About Helen Darbishire

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So far Helen Darbishire has created 1914 blog entries.
15 Jul 2014

Civil society welcomes withdrawal of upfront FOI fees in Ireland, but concerns remain over charges

2018-11-13T10:11:46+01:00

Madrid/Dublin, 16 July 2014 - Access Info Europe has welcomed the Irish government's decision to withdraw upfront fees for access to information (also known as FOI) requests. The decision comes after extensive campaigning by Irish and international civil society organisations, and by not charging upfront fees would bring Ireland into line with international standards. The specialist transparency organisation expressed caution however, over other charges which still may apply and which do not follow standards on access to information. For example, charges for searching and retrieving information for more than 5 hours remain, as well as charges to make internal reviews

Civil society welcomes withdrawal of upfront FOI fees in Ireland, but concerns remain over charges2018-11-13T10:11:46+01:00
15 Jul 2014

MEPs urged to push lobby transparency to top of Juncker’s agenda

2018-11-13T10:11:46+01:00

Brussels, 15 July 2014 - Access Info Europe as part of ALTER-EU is calling upon Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to ensure that improvements in the area of lobby transparency, conflicts of interest, and ethics are placed high on the agenda of the new European Commission, as they prepare to quiz its president-elect Jean-Claude Juncker today. During the recent EU elections, 177 elected MEPs signed ALTER-EU's Politics for People pledge in which they committed to “stand-up for citizens and democracy against the excessive lobbying influence of banks and big business” upon entering office. “Our opinion poll showed 73% of

MEPs urged to push lobby transparency to top of Juncker’s agenda2018-11-13T10:11:46+01:00
9 Jul 2014

Concerns about EMA’s transparency backtrack on clinical trials data

2020-01-29T11:25:11+01:00

Madrid, 9 July 2014 – The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is considering adopting a policy on access to clinical trials data which imposes stricter confidentiality requirements and restricts citizens’ ability to exercise the right of access to documents. The proposed policy on proactive publication of clinical trial data has caused concern for Access Info Europe and other civil society organizations, who fear that the EMA’s ‘Terms of Use’ and ‘Redaction Principles’ would constitute a step backwards for EU transparency. Health organisations and the European Ombudsman were some of the first to express their concerns on the matter [1].

Concerns about EMA’s transparency backtrack on clinical trials data2020-01-29T11:25:11+01:00
2 Jul 2014

Cypriot draft access to information law needs significant improvement according to civil society organisations

2018-11-13T10:11:46+01:00

Madrid/Nicosia, 3 July 2014 - Access Info Europe has called upon the Republic of Cyprus to significantly improve the recently proposed draft law on access to information to come into line with international standards, in recommendations submitted as part of a public consultation. In the submission made this week to the consultation, Access Info welcomed the decision of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus to propose the adoption of a legal framework to facilitate the exercise of the right of access to information. The civil society organisation did make it clear that the scope of the current text however,

Cypriot draft access to information law needs significant improvement according to civil society organisations2018-11-13T10:11:46+01:00
27 Jun 2014

Lanzamiento de la campaña ’25 gramos’: Desinformación, publicidad y puertas giratorias en la industria azucarera

2020-02-14T16:18:39+01:00

Madrid, 27 de junio de 2014 – Access Info Europe ha participado esta semana en el lanzamiento de la campaña ’25 gramos’ para arrojar algo de luz sobre la falta de transparencia que rodea los procesos de toma de decisión relacionados con el azúcar. La campaña nace para dar a conocer e implementar en España la reciente recomendación por parte de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) sobre la necesidad de reducir nuestro consumo diario de azúcar. En concreto la recomendación es un consumo máximo de 25 gramos de azúcar al día, la población española consume de media más

Lanzamiento de la campaña ’25 gramos’: Desinformación, publicidad y puertas giratorias en la industria azucarera2020-02-14T16:18:39+01:00
26 Jun 2014

Un libro sobre el fenómeno de las puertas giratorias

2020-02-14T16:18:45+01:00

Madrid, 26 de junio de 2014 - Hoy a las 19h se presenta en el Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales de Madrid el libro realizado por el Foro Empresarial APRI, El Lobby en España ¿asignatura pendiente?, publicado por la editorial Algón Editores. Access Info Europe colabora en el libro con un capítulo dedicado a las puertas giratorias. Se trata de una obra colectiva que analiza el papel de los lobbies, su necesidad, los costes públicos de su ausencia, las alternativas de su regulación o los efectos cuando esta no existe, en un intento serio y profesional de desmitificar uno

Un libro sobre el fenómeno de las puertas giratorias2020-02-14T16:18:45+01:00
25 Jun 2014

Legal Leaks training in Podgorica focuses on media self-regulation and access to information

2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00

Podgorica, 14 June 2014 - "There is a weak culture of investigative journalism in Montenegro, with young journalists not being encouraged by editors to use the access to information law," stated participants in last week’s Legal Leaks training in Podgorica. Long timeframes for responding to requests for information and complex appeals procedures were also concerns raised by the participants in the training, which took place on 12 and 13 June 2014 and was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with Access Info Europe, the Media Self-Regulation Council and South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM). The event gathered around

Legal Leaks training in Podgorica focuses on media self-regulation and access to information2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00
25 Jun 2014

Legal Leaks training in Belgrade: Truth seeking requires skills

2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00

Belgrade, 18 June 2014 - Belgrade was the fifth and last stop of the Legal Leaks training tour for media professionals in South East Europe. The workshop held on 16 and 17 June 2014 was opened by Rodoljub Sabic, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection in Serbia, who highlighted the importance of journalists for public debate and the need for access to information to reinforce the role they play in the society. "Truth seeking requires skills," he told the around 30 journalists from around the country. The event was organized by UNESCO in cooperation with Access

Legal Leaks training in Belgrade: Truth seeking requires skills2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00
16 Jun 2014

Austria Constitutional Amendment: Abolishing secrecy but failing to recognise the right to Information

2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00

Madrid, 16 June 2014 – The Austrian government is on the point of missing an historical opportunity to bring the constitution into line with international standards on the right of access to information, according to open government experts Access Info Europe. Access Info Europe today welcomed the proposal to abolish the constitutional protection of secrecy, a provision first adopted in 1920, which places an obligation on public officials to maintain official secrecy. But Access Info Europe’s Executive Director Helen Darbishire expressed concerns that the proposed replacement amendment is so weak and limited that it is unlikely to have any impact

Austria Constitutional Amendment: Abolishing secrecy but failing to recognise the right to Information2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00
16 Jun 2014

Legal Leaks event in Sarajevo trains media professionals to data journalism

2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00

Sarajevo, 12 June 2014- Data journalism is opening up new possibilities for journalists to disclose new types of stories and to present complex information to readers through infographics. This new form of journalism is ever more popular as an addition to traditional journalism. In a world of ever-growing flow of data, data-driven journalism is becoming an essential part of journalistic work. To enhance journalists’ skills to access information and also to help journalists analyse and present the obtained data, a Legal Leaks training was organized in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 10 and 11 June 2014. Organised by UNESCO in

Legal Leaks event in Sarajevo trains media professionals to data journalism2018-11-13T10:11:47+01:00