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28 Sep 2022

Right to Know Day 2022: The EU should make this a right for all citizens!

Helen Darbishire2022-09-28T15:29:33+02:00

28 September 2022 - As we celebrate the International Day for Universal Access to Information, Access Info calls on European Union bodies to fully respect the right to EU documents and ensure that it can be enjoyed by all in practice. Releasing the key findings of a survey of the websites of 54 EU bodies, Access Info has identified a string of practical obstacles that stand between European citizens and their right to know, including: Languages – a right for English speakers only: While nearly three-quarters of EU websites explain the right of access to documents (70%), the majority

Right to Know Day 2022: The EU should make this a right for all citizens!Helen Darbishire2022-09-28T15:29:33+02:00

19 Sep 2022

Malta and Spain: The Right to Request – New Developments!

Helen Darbishire2022-09-19T17:45:38+02:00

19 September 2022 – As part of Access Info’s work to promote access to information as a right for all, a right which can be exercised transnationally, we are happy to share two important updates on our campaigns with a key court hearing in Malta and the good news of opening up requests to all in Spain. Access Info’s Litigation in Malta In Malta on 14 September 2022, the Court of Appeal heard a challenge brought by the Ministry of Home Affairs and National Security against a March 2022 decision of the Information and Data Protection Appeals Tribunal (hereafter the

Malta and Spain: The Right to Request – New Developments!Helen Darbishire2022-09-19T17:45:38+02:00

15 Sep 2022

25 Civil Society Organisations Urge the Spanish Government and Political Groups to Amend the Draft Law on Protection of Whistleblowers

Helen Darbishire2022-09-20T13:09:27+02:00

Madrid, September 15, 2022 – 20 members of the Coalición Pro Acceso and 5 international organisations have sent the Spanish Government and parliamentary groups a Decalogue of Recommendations to strengthen Spain’s draft law on protection of whistleblowers. The draft law was first released by the Ministry of Justice as part of a public consultation held in March 2022. This draft law contained important gaps and loopholes that, if implemented in that form, would mean weakened protection of whistleblowers in practice. The Council of Ministers has now approved a new text based on this draft law, however, this text has not

25 Civil Society Organisations Urge the Spanish Government and Political Groups to Amend the Draft Law on Protection of WhistleblowersHelen Darbishire2022-09-20T13:09:27+02:00

13 Sep 2022

Helen Darbishire re-elected Chair of UNCAC Coalition

Helen Darbishire2022-09-14T12:23:23+02:00

Madrid, 13 September 2022 – Access Info Europe is delighted to announce that its Executive Director, Helen Darbishire, has been re-elected as Chair of the UNCAC Coalition, the global network of anti-corruption organisations. Helen Darbishire, who has served as Chair for the past two years, was elected along with Co-Chair Gillian Dell of Transparency International who set up the UNCAC Coalition, and two Vice-Chairs, Samantha Feinstein of the Government Accountability Project, and David Ugolor, of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice. The Coalition works to promote implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) as well as to

Helen Darbishire re-elected Chair of UNCAC CoalitionHelen Darbishire2022-09-14T12:23:23+02:00

5 Sep 2022

Access Info: Renewed Board of Directors and International Advisory Board

Helen Darbishire2022-09-05T13:34:23+02:00

Madrid, 5 September 2022 – Access Info is proud to announce its renewed Board of Directors and International Advisory Board (IAB), with leading experts in access to information and related fields from across Europe. This leadership and governance team will guide our staff, promote the organisation, and refine our strategy so that the right of access to information can be used to help address current challenges, including defending democracy, combatting corruption, and delivering a just climate transition. The diverse group includes journalists, lawyers, CSO directors, and campaigners, and has good gender balance, reflects how Access Info is prioritising creating a

Access Info: Renewed Board of Directors and International Advisory BoardHelen Darbishire2022-09-05T13:34:23+02:00

2 Sep 2022

Free, online and open for all! UNESCO launches new Access to Information course

Helen Darbishire2022-09-02T13:30:10+02:00

Madrid, 2 September 2022 – UNESCO and the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) have launched a massive open online course (MOOC) about the right of access to information. The course is free for everyone and provides official certification upon completion. Taking just six hours to complete, this course is an excellent opportunity for all those who have an appetite to increase or reinforce their knowledge on the right of access to information (ATI), including public officials, journalists, civil society, students, and any other person interested on this fundamental right. The objectives of this course are: To increase participants’ knowledge

Free, online and open for all! UNESCO launches new Access to Information courseHelen Darbishire2022-09-02T13:30:10+02:00

13 Aug 2022

Spain and State Secrets: Civil Society condemns mid-August consultation on first new secrecy law in over 50 years!

Helen Darbishire2022-08-26T21:05:19+02:00

Photo: El País Update, 26 August 2022: 24 organisations have signed this statement, as well as three individual experts. Madrid, 13 August 2022 – Access Info is one of 15 civil society organisations which today condemned in the strongest terms an incredibly short, mid-August, public consultation on a Spain’s new secrecy law, proposed to replace the 1968 Franco-era law still in force. The new draft law was made public by the Spanish government on 3 August 2022 with a deadline of 12 August for public comments, right in the heart of the holiday period when very few academics, legal experts,

Spain and State Secrets: Civil Society condemns mid-August consultation on first new secrecy law in over 50 years!Helen Darbishire2022-08-26T21:05:19+02:00

4 Jul 2022

Spain: Another case of lack of transparency about transparency

Helen Darbishire2022-07-05T12:51:51+02:00

Madrid, 1 July 2022 – This week Access Info submitted an appeal to the Spanish Transparency Council after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused access to any documents at all about Spain’s signature and ratification of the Tromsø Convention, arguing that disclosure might damage international relations. This refusal is perplexing given that ratification of the Tromsø Convention is a flagship commitment under Spain’s IV Open Government Partnership Action Plan, and the signature ceremony in Strasbourg on 23 November 2021 was a very public event covered in Spanish media. The appeal submitted yesterday comes after a tortuous process of a series

Spain: Another case of lack of transparency about transparencyHelen Darbishire2022-07-05T12:51:51+02:00

29 Jun 2022

European Commission rejects recommendation by Ombudsman to open up secret covid vaccine negotiations

Helen Darbishire2022-06-29T12:47:01+02:00

130,000-strong petition backs European Ombudsman ruling for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to adhere to EU transparency rules around vaccine negotiations. Brussels, 29 June 2022 – The European Commission today doubled-down on its refusal to release text messages exchanged with Pfizer CEO, Albert Bourla, relating to negotiations of the purchase of covid vaccines in spite of calls to do so from over 130,000 citizens and the European Ombudsman. This Wednesday, rejecting the opinion by the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, who said that the text messages are subject to EU transparency rules, the European Commission is arguing instead that text

European Commission rejects recommendation by Ombudsman to open up secret covid vaccine negotiationsHelen Darbishire2022-06-29T12:47:01+02:00

23 Jun 2022

Almost 200 signatories ask the European Commission to open company ownership

Helen Darbishire2022-06-23T17:04:30+02:00

Madrid, 23 June 2022 - 182 organisations, journalists, academics, and individuals have signed a petition calling on the European Commission to ensure company ownership transparency in the EU. The petition comes as a response to the Commission’s draft Implementing Regulation for the Open Data Directive, which proposes the publication of only basic company information and company documents, without the names of company legal owners, legal representatives, and beneficial owners. The broad range of organisations and individuals adhering to this petition indicate the importance of open company registers: without company ownership information, CSOs and journalists would not have access to the

Almost 200 signatories ask the European Commission to open company ownershipHelen Darbishire2022-06-23T17:04:30+02:00