Global Rendition System Mapping
Madrid – May 22 2013, Today, the “Global Rendition System” database and interactive map was launched by Access Info’s partners, Reprieve and The Global Detention Project. Much original data included in the mapping was collected by Access Info and Reprieve in the Rendition on Record project, under which access to information requests were submitted to 29 countries and one international organisation. The Global Rendition System database and mapping has been released on the eve of President Obama’s major speech on counter-terrorism policy.
The mapping is the most comprehensive resource so far visualising the CIA’s programme of renditions and secret prisons as part of the ‘war on terror’. The website gives users access to all of the original documents, including those disclosed to Access Info Europe (see data disclosed under Freedom of Information requests, here). The database contains over 11,000 flights by 120+ aircraft linked by past investigations to renditions, and details of over 50 private companies contracted for/by the CIA in relation to rendition flights.
The picture shows a sample filter of the interactive map showing a flight for which Access Info received original documentation from the Portuguese Government on 23 January 2013. See the original response to the Access to Information request here.
Link to the Interactive Mapping on the Global Detention Project Website.
Link to the Interactive Mapping on the Guardian Data Blog.
New Guide on Access to EU Documents
Madrid, May 9, 2013 – To celebrate Europe Day, Access Info is launching a citizen-friendly Guide on Access to EU Documents and is calling on members of the public and civil society organisations to exercise their rights and file access to documents requests.
The EU has recognised a fundamental right of access to EU documents, but the EU's freedom of information law – which goes by the catchy title of 'Regulation 1049/2001' – remains underused by the population at large. The new guide demystifies the process of asking for EU documents explaining step by step how to make a request.
Access Info hopes the guide will encourage citizens to exercise their right to ask, and also to defend that right before the European Ombudsman in cases where full information is not provided.
Click to download a copy of the Guide on access to EU Documents (best viewed online with Internet Explorer).
"I don't want to be rich, I want to be happy"
The Voices of EU Citizens Presented in Brussels
Madrid/Brussels, April 24, 2013 — Access Info Europe today called on the European Union to make the “European Year of Citizens” a reality by removing obstacles to participation in Brussels decision making, in particular by increasing levels of EU transparency.
*A member of the Spanish public speaking in this video which captures the voices of European Citizens facing up to the current financial crisis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvpVWmJsMzU
Citizens' Report (EN) 
Citizens' Report (FR)
Citizens' Report (ES)
Presenting “The Citizens’ Report: Participation, Ethics and Transparency – What citizens want from Brussels”, the culmination of a year of consultations with members of the public across Europe, Access Info Europe said its research shows that citizens are concerned about lack of transparency, weak ethics regulation and low levels of citizen participation in the European Union.
The Spanish institutions have ignored 54% of information requests after 12 months of public debate on transparency
• Access Info Europe and Fundación Ciudadana Civio present the report Tuderechoasaber.es 2012, which analyses the information requests sent to the institutions from this webpage.
• Only 13% of the questions obtained requested information from the institutions (75 of 567).
• The future Transparency Law is insufficient and will not improve access to information in practice
Madrid, April 9, 2013 - One year after the entry into the political agenda of the Transparency Law (the draft was presented on March 26, 2012), and approaching the deadline to amend it in Congress, citizens still have not received appropriate attention from institutions. According to the 2012 report from tuderechoasaber.es (read the report in Spanish online), at present: over half of the requests have still not received a response (54%); while only 13% of all applications have received the information requested. The report has been published today by Access Info Europe and the Fundación Ciudadana Civio.
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