About Helen Darbishire

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So far Helen Darbishire has created 1914 blog entries.
15 Feb 2016

Lobbying Regulation: An Ongoing Question For Spain

2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00

This article was originally published by ALTER-EU. Madrid, 15 February 2016 - Lobbying is currently not regulated in Spain, and despite the entry into force of the new access to information law, it is still almost impossible for the public to find out who is influencing which decision-makers, with what means, and to what effect. This is despite the eruption of new political parties, such as Podemos and Ciudadanos, which have helped to introduce into the political agenda issues of conflicts of interest caused by unregulated lobbying and the revolving door phenomenon. The lack of regulation and transparency around lobbying

Lobbying Regulation: An Ongoing Question For Spain2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00
9 Feb 2016

Spain: Government goes to court to keep secret documents about … open government!

2018-11-13T10:04:13+01:00

Madrid, 9 February 2016 - The Spanish government has launched a court case against Spain’s Transparency Council to challenge a decision that it should release documents relating to the implementation of Spain’s two Open Government Partnership action plans. In November 2015, Helen Darbishire, Executive Director of Access Info Europe, secured a ruling from the Transparency Council that the Ministry of the Presidency should make public reports from Ministries about progress being made on Open Government Partnership commitments. In its ruling, the Transparency Council argued that documents about Spain’s open government activities cannot be exempted as being “internal” because they are

Spain: Government goes to court to keep secret documents about … open government!2018-11-13T10:04:13+01:00
8 Feb 2016

Austria: Draft FOI law falls short of international standards

2018-11-13T10:04:13+01:00

Access Info/IPI analysis welcomes progress, but urges reforms to better guarantee right to information Madrid/Vienna, 8 February 2016 – Austria’s draft freedom of information (FOI) law requires significant further reforms in order to meet international standards governing transparency and the right to information, Access Info Europe and the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI) said today upon jointly releasing an analysis of the draft. The analysis, conducted by Access Info, welcomes Austria’s initiative to replace an outdated legal framework that “until now has severely restricted access to information held by Austrian public bodies”. Key weaknesses in the proposed FOI law (Informationsfreiheitsgesetz)

Austria: Draft FOI law falls short of international standards2018-11-13T10:04:13+01:00
3 Feb 2016

“The Uncounted”

2020-01-29T10:59:58+01:00

'The Uncounted': Report Infographics Below you will find a series of infographics that sum up the findings and recommendations set in Access Info and the Global Detention Project's report The Uncounted: Detention of Migrants and Asylum Seekers in Europe. Please feel free to download and use these as you wish - why not share them on social media! Findings and Recommendations Report Summary And Overview Report Findings and Recommendations You can also view and share these infographics here. Who disclosed detention centres information? Who

“The Uncounted”2020-01-29T10:59:58+01:00
1 Feb 2016

Los pilares del Gobierno Abierto

2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00

E-Consulta Veracruz | 01/02/2016 Spanish – La evolución tecnológica condiciona cada vez más aspectos de nuestra vida en sociedad, y nos permite aproximarnos a realidades distantes cuya condición parece difuminarse cuando entramos en contacto con actores que nos ayudan a explicar esos fenómenos, con más o menos oportunidad y distinguir en su justa dimensión las aristas de lo que podría ser un fenómeno social complejo. Read more…

Los pilares del Gobierno Abierto2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00
29 Jan 2016

Madrid City Hall Transparency Ordinance Sets a High Standard

2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00

Civil society recommends strengthening proactive publication and lobbying regulation Madrid, 29 enero 2016 – Madrid City Hall has prepared a high standard and comprehensive Transparency Ordinance which meets with civil society demands in areas such as proactive publication obligations, the right of access to information, and regulation of lobbies, according to Access Info Europe and other members of Coalición Pro Acceso. At the same time, the organisations have suggested various improvements including expanding the list of information to be published proactively, establishing a sanctions regime for breaches of the right of access to information, and strengthening regulation of lobbyists. These

Madrid City Hall Transparency Ordinance Sets a High Standard2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00
22 Jan 2016

Access Info sets out transparency priorities for EU with Green/EFA Group

2018-11-13T10:10:55+01:00

Madrid, 22 January 2016 – Access Info Europe has outlined key actions that will help to increase transparency of EU decision-making and lobbying, in its submission as part of a consultation on civil society priority areas held by the Green/EFA Group. The pro-transparency organisation called upon the Greens to push EU institutions towards the proactive publication of information such as agendas, minutes, and participants of meetings between EU public officials and lobbyists. Access Info Europe also called for the currently-secret interinstitutional “trialogue” meetings to be made public, as part of an agenda to open up lobbying activities and decision-making processes

Access Info sets out transparency priorities for EU with Green/EFA Group2018-11-13T10:10:55+01:00
6 Jan 2016

Una transparencia de muy difícil acceso

2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00

El País | 06/01/2016 Spanish – Hace un año España dejó de estar a la cola de Europa en cuestión de transparencia, al menos sobre el papel. Por primera vez una ley regulaba cómo pueden los ciudadanos pedir información a su Gobierno y en qué casos este está obligado a responderles. ¿Cuántos asesores a dedo tienen los ministerios? ¿Qué subvenciones se conceden? Read more…

Una transparencia de muy difícil acceso2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00
3 Jan 2016

Paredes de cristal a golpe de ley

2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00

La Opinión A Coruña | 03/01/2016 Spanish – El pasado 10 de diciembre entró en vigor para todos los municipios de España la Ley de Transparencia y Buen Gobierno. Lo hizo un año después que para el Gobierno central, quien ya está obligado a cumplir con estas garantías de transparencia desde diciembre de 2014. Read more…

Paredes de cristal a golpe de ley2018-11-13T10:04:14+01:00
27 Dec 2015

El difícil camino de la libertad de expresión

2018-11-13T10:04:23+01:00

La opinión de Málaga | 27/12/2015 Spanish – En el informe del Instituto Internacional de Prensa (IPI) sobre la libertad de prensa en España (junio 2015) se hace referencia a un documento publicado en marzo del presente año por el IPI, Access Info Europa, la Federación Europea de Periodistas, y Reporteros Sin Fronteras España, en el que se identifican, entre otros, los siguientes problemas relacionados con la libertad de expresión en nuestro país: Read more…

El difícil camino de la libertad de expresión2018-11-13T10:04:23+01:00