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23 May 2016

Give the Commission your views on EU lobbying!

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

This article was originally published by ALTER-EU. Brussels, 23 May 2015 - Do you want to see more transparency about who is lobbying who in Brussels and the EU institutions? Are you angry about the privileged access that corporate lobbyists get to EU decision-makers, whether it be on TTIP, tobacco, climate, regulation, digital rights...? The European Commission is consulting about how to improve the EU lobby transparency register with a view to revising and improving the current set-up. The consultation process is far from perfect, and the extent of the Commission's future ambition is not yet clear, but nonetheless, the

Give the Commission your views on EU lobbying!2018-11-13T10:04:11+01:00
19 May 2016

Spain’s extortionate Sunshine Tax is “a final solution for renewable energy”: What do the documents tell us?

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

Madrid, 19 May 2016 - On the day that the news is full of the fact that Portugal this month had four straight days of zero emissions energy production using renewable sources (full story here), documents obtained by Access Info Europe using Spain’s Transparency Law reveal the tense political battles behind a controversial 2015 law that imposes prohibitive taxes on use of home-produced energy (such as from solar power). Spain – a country replete with sunshine, wind and waves – could be breaking the same records as Portugal, but instead the renewables sector has been undermined and citizens who generate

Spain’s extortionate Sunshine Tax is “a final solution for renewable energy”: What do the documents tell us?2018-11-13T10:04:11+01:00
12 May 2016

Spain: NGOs go to court to obtain documents about lobbying on a controversial energy law

2018-11-13T10:10:41+01:00

Madrid 12 May 2016 – Two Spanish NGOs are challenging in court a decision by the Transparency Council granting only partial access to lobby documents submitted during elaboration of a controversial 2015 Law that imposes prohibitive taxes on use of home-produced energy (such as from solar power). Access Info Europe and the Platform for a New Energy Model in December 2015 had requested all documents submitted by third parties to the Ministry of Industry; the Ministry denied access on the grounds that the documents are “internal”, invoking one of the most problematic provisions of Spain’s 2013 Transparency Law. The Transparency

Spain: NGOs go to court to obtain documents about lobbying on a controversial energy law2018-11-13T10:10:41+01:00
11 May 2016

EU Ombudsman: Public figures should expect a high degree of transparency about their professional competence

2018-11-13T10:10:41+01:00

Madrid/Brussels, 10 May 2016 – In an important Decision from the European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly has said that data relating to the professional competence and activities of public figures, especially those appointed to a high level public posts, may not require the same level of protection as might apply to personal data in other circumstances. Access Info Europe and the HEC-NYU EU Public Interest Clinic welcomed the Ombudsman’s Decision on their complaint about the lack of transparency in the selection process for judges to the European Union Court of Justice (ECJ). “The public has a right to know if the

EU Ombudsman: Public figures should expect a high degree of transparency about their professional competence2018-11-13T10:10:41+01:00
9 May 2016

After five months, European Commission tells Access Info the name of a database!

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

Madrid, 9 May 2016 - On Europe Day, Access Info’s Executive Director Helen Darbishire was happy to open a DHL package from the European Commission with the response to a request submitted on 16 November 2015 for information about the database in which the travel and entertainment expenses of the European Commissioners are stored. We asked about the database because we’ve been told it’s not possible to provide numerical data on how much each Commissioner spends on travel and entertainment without also providing personal data, which would take many days to redact. In the modern information era this seems odd.

After five months, European Commission tells Access Info the name of a database!2018-11-13T10:04:11+01:00
3 May 2016

Civil society urges OGP Steering Committee to undertake strong reforms and rally its core values

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

Madrid, 3 May 2016 - The Open Government Partnership is in need of substantial reforms in order for it to become a real actor of change for greater transparency, participation and accountability worldwide, Access Info Europe and Alianza Regional have stated in an open letter sent to the organisation’s Steering Committee. The letter, supported by 64 civil society organisations, addresses five areas of improvement aiming to increase the OGP’s credibility and strengthen its core values: » Establishing clear and rigorous criteria for dealing with human rights violations by participating countries; » Ensuring real participation and co-creation of OGP Action Plans;

Civil society urges OGP Steering Committee to undertake strong reforms and rally its core values2018-11-13T10:04:11+01:00
21 Mar 2016

Access Info calls for immediate end to the EU’s secretive law-making process

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

Madrid, 21 March 2016 - Access Info Europe has urged the European Ombudsman to recommend that the European Union immediately end its current practice of negotiating future legislation in secretive “trilogue” talks between the Council, Commission and Parliament. In a submission to the Ombudsman’s Public Consultation, Access Info cited the arguments of the EU’s own Advocate General in the case that led to Access Info’s 2013 victory against the Council before the European Court of Justice: ‘Legislating’ is, by definition, a law-making activity that in a democratic society can only occur through the use of a procedure that is

Access Info calls for immediate end to the EU’s secretive law-making process2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00
18 Mar 2016

We Have the Right to Know: Is the EU-Turkey Deal Legal? So We’re Asking.

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

Madrid, 18 March 2016 – As EU leaders meet in Brussels to finalise details of last week’s controversial deal on sending refugees back from Greece to Turkey, Access Info Europe is launching an access to information campaign digging into the legality of the agreement, and asking EU institutions whether they sought legal advice on or properly evaluated the human rights impacts of the deal. The three initial access to documents requests, sent to the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, and the European Parliament, also ask for legal advice-related documents in regards to the pre-existing 2014 Agreement between

We Have the Right to Know: Is the EU-Turkey Deal Legal? So We’re Asking.2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00
17 Mar 2016

MEPs urged to take stand to defend future of EU Transparency

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

Madrid, 17 March 2016 – As the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee (AFCO) gears up for a crucial debate on recommendations on the future of EU integrity, transparency, and accountability, Access Info Europe has called on MEPs to support proposals in favour of strengthening EU transparency mechanisms, including by giving the Ombudsman powers to review classified documents and inspect the premises of public bodies. At the same time, Access Info cautioned that some of the amendments put forward by MEPs in the AFCO Committee, such retaining a limited definition of access to documents (rather than all information), are out of

MEPs urged to take stand to defend future of EU Transparency2018-11-13T10:04:12+01:00
3 Mar 2016

UK Government drops plans to restrict FOI

2018-11-13T10:10:54+01:00

Madrid, 3 March 2016- Access Info Europe has welcomed the decision by the UK government to abandon its plan to undermine the UK FOI law through measures such as the introduction of fees for making requests or expanding the Cabinet veto on disclosure of information. This victory in defence of the public’s right to know was achieved after intense public debate about the proposals under consideration by the Commission on Freedom of Information and over 30,000 submissions to the public consultation. Access Info, which had condemned the proposals and participated in the public consultation, welcomed the announcement on 1 March

UK Government drops plans to restrict FOI2018-11-13T10:10:54+01:00
Original content developed by Access Info Europe and is made public under a Creative Commons Attribution, Share Alike licence.