FacebookXInstagramYouTubeEmailWhatsAppLinkedIn
27 Apr 2020

Spanish Government urged to guarantee the right of access to information during the Covid-19 crisis

2021-04-01T14:30:00+02:00

Madrid, 27 April 2020- 31 Spanish civil society organisations, all members of the Coalición Pro Acceso, have called on the Spanish Government to guarantee the right of access to information. This comes after the suspension of all administrative deadlines under the state of emergency, which was declared on 14 March due to the coronavirus. In a letter addressed to Carolina Darias, the Minister of Territorial Policy and Public Function, the organisations denounce the negative effects that the pandemic is having on transparency and on access to information in Spain, a fundamental right that must be protected especially during a crisis,

Spanish Government urged to guarantee the right of access to information during the Covid-19 crisis2021-04-01T14:30:00+02:00
21 Apr 2020

Council of the European Union maintains timeframes for responding to access to documents requests

2020-04-27T18:00:54+02:00

Madrid, 21 April 2020 – Access Info today welcomed the announcement by the Council of the European Union that it will continue to process requests for documents, doing its best to adhere to the 15 working day timeframe, during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. A message from the Secretariat General’s Transparency team reads: The General Secretariat of the Council continues to support the political work, with some key services having to be present. Thanks to digital technology, the majority of staff remains fully operational. For the Transparency team, this means that we continue to deal with all requests for access to

Council of the European Union maintains timeframes for responding to access to documents requests2020-04-27T18:00:54+02:00
17 Apr 2020

Montenegro Access to Information Law Reform Halted

2020-04-27T18:01:09+02:00

Madrid, 17 April 2020 – Access Info today welcomed the news that Montenegro’s Ministry of Public Administration has decided to halt the public consultation on the controversial reform of the Law on Free Access to Information following a national and international outcry. Access Info was one of the organisations that jointed the campaign led by Montenegrin transparency specialists MANS calling for the consultation to be postponed, at least for the duration of the coronavirus lockdown, with people confined to their homes and parliamentary sessions are suspended. “The right to information is particularly important during this pandemic, and it is literally

Montenegro Access to Information Law Reform Halted2020-04-27T18:01:09+02:00
16 Apr 2020

EU urged to protect rule of law during coronavirus states of emergency

2020-04-27T18:01:18+02:00

Madrid, 16 April 2020 – Access Info Europe today joined 80 MEPs and civil society organisations in calling on the European Union to address restrictions on the rule of law and human rights, including freedom of expression and information, being introduced via coronavirus pandemic emergency measures. In an open letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President Charles Michel, the signatories warn of the misuse of the coronavirus crisis to silence dissent, limit freedom of expression, marginalise civil society, and erode democratic values. The letter also calls on the EU to ensure that the

EU urged to protect rule of law during coronavirus states of emergency2020-04-27T18:01:18+02:00
8 Apr 2020

EU urged to improve data and debate on gender equality

2022-10-26T12:40:09+02:00

Madrid, 8 April 2020 – Access Info Europe today called on the European Commission to collect and publish more data on gender equality, after finding low levels of gender data publication across Europe and revealing that the EU’s Statistical Office Eurostat has excluded various gender-related indicators as not relevant. In letters sent to Helena Dalli, EU Commissioner for Equality, and Paolo Gentiloni, EU Commissioner for Economy in charge of Eurostat and coordination of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Access Info noted that little over half (57%) of the SDG gender-related indicators are published in the European region, as shown

EU urged to improve data and debate on gender equality2022-10-26T12:40:09+02:00
6 Apr 2020

Now more than ever: transparency and whistleblower protection

2021-11-12T17:13:10+01:00

Madrid, 6 April 2020– Access Info Europe today joined leading transparency and anti-corruption organisations in calling on all public authorities to ensure and strengthen whistleblower protection during the state of emergency caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now more than ever: transparency and whistleblower protection2021-11-12T17:13:10+01:00
1 Apr 2020

Montenegro urged to halt public consultation on access to information law during the state of emergency

2020-04-27T18:01:43+02:00

Madrid, 1 April 2020 – Access Info today joined 41 Montenegrin NGOs and 28 journalists in calling on the government of Montenegro to halt moves to weaken the Law on Free Access to Information in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter of concern sent to Montenegro’s Ministry of Public Administration, Access Info called on it to postpone a public consultation on reforms to the Law on Free Access to Information that is taking place this week with a deadline of 4 April. This public consultation comes just at a time when people are confined to their homes,

Montenegro urged to halt public consultation on access to information law during the state of emergency2020-04-27T18:01:43+02:00
30 Mar 2020

EU urged to condemn Hungary’s limits on freedom of expression and information as part of Coronavirus crisis emergency measures

2020-04-27T18:01:52+02:00

Madrid, 30 March 2020 – Access Info has expressed serious concerns about the sweeping powers granted to Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orbán in a parliamentary vote approving indefinite rule by decree and jail terms for spreading misinformation. Access Info’s Director Helen Darbishire is one of the first signatories of a petition developed with MEPs, which is now open for all to sign. “The Coronavirus pandemic is being used as a pretext or another step towards undermining democracy and human rights in Hungary. This is something that the European Union and other Member States can neither ignore nor tolerate,” commented Helen

EU urged to condemn Hungary’s limits on freedom of expression and information as part of Coronavirus crisis emergency measures2020-04-27T18:01:52+02:00
27 Mar 2020

Opening Up SDG 5: What do we know about Gender Equality?

2022-10-26T12:37:27+02:00

This article was originally published on 27 March 2020 and later uptaded on 23 September 2020. Madrid, 27 March 2020- In several European countries there is poor availability of data on Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality, research by Access Info Europe has found. This makes it impossible for citizens to know how well their country is progressing towards reducing discrimination and violence against women, and securing genuine equality in areas such as education, the workplace, and political participation. The report "Opening Up SDG 5: What do we know about Gender Equality?" can be downloaded here Research conducted

Opening Up SDG 5: What do we know about Gender Equality?2022-10-26T12:37:27+02:00
6 Mar 2020

Access Info and Maltese CSOs discuss strategies for strengthening the right to information

2020-04-01T11:24:52+02:00

Malta, 6 March 2020 – Access Info Europe representatives today met with civil society and journalists from Malta to discuss strategies for improving respect for the right of access to information. The discussion centred on how to ensure that the 2008 Freedom of Information Act is properly implemented, as well as how to secure eventual improvements to the law, and how to change the administrative culture to one more favourable to transparency and open government. The problems identified include high levels of refusals which do not contain detailed justifications, administrative silence, the length of the appeals process, and examples of

Access Info and Maltese CSOs discuss strategies for strengthening the right to information2020-04-01T11:24:52+02:00
Original content developed by Access Info Europe and is made public under a Creative Commons Attribution, Share Alike licence.