BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY
Companies operating in the public sphere should be accountable for their actions and impacts on human rights and the environment, and in order to achieve this, transparency is essential.
» Through legislation: The European Union, for example, has adopted a series of legislation that requires companies in specific sectors to report on their impacts and activities. Find out more here » Through the fundamental right to information: Access to information is a fundamental human right and therefore it cannot be violated by any private actor. However, private actors not yet obliged to respond to freedom of information requests; except for in South Africa.
» Business Transparency News: We keep an eye on corporate transparency legislation.
» Company Ownership Transparency: We use access to information laws to test accessibility of corporate information in practice and to push for improved transparency.
BUSINESS TRANSPARENCY NEWS
Request Process in the Netherlands
Summary: €75,000 Is "Cost-Price" for Access to the Company Register Request sent to Chamber of Commerce Outcome of request Initial Request: Information Refused. Administrative Appeal: No response - Administrative Silence Time taken to respond The initial request was not received by the Chamber of Commerce. Once it was re-sent the
Request Process in Slovenia
Summary: Company Register Authority Appeals Pro-Transparency Ruling from Information Commissioner in Court Request sent to Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Public Legal Records and Related Services (AJPES) (Click here) Outcome of request Request rejected by AJPES. We appealed to the Information Commissioner, who ruled that the database should
Request Process in Denmark
Summary: The Register Can Be Downloaded Online, But You Need a Danish Electronic ID Request sent to Central Company Register (Click here) Outcome of request The database can be downloaded online but you need a Danish electronic ID number. Time taken to respond 11 working days (deadline is 7 working days).
Request Process in Germany
Summary: A Case of Administrative Silence - No Response to Our Request Request sent to Common register portal of the German Federal States (Click here) Outcome of request Administrative silence (Deadline for responding is 30 calendar days). Time taken to respond N/A Reason for refusal N/A The request was
Request Process in Estonia
Summary: You Must Pay €286,000 for the Company Register Database Request sent to Ministry of Justice Outcome of request Information refused. Time taken to respond 1 day. Reason for refusal Must pay for access. Another law overrides FOI law. The request was sent on 4 November 2013 to the