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So far Helen Darbishire has created 1914 blog entries.
10 Dec 2014

Disappointing first day for Spain’s access to information law

2018-11-13T10:11:31+01:00

Madrid, 10 December 2014 – The Spanish access to information law entered into force at the central government level on 10 December 2014, but it’s proving near impossible for the public to make requests. Rather than a cause for celebration, it’s been a bit of an anti-climax for the team that founded Access Info Europe, which is headquartered in Spain in part out of the goal of promoting a transparency law in the only country with over a million inhabitants in the European Union and wider European region not to have one. The biggest disappointment for the Access Info Europe

Disappointing first day for Spain’s access to information law2018-11-13T10:11:31+01:00
9 Dec 2014

Access Info in the News 2014

2018-11-13T10:11:31+01:00

News Articles from 2014 Une loi espagnole sur la transparence peu convaincante Acteurs Publics | 16/12/2014French - Il aura fallu une décennie à l’Espagne pour adopter une loi sur la transparence de la vie publique et l’accès à l’information des citoyens. Objet de débats houleux depuis 2004, cette loi est entrée en vigueur mercredi 10 décembre. Mais le texte est quasi unanimement contesté pour son “insuffisance” et pour l’“opacité” qu’il maintient. Read more... El Portal de Transparencia nace sin información sobre su coste Eldiario.es | 11/12/2014Spanish - Un Portal de Transparencia poco transparente. Es una de las conclusiones tras buscar

Access Info in the News 20142018-11-13T10:11:31+01:00
9 Dec 2014

End impunity for corruption and recognize people’s rights to information and participation

2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00

Hundreds of groups worldwide call for governments to act Madrid, 9 December 2014 - On the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day, the UNCAC Coalition, an anti-corruption network of 350 public interest groups worldwide and of which Access Info Europe is Europe Region Corrdinator, is calling on governments to get serious about tackling corruption as they agreed when they adopted the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC). The groups point to a hemorrhaging of public resources and growing inequality and instability around the world due to corruption. One concrete step that governments should take without further delay is to establish a requirement

End impunity for corruption and recognize people’s rights to information and participation2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00
5 Dec 2014

Spain: Government says “Working Hard” Preparing for Transparency Law

2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00

Madrid, 9 December 2014 -- The Spanish access to information law enters into force at the national level on Wednesday 10 December 2014, but with just one week to go to until citizens can start presenting requests, there is little sign of preparation, with the transparency portal not having been launched and the oversight body, the Transparency Council, not having been formed. In a meeting with Secretary of State for Communication, Carmen Martinez Castro, on Thursday 4 December 2014, an international delegation of freedom of expression organisations was told that the transparency law is a priority for the current Spanish

Spain: Government says “Working Hard” Preparing for Transparency Law2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00
27 Nov 2014

Proactive lobbying transparency measures welcomed by civil society but loopholes remain

2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00

Madrid – Access Info Europe has welcomed the 25 November decision by the European Commission to proactively publish information about meetings between high level officials and lobbyists, but has raised concerns that the measures do not go far enough and contain loopholes which could seriously undermine the transparency initiative. Of particular concern is the lack of independent criteria for ascertaining whether or not the name of a particular lobbyist should be withheld from the public, with this hinging solely on whether or not the lobbyists provide “unambiguous consent”. This loophole leaves transparency in the hands of the lobbyists, who are

Proactive lobbying transparency measures welcomed by civil society but loopholes remain2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00
26 Nov 2014

First International Freedom of Expression Mission to Spain 1-3 December

2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00

Concerns include abuse of defamation laws, regulation of broadcast media, and the right of access to information Madrid, 26 November 2014 - A mission of international freedom of expression experts will visit Spain during 1-3 December 2014 in order to gather information about levels of press freedom, freedom of expression and the right of access to information. The first mission of its kind, it is led by the International Press Institute (IPI) in coordination with Access Info Europe, and includes representatives of leading media freedom groups including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), the World Association

First International Freedom of Expression Mission to Spain 1-3 December2018-11-13T10:11:32+01:00
21 Nov 2014

European Commission Vice President challenges institutions to be transparent about meetings with lobbyists

2018-11-13T10:11:33+01:00

Madrid - This Wednesday, Vice-President Timmermans, responsible for transparency and better regulation, challenged the European Parliament and Council to follow the Commission's lead on lobby transparency. The statement was made after the college of Commissioners debated Jean Claude Juncker's promised to proactively publish information about meetings with lobbyists. The European Commission has announced that, as of 1 December 2014, EU Commissioners, all cabinet staff and high level officials such as Directors General will implement a series of initiatives which, according to Vice President Timmermans, include “full transparency” on Commissioners' agendas and proactive publication of lobby information so that citizens can

European Commission Vice President challenges institutions to be transparent about meetings with lobbyists2018-11-13T10:11:33+01:00
20 Nov 2014

Midiendo impactos medioambientales a través del derecho de acceso a la información

2018-11-13T10:11:33+01:00

Madrid, 20 de noviembre de 2014 - Las organizaciones Access Info Europe, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, Ecologistas en Acción, Fundació Ent, Greenpeace, Oceana, y WWF, han pedido información acerca del posicionamiento del gobierno español sobre la reforma del Reglamento de la Unión Europea sobre la pesca en aguas profundas del Atlántico nororiental, en una carta dirigida a la ministra de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, Isabel García Tejerina. La carta a la ministra García Tejerina incluye ocho preguntas a través de las cuales se pretende descifrar el impacto que la propuesta planteada por la Comisión Europea tendría sobre el sector

Midiendo impactos medioambientales a través del derecho de acceso a la información2018-11-13T10:11:33+01:00
15 Nov 2014

EU Member States to Implement Directive for Companies to Disclose Non-Financial Information on Environment and Human Rights

2020-02-14T11:19:16+01:00

Brussels/Madrid, 15 November 2014 - The Directive requiring large EU companies to produce yearly statements revealing non-financial information must now be implemented by Member States following its adoption by the Council of the European Union last month and its publication in the Official Journal of the EU today. The Directive will specifically require businesses to publish information relating to environmental, social, and employee-related matters, human rights, anti-corruption, and bribery as well as produce an evaluation of potential risks involved and the strategy employed to mitigate them. Access Info Europe welcomes the Directive's implementation across Europe. "As the first EU legislation

EU Member States to Implement Directive for Companies to Disclose Non-Financial Information on Environment and Human Rights2020-02-14T11:19:16+01:00