highest court is being asked to review a decision by the first instance General Court that the Council of the European Union acted illegitimately when it blanked out the names of Member States in documents summarising legislative negotiations, making it impossible for the public to follow and engage in the process. Read more…
Let the council have their private conversations, but don’t make law that way – Opinion by Richard Laming in
EU Observer | 06/07/2011
English – The case being fought out in the European Court of Justice over the transparency of proceedings in Council working groups shines a spotlight on what remains of the democratic deficit in Brussels. Read more…
Unión Europea: Desdén por la transparencia
Proceso.com.mx | 06/07/2011
Spanish – El Consejo de la Unión Europea (UE), el organismo que representa a los gobiernos de sus 27 Estados asociados, rechazó hacer público el documento que contiene la “Estrategia local para la implementación de las líneas directrices de la UE sobre defensores de derechos humanos en México”, pues consideró que su divulgación dañaría las relaciones con el gobierno de Felipe Calderón sin importar el derecho de la sociedad mexicana y europea a conocer las políticas en la materia. Read more…
EU States object to Transparency in Law-making
EU Observer | 30/06/2011
English – EU Member States are set to launch an appeal of a lower court decision with the European Court of Justice hoping to prevent greater transparency in decision-making – even about the transparency rules themselves. Read more…
Access Info Europe’s Pam Bartlett Quintanilla radio interview about Iceland’s silent revolution and transparency in Spain
Business Today | 29/06/2011
English – Audio clip of Access Info’s view on the silent Iceandic revolution, transparency and the Spanish 15M movement. Available to hear here.
Mining for truth in the Duchy
The Cornish Republican | 21/06/2011
English – After e-mails sent to various bodies dealing with the freedom of information Lydia Medland of Access Info Europe very kindly responded with the following thoughts and questions that may be of interest to people trying to get a stright answer from our crooked Duchy. Read more…
Access Info Europe’s Lydia Medland radio interview about 15M movement
Business Today | 01/06/2011
English – Audio clip of Access Info’s take on the 15M movement and its calls for a Spanish Transparency law. Available to hear here.
EU: Governments resist to reveal positions
Wobbing.eu | 25/05/2011
English – EU member states do not take yes for an answer. A fresh pro-transparency Court ruling is repeatedly challenged by the Council of Ministers. Read more…
Open Cyprus Project call on Pegeia Council to respect the rights of access to environmental information
cypruscommunitymedia.org | 18/05/2011
English – This call comes after the Pegeia Council refused the request of Councillor Linda Leblanc for a copy of planning permits for a controversial new coastal development, which might endager the protected coastal zone in the Sea Caves area. Read more…
Abredatos 2011: cómo poner información pública al servicio del ciudadano
rtve.es | 11/05/2011
Spanish – El certamen, promovido por Pro Bono Público, pretende generar un debate en la sociedad sobre la necesidad de que los organismos públicos sean accesibles y que se pueda sacar partido de ello. Así diferentes organizaciones, entre ellas la Coalición Pro Acceso, reclaman la falta de una ley que otorgue acceso a esta información. Read more…
Wikileaks y el derecho a saber
iecah.org | 04/05/2011
Spanish – La información es poder. Así se piensa desde hace siglos, y así quedó evidenciado con la revelación pública y masiva de información que realizó wikileaks recientemente. Lo curioso es que no precisamos de ninguna novedad legislativa ni voluntad gubernamental para pder conocer lo que se cuece en los despanos y gabinetes de nuestros dirigente, sino que poseemos derecho a ello desde hace tiempo. Es el derecho a saber, o el derecho de acceso a la información. Justamente a promover y proteger este derecho se dedica Access Info Europe. Read more…
Ciberactivismo: la red es nuestro punto de encuentro
equismagazine.es | 13/04/2011
Spanish – Internet se ha convertido en una parte central de nuestro vidas. No es de extrañar que las ONG hayan encontrado en este escenario un sitio imprescindible donde desarrollar sus iniciativas (…) Twitter también es un campo de batalla en esta revolución internauta. Hace unos meses la ONG Access Info y la Coalición Pro Acceso que trabajan por el acceso a la información pública lanzaron la campaña “Lluvia de tweets en el Ministerio de la Presidencia. Read more…
Union Europea: Golpe a la opacidad
Proceso.com.mx | 08/04/2011
Spanish – La Corte Europea de Justicia asestó un duro golpe a los Estados miembros que pretender restringir el acceso público a los documentos oficiales. La historia de este caso se remonta a 2008. Access Info Europe solicitó al servicio de documentación del Consejo de Ministros el acceso a una nota que el secretariado del mismo había transmitido unos días antes al Grupo de Trabajo sobre Información encargado de negociar internamente el documento de reforma que propuso la Comision Europea. Read more…
The Secret State of EU Transparency Reforms
