ACCESSING COMPANY REGISTERS
USING THE RIGHT TO KNOW
ONLY 1 OUT OF 32 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ALLOWS FREE, PUBLIC
ACCESS TO ITS ENTIRE COMPANY REGISTER
European governments, by putting these obstacles to accessing company register data, are complicit in blocking investigative journalists in their work uncovering criminal activities, money laundering, and tax evasion.
Experts’ views
Why is it important for the public to have full, free access to company registers?
Users perspective on access to company registers:
The Findings
The map below summarises the results of the request process, which took almost two years to complete.
To find out more about what happened in each country, click on the map or use the country-by-country list below:
Map Key
In red…Refused access to info
In orange…Process still ongoing
In green…Gave full access to info
In blue…Administrative silence
OPEN COMPANY REGISTERS LATEST NEWS
UN anti corruption conference makes progress on beneficial ownership transparency and access to information
Madrid, 13 December 2013 – Access Info Europe has welcomed the progress made on beneficial ownership transparency and access to information mechanisms during the recent conference of governments which are signatories to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), held on 25-29 November in Panama. Access Info Europe has been engaged in advocacy for stronger transparency mechanisms under the UNCAC as
UN Convention against Corruption: Call for action on right to information and company ownership transparency
Madrid, 23 August 2013 – NGOs today urged parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to take action to promote adoption of access to information laws and to increase the availability of information on beneficial ownership of private companies. A letter sent today to members of the UNCAC Working Group on Prevention, by Access Info Europe and Global Financial
Focus on Access to Information Laws essential for implementation of UN Convention against Corruption
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
The lobby battle around data privacy
Brussels, 15 May 2013 – The European Commission has proposed new regulation on data protection, which is currently being debated in the European Parliament. However, it threatens the commercial interests of big corporations who are currently making millions from collecting and selling our private data. Big corporation are trying to do everything in their power to water down the new
Access to information: a growing priority in the fight against corruption
Madrid, 1 August 2012 - At the first ever civil society briefing with States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) which took place in Vienna this June, access to information and participation remained top on the agenda for both civil society advocates and government officials. Civil society representatives, one after another emphasised the need to be involved in
Civil Society Calls for Greater Transparency in International Negotiations on the Fight against Corruption
Marrakesh, 28 October 2011 – Transparency International Spain and Access Info Europe have joined civil society organisations from around the world in calling on governments signatory to the UN Convention against Corruption to show greater commitment to fighting corruption and to be more open in what they are doing to tackle it. The 154 countries which have committed to United