About Helen Darbishire

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So far Helen Darbishire has created 1914 blog entries.
10 Dec 2021

Spain: High Time to Guarantee the Right of Access to Information

2021-12-11T08:38:15+01:00

Madrid, 10 December 2021 – On International Human Rights Day, and as the Spanish Transparency Law celebrates seven years since it entered into force, Access Info has renewed the call for full recognition of the right to information in Spain, something essential to fix many problems with the right to know in practice. With work on the reform of the law starting in early 2022 as part of a commitment in Spain’s latest Open Government Action Plan there is a unique opportunity to guarantee a full right of access to information in Spain, as a human right. This would be

Spain: High Time to Guarantee the Right of Access to Information2021-12-11T08:38:15+01:00
24 Nov 2021

Spain signs the Tromsø Convention on Access to Official Documents

2023-07-27T15:44:00+02:00

Madrid, 24 November 2021 – Access Info today welcomed the signature by Spain of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents – the Tromsø Convention – fulfilling its commitment to do so under Spain’s current Open Government Partnership Action Plan. The Tromsø Convention was signed by Spain’s Representative to the Council of Europe, Manuel Montobbio, on 23 November 2021, in the presence of Assistant Secretary General Bjorn Berge. The commitment to sign and ratify the Tromsø Convention was secured by civil society, with active involvement of Access Info, as part of the co-creation of Spain's IV OGP

Spain signs the Tromsø Convention on Access to Official Documents2023-07-27T15:44:00+02:00
21 Oct 2021

It’s time for EU Member States to deliver transparency of fisheries control

2021-10-22T09:22:25+02:00

Madrid, 22 October 2021 – As negotiations get underway in Brussels on future regulation of the fishing sector, Access Info is calling on EU Member States to support increased transparency in fisheries control, in line with the proposals made by the European Parliament in March 2021. At stake is the reform of an existing rule, the controversial Article 113, which prohibits the European Commission from sharing fishing controls data with other persons, even with national and European parliamentarians, unless the relevant Member State has given express consent. Access Info has repeatedly criticised this problematic secrecy clause, which dates back to

It’s time for EU Member States to deliver transparency of fisheries control2021-10-22T09:22:25+02:00
7 Oct 2021

Pandora Papers: Una razón más para tener registros mercantiles abiertos, según Acces Info

2021-10-07T13:15:40+02:00

Sueldos Públicos - Transparencia y Libertad en la Red | 05/10/2021 Spanish - La responsable de Investigación Legal y Campañas de esta organización, Patricia González, ofrece una explicación desde el enfoque de la transparencia y la lucha contra la corrupción. Read more...

Pandora Papers: Una razón más para tener registros mercantiles abiertos, según Acces Info2021-10-07T13:15:40+02:00
5 Oct 2021

A decade and 10K FOI requests: happy birthday AskTheEU!

2021-10-05T12:31:45+02:00

mySociety | 28/09/2021 English - Today is the annual International Day for Universal Access to Information. Transparency organisations all around the world are celebrating the Right To Know, as embodied in many countries’ FOI Acts: here at mySociety we’re getting ready for our special TICTeC FOI Show and Tell (it’s not too late to register, and you totally should!). Read more...

A decade and 10K FOI requests: happy birthday AskTheEU!2021-10-05T12:31:45+02:00
5 Oct 2021

Recognising the Fundamental Right of Access to Information: An Interview with Rachel Hanna

2021-10-05T12:05:42+02:00

Youth Time Magazine | 29/09/2021 English - Rachel Hanna, Legal Researcher and Campaigner, Access Info Europe celebrates the 28th of September- International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) by speaking to Youth Time and reflecting on what has been done during this passing year to create a platform for all stakeholders to take part in international discussions on policy and guidelines in access to information. Read more...

Recognising the Fundamental Right of Access to Information: An Interview with Rachel Hanna2021-10-05T12:05:42+02:00
4 Oct 2021

Pandora Papers: How long before we have open company registers?

2021-10-04T22:14:48+02:00

Helen Darbishire, Director of Access Info Europe, reflects on what the Pandora Papers tell us about anti-corruption and integrity instruments in Europe, and calls on the European Commission to move urgently on opening up company registers. Helen is a member of the Steering Committee of the Open Government Partnership, and is Chair of the UNCAC Coalition, a global civil society network working to combat corruption. Madrid, 4 October 2021 – The Pandora Papers leak reveals, once again, that the mega rich are using legal loopholes to avoid taxes and the corrupt are transferring money out of poorer countries into more

Pandora Papers: How long before we have open company registers?2021-10-04T22:14:48+02:00
28 Sep 2021

AsktheEU.org: 10th Birthday & 10,000 requests to the EU

2021-09-28T20:08:11+02:00

Access Info calls for all obstacles to requests to be removed Madrid, 28 September 2021 – On this year’s International Day for Universal Access to Information, Access Info is celebrating the over 10,000 access to documents requests sent via the AsktheEU.org platform since it was launched at a European Ombudsman event on the same day 10 years ago. AsktheEU.org, run by Access Info with support from mySociety, gives everyone a simple way to ask for access to the documents to European Union bodies, and also makes all the responses public. Browse the 10,000 requests on AsktheEU.org “AsktheEU.org makes EU transparency

AsktheEU.org: 10th Birthday & 10,000 requests to the EU2021-09-28T20:08:11+02:00
28 Sep 2021

Spain: Civil Society calls for full Recognition of the Right of Access to Information

2021-09-28T10:49:09+02:00

Alicante, 28 September 2021 - On the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Access Info Europe and other (35) organisations of the Coalición Pro Acceso have published a declaration calling on the Spanish government to recognise the right of access to information as a fundamental right, and to adopt a transparency law that applies to all public authorities, as well as to private entities that perform public functions and/or operate mostly with public resources. Among the 18 demands contained in the Declaration of the Coalición Pro Acceso, presented at the VI international Congress on Transparency (Alicante, 27 to 29

Spain: Civil Society calls for full Recognition of the Right of Access to Information2021-09-28T10:49:09+02:00