betteraid.org | 28/03/2011
English – European citizens can’t find out either from Brussels or from national governments which countries are lobbying against EU transparency, according to the report launched by the NGO Access Info Europe. Read more…
Ireland Ombudsman’s speech: Executive Accountability and Parliamentary Democracy
ombudsman.gov.ie | 26/03/2011
English – (…) The second story is nearer home and is recorded in detail in a report published ealier this week by the NGO Access Info Europe. The NGO campaigns to promote and protect FOI laws in Europe and is concerned that proposed revisions to the current EU access law will dilute existing rights. Read more…
EU struggles with being open about transparency
EurActiv.com | 24/03/2011
English – EU member states are reluctant to reveal whether or not they support proposals by the European Commission to overhaul EU transparency law, a media investigation carried out this week reveals, triggering fears that the European Union is becoming less accountable to citizens. Read more…
EU Court supports disclosing names of countries
FreedomInfo.org | 23/03/2011
English – The Council of Europe was not justified in refusing to disclose the identities of countries taking positions on reform of the European Union’s access to information rules, the General Court of the EU has decided. Read more…
EU struggles with being open about being open
Reuters | 23/03/2011
English – Many of the documents that arrive in Helen Darbishire’s mailbox have important parts blacked out, and many more don’t arrive at all. That may be unusual for freedom-of-information requests, particularly when you consider the subject matter is government transparency. Read more… This article was also featured in Yahoo! News, Gulf Times and the India Times for example.
EU: Court rules citizens have a right to know
Wobbing.be | 23/03/2011
English – Access Info Europe has won a victory against the Council of the EU. According to the ruling of 22 March the Council had no right to hold back documents showing the position of the member states in ongoing deliberations. Read more…
Transparency is a common task
EU Observer | 23/03/2011
English – Politicians have said it. The Europan Ombudsman has said it. Now even the European Court is saying it: freedom of information is a fundamental right in a democracy. Read more…
Access to Information Poor in Cyprus, Research finds
FreedomInfo.org | 28/02/2011
English – Only one out of four requests for information from public bodies in Cyprus even got a response, according to a comprenhensive report that calls for major reforms. Read more…
Access Denied: public faces closed doors in hunt for official information
Cyprus Weekly | 25/02/2011
English – An EU-funded initiative yesterday revealed massive violations of the public’s fundamental right of access to information held by public bodies in Cyprus. Read more…
The Silence of Government: refusal to provide information to citizens
Politis News | 25/02/2011
Greek – The investigation “The Right of Access to Information in Cyprus”, the results of which were presented yesterday by Access Info Europe, placed Cyprus on one of the last countries in EU in providing information to citizens. Read more…
Transparencia: la asignatura pendiente
Diario Expansión | 15/02/2011
Spanish – El hecho de que la atención pública se centre en la crisis pone sordina a uno de los más sonoros incumplimientos del Gobierno que se arrastra nada menos que desde 2004. Hablamos del compromiso de remitir al Congreso un proyecto de ley de acceso a la información. Read more…
Union Europea: golpe a la transparencia
Proceso.com.mx | 12/02/2011
Spanish – La UE pretende restringir de forma significativa el acceso público a documentos oficiales. El pasado 28 de enero, 131 organizaciones no gubernamentales y 56 federaciones de periodistas de 48 países, lanzaron un llamado a los diputados del Parlamento Europeo par que “protejan urgentemente las medidad de trasparencia de la UE” y no aprueben una proposición de ley que amenza con acotarlas. Read more…
No Right-to-Know
Metropolitan | February 2011
English – It looked as if Spain was getting set to pass a law mandating the public’s right-to-know, but the legislation is missing in action. Read more…
EU: Recast of transparency rules spells trouble
Wobbing.eu | 04/02/2011
English – More than 200 civil organisations want the European Parliament to reject a proposal for new rules on access to documents in the EU, claiming it will be a step backwards. But the Commission stands firm. Gloomy diplomat talks of a choice between plague and cholera. Read more…
Transparency NGOs call on EU not to restrict document access
EU Observer | 02/02/2011
English – The EU is set to tightly restrict its freedom-of-information rules just seven years after they were introduced, says an alliance of some 180 human rights organisations, transparency pressure groups and journalist unions, which have called on the European Parliament to apply breaks to proposed legislation. Read more…
El Gobierno entierra la Ley de Transparencia
Público | 17/01/2011
Spanish – La norma no forma parte del calendario legislativo del Ejecutivo. España es uno de los cinco países de la UE que no regulan este derecho ciudadano. Read more…