About Helen Darbishire

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Helen Darbishire has created 1914 blog entries.
17 Jun 2013

French Transparency Law: it’s time to regulate lobbying

2018-11-13T10:12:34+01:00

Madrid/Paris, 17 June 2013 – Access Info has joined 10 civil society organisations from around the world in calls on the French parliament to adopt legislation which will introduce a mandatory register of lobbyists. The calls for greater regulation of lobbying come as the French parliament (Assemblée Nationale) considers a draft law on control of conflicts of interest in the wake of a series of corruption scandals.

French Transparency Law: it’s time to regulate lobbying2018-11-13T10:12:34+01:00
17 Jun 2013

Access Info Europe calls on the Ukrainian Parliament to adopt without further delay important amendments concerning access to information

2018-11-13T10:12:34+01:00

Madrid, 15 June 2013 – Access Info Europe calls on the Ukrainian Parliament to adopt Draft Law No. 0947 before summer recess and align Ukrainian legislation with the new information laws that Ukraine passed in 2011. Draft amendments are pending in the Parliament since May 2012 and are key for the proper enforcement of the landmark 2011 Law of Ukraine on Access to Public Information which was recognized as one of the best legal texts on the subject globally .

Access Info Europe calls on the Ukrainian Parliament to adopt without further delay important amendments concerning access to information2018-11-13T10:12:34+01:00
7 Jun 2013

European Court of Justice ruling entrenches EU secrecy in international relations

2018-11-13T10:12:34+01:00

  Madrid, 7 June 2013 – Access Info Europe notes with regret today’s ruling by the General Court of the European Court of Justice which upholds the European Commission’s refusal to make public documents about the EU-India Free Trade Agreement requested by the lobby watchdog Corporate Europe Observatory. The central question in the case Corporate Europe Observatory v European Commission revolves around whether or not dissemination of minutes of meetings and email correspondence would harm the EU’s international relations. The Court’s ruling is particularly regrettable given that these documents had been shared with representatives of the European and Indian business

European Court of Justice ruling entrenches EU secrecy in international relations2018-11-13T10:12:34+01:00
5 Jun 2013

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Proposed FOI Law reforms would limit access to much information of public importance.

2018-11-13T10:12:35+01:00

Access Info joins OSCE in calling for withdrawal of amendments   Madrid, 4 June 2013 – Access Info Europe today raised concerns that proposed amendments to the Law on Freedom of Access to Information of Bosnia and Herzegovina would exclude large volumes of information from the right of access to information. In separating the freedom of information law from the law on personal data protection, the proposed amendments, in particular Article 8.2, introduce restrictions on access to data of clear public interest, such as spending of public funds on healthcare, or copies of court decisions. “The poorly drafted and ill-considered

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Proposed FOI Law reforms would limit access to much information of public importance.2018-11-13T10:12:35+01:00
5 Jun 2013

The Transparency Register’s code of conduct for lobbyists needs to be strengthened during upcoming review

2018-11-13T10:12:35+01:00

The Transparency Register’s code of conduct for lobbyists needs to be strengthened during upcoming review Madrid/Brussels, 5 June 2013 – When lobby groups sign up to the EU’s voluntary lobby register [1] they agree to a code of conduct for lobbyists. This code however is currently weak and vaguely-worded, according to ALTER EU, a coalition campaigning for greater lobby transparency in the EU, of which Access Info Europe is an active member. The lack of clarity in the code of conduct, particularly about what constitutes “undue pressure” or “inappropriate behaviour” for lobbyists – alongside the absence of

The Transparency Register’s code of conduct for lobbyists needs to be strengthened during upcoming review2018-11-13T10:12:35+01:00
2 Jun 2013

Regulation of Lobbying in Spain – Statement by Access Info Europe

2018-11-13T10:12:36+01:00

Madrid, 2 June 2013 - Today the Spanish daily El País published an article revealing the government's plans for future lobby regulation in Spain. The main highlights include the creation of an obligatory register of interest representatives, applicable to all those who undertake lobbying activities via-a-vis the upper and lower houses of Parliament. The article also outlines a series of ethics reforms such as the publication of declarations of interest by senior officials or stricter controls over conflicts of interest. Though the government has not yet released detailed information about its plans to regulate lobbying nor has it published the

Regulation of Lobbying in Spain – Statement by Access Info Europe2018-11-13T10:12:36+01:00
30 May 2013

El Gobierno sortea las enmiendas a la Ley de Transparencia sin dar a conocer su nuevo redactado

2019-02-05T15:20:25+01:00

  • Se confirma la inclusión de la Casa Real, el Banco de España, los partidos políticos, sindicatos y patronal en la ley, sin aclarar por el momento los detalles • A pesar de las demandas de partidos en minoría y de la sociedad civil, el Gobierno es rotundo: el acceso a la información no será un derecho fundamental • El Gobierno mantiene su intención de excluir los documentos que se utilizan para la toma decisiones -borradores e informes-, tal y como se señala en el artículo 15   Madrid – 30 de mayo de 2013 – El Pleno del

El Gobierno sortea las enmiendas a la Ley de Transparencia sin dar a conocer su nuevo redactado2019-02-05T15:20:25+01:00
30 May 2013

Focus on Access to Information Laws essential for implementation of UN Convention against Corruption

2018-11-13T10:12:37+01:00

Vienna, 29 May 2013 – Access Info Europe today called on States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to make strong mechanisms for access to information a priority issue. The right of access to information is a key tool for the prevention of corruption, yet there is no mention of it in the work plan of the UNCAC’s Working Group on Corruption Prevention. Speaking at the UN Convention against Corruption Briefing for NGOs today, Lydia Medland of Access Info said, "To fight corruption, citizens and civil society organisations need effective access to information laws which not only oblige

Focus on Access to Information Laws essential for implementation of UN Convention against Corruption2018-11-13T10:12:37+01:00
29 May 2013

Latest news on Spanish Transparency law

2018-11-13T10:12:39+01:00

Madrid, 29 May 2013 - Today, members of the Access Info team have been invited by the Spanish political party Izquierda Plural to witness the third session of interventions on the future Spanish Transparency law. The debate in the Spanish Congress will deal with the range of amendments to the entire law, which are being introduced by the majority of the political parties, whilst civil society considers the law to still be insufficient and not up to scratch in meeting international standards. Victoria Anderica, Campaign Coordinator at Access Info, reviews party by party the reasons behind the amendments to the

Latest news on Spanish Transparency law2018-11-13T10:12:39+01:00
28 May 2013

Why care about the right of access to information?

2018-11-13T10:12:41+01:00

How to avoid the closure of rural schools with data Madrid, 28 May 2013 – The right of Access to information isn’t just something that deals with transparency in an abstract, disconnected manner, it is also a way of improving day-to-day life through access to objective information. Some of the stories about the excommissioner for information of Scotland, Kevin Dunion, demonstrate the practical application of this right, through concrete victories. How would these cases run in Spain? This is something that is very difficult to compare without a law that requires public administrations to respond to citizens questions. But we

Why care about the right of access to information?2018-11-13T10:12:41+01:00