Civil Liberties
Publishing information on GM Crops is not dangerous but responsible
Access Info rejects accusations by the agricultural association Anove that the publication by Friends of the Earth (Spain) of the location of research fields for genetically modified (GM) crops was “irresponsible”, “dangerous” and could “incite violence”.1 The members of Anove include Monsanto, Pioneer and Syngenta.2
Access Info Europe declared its support for the right of Friends of the Earth to use and disseminate information received legally from the government following an information request presented using Spain’s law on access to environmental information.3 This right is protected by the European Convention on Human Rights in its Article 10 guarantee of freedom of expression.
Ireland, Germany, Spain lagging behind on police transparency
Ireland is the only country in Europe to exclude the police from the scope of its freedom of information law, in Germany the right to know does not apply to all police forces, and Spain is the largest EU country without an access to information law and so no public right to obtain information from the police.
These findings are contained in our new report, The Right to Know: Europe and the Police presented at a conference on police transparency held at the Centre for Freedom of Information, Dundee (Scotland) on 26 November 2009. The Report was updated on 4th December 2009.
The research stemmed from concerns raised by the Scottish Campaign against Irresponsible Driving (SCID) that families of those killed by vehicle drivers can't routinely access information held by the police, in particular police reports or professional witness statements.
David Goldberg presents The Right to Know: Europe and the Police
Photo: Centre for Freedom of Information
Promoting access to information for defence of civil liberties and human rights
In the past decade, the European Union and its member states have introduced a large number of measures which are designed to prevent and combat terrorism. These measures include communications data retention, biometric passports, DNA collection and CCTV surveillance. In the post-September 11th climate it has proven remarkably easy for governments to advance and adopt measures which impact on fundamental rights including the rights to privacy, freedom of association and expression, detention without trial, and freedom of movement.
If members of the public are to monitor these new measures to ensure that they are proportionate and necessary, it is imperative that there be access to information. Access Info and Statewatch have identified, however, that it is difficult to obtain significant information about planning for and implementation of many of these measures.
Commitment to Review Counter-Terror Laws in Europe
On Wednesday 7 October Access Info joined 40 organisations in sending an open letter to the Council of Europe's new Secretary General Thorbjoern Jagland calling for follow up to the commitment made by member states at a meeting held in Reykjavik in May 2009 to review the impact of counter-terror laws on freedom of expression and access to information.
We have since received news that the letter has been received and is on the agenda of the next meeting of the Council of Europe's Steering Committee on Media and New Communication Services (CDMC) on 20-23 October.
Letter Council of Europe 
Letter Council of Europe 
Letter Council of Europe
Access Info will continue to press for action on the promises made in Reykjavik. If any human rights, media freedom or access to information organisation would like to join the campaign please click here to send us an e-mail.